delete D:\Windows

Winuser · Jun 9, 2025

Dru2 said:
Odd because I've installed Windows plenty of times, and its never gotten "confused" on were to install the OS.

The only problem I ever had was the boot partition being on the wrong drive. I was dual booting using two drives.

Levitate11 · Jun 9, 2025

How about take ownership of the folder... give yourself full control... click the option to "apply the to all sub folders",etc.... then go get lunch while it does that.

When you come back you should be able to delete the folder.

SIW2 · Jun 9, 2025

You can do it from some kind of winpe . If your recovery sequence is working at admin cmd prompt type
reagentc -boottore
next restart will boot to winre
once in winre at cmd ptompt type notepad
when notepad pops up click file>save
you can use the save dialog to browse around and delete the unwanted files/folders

or you can do it with dism++ file explorer which ignores permissions

wabbit · Jun 9, 2025

Winuser said:
I updated to Macrium X when the offer was a good deal. Even though I use it and like it, I feel that it's not worth being a subscription program. I prefer to pay for new version of a program if I feel the updates are worth me spending my money.

When I upgraded to Macrium X, it was a God Friday special, where I would get a 4-pack subscription at half-price for life. The offer seemed to be to good to pass up. Although I'm not a fan of subscriptions, it seems as that is what is happening with a lot of other software now.

hsehestedt · Jun 9, 2025

Run these commands:

NOTE: The commands below will give you access to all files on D:. If you need to operate on specific folders such as D:\Windows, substitute that path in the commands. Note too that if you specify the root of the drive (D:\), then there may be some errors trying to take ownership of stuff like the recycle bin or system volume information. This is OK!

After running these commands, you should have full access to the files on D:\

EDIT: Do this from an ELEVATED command prompt

C:\windows\system32\takeown /f D:\
icacls d:\ /grant %username%:F
C:\windows\system32\takeown /f D:\*.* /r /d y
icacls D:\*.* /T /grant %username%:F

Berton · Jun 9, 2025

I had one instance where a clean install of Win10 in 2016 caused a similar issue. Turned out the BIOS had a setting in it that during install it used both drives that were attached internally, it was for AHCI/RAID, problem found when detaching what was supposed to be D: caused failure of Windows booting. Things were corrected by changing the BIOS and installing again.

If the computer in the OP were mine I booted a Linux LiveUSB or LiveDVD and transfer all files desired be saved onto a USB drive of sufficient size. I prefer the Ubuntu/Debian flavors, Mint in particular, and they contain workable programs such as GPARTED [partition editor] good for manipulating the partitions or fully cleaning a drive. The drives work just as if installed in a computer albeit a bit slower.

Winuser · Jun 10, 2025

wabbit said:
When I upgraded to Macrium X, it was a God Friday special, where I would get a 4-pack subscription at half-price for life. The offer seemed to be to good to pass up. Although I'm not a fan of subscriptions, it seems as that is what is happening with a lot of other software now.

That's the deal I went with. I like Macrium but I'm not a fan of subscription software
I prefer to only pay for updates that I think is worth while updating to. I don't mind Microsoft 365 because I can share it with family and I like having all of my documents and pictures on OneDrive. I have my phone set to automatically upload my pictures to OneDrive.

gunrunnerjohn · Jun 10, 2025

pseymour said:
Well formatting a drive to delete one folder is a bit like putting a nail in with a sledgehammer. Sure you can do it, but then your wife says, "why are you always staring at my sister?!"

Oh, I think I might have mixed my metaphors.

Well, he did mention he had at least one other partition that he wanted to get rid of. In any case, manipulating partitions without a backup is playing with fire, one slip and it's by-by data. If you have a good backup, then formatting is simple and sure. There are plenty of stories about people fooling around with partitions and losing everything, why risk it.

gunrunnerjohn · Jun 10, 2025

There are 3rd party applications that will zap most anything, some require a reboot to remove them before Windows starts protecting things.

pseymour · Jun 10, 2025

gunrunnerjohn said:
Well, he did mention he had at least one other partition that he wanted to get rid of. In any case, manipulating partitions without a backup is playing with fire, one slip and it's by-by data. If you have a good backup, then formatting is simple and sure. There are plenty of stories about people fooling around with partitions and losing everything, why risk it.

The only people that mentioned partitions were Winuser and you.

Pablo56 · Jun 15, 2025

Managed to solve this. I originally had a second SSD connected when I installed widows. This never used to be a problem before. I would have to HDDs and install Windows onto one only.

I had a spare SSD and transferred the contents of D: to E: But even thou I reinstalled Windows again properly, it dug it’s heels in on my D: drive and refused to be deleted. Everything is now working error free. Thanks for all your help.

Pablo56 · Jun 15, 2025

dacrone
download ubuntu and make a linux live... its free

I did try this before but it got stuck when the downloaded software wanted to download the updates. It couldn't get to grips with my Virgin media wireless router which was plugged in.

I would love to try this again as I have a few spare SSDs which I could use. Problem is this is a Windows forum so not the right place to ask this question. Did try a lynux forum but as I told them I used windows and wanted to set up a lynux PC, the atmosphere towards me was notably hostile. I gave up in the end.

Pablo56 · Jun 15, 2025

If I unplug the D: drive (an internal SSD), windows boots up fine. When I try to delete the files, it will not allow me. Could this have something to do with file permissions? This is a home computer and I am the sole user. Do I not have administrative writes? Has that been the problem? How do I correct this to be an administrator?

SIW2 · Jun 15, 2025

Is there a windows folder on D ?

If it is an installation you need higher permissions than admin to delete some of the files

You should be able to go to d:\windows\system32 and delete the config folder.

then you can use dism++ file explorer to delete the rest

it is a small portable program https://github.com/Chuyu-Team/Dism-.../download/v10.1.1002.2/Dism++10.1.1002.1B.zip

Spunk · Jun 15, 2025

Get another external HDD of the same size or larger than your D: drive.
Drag and drop or copy and paste the files you want to keep to the new drive, then Format the D: drive.
After that, reverse the process and copy the files back to D: Keep the new external as a backup of D:

Pablo56 · Jun 15, 2025

If it is an installation you need higher permissions than admin to delete some of the files?

YUes it does have a Windows folder. I originaly had my D: SSD plugged in when I ORIGINALY re-installed windows. This was never a problem in the days of W7 or even W10. Windows did what it was told. It was never used afterawards even after lots of re-instalations to get it right.

PC works with SSD disconnected.

SIW2 · Jun 15, 2025

did you do what was in the rest of the post?

go to d:\windows\system32 and delete the config folder.

then you can use dism++ file explorer to delete the rest

it is a small portable program https://github.com/Chuyu-Team/Dism-.../download/v10.1.1002.2/Dism++10.1.1002.1B.zip

Pablo56 · Jun 21, 2025

It would not allow me to delete any windows folders

SIW2 · Jun 21, 2025

First use regular windows explorer to delete d:\windows\system32\config

after that use dism++ file explorer to delete the windows namespace folders one at a time

Program Files
Program Files (x86)
Programdata
Users
Windows

I have done it dozens of times.

delete D:\Windows

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