I installed Vista RTM to partition C and now I'm trying to remove earlier Vista RC1 from D. I have deleted all folders except Program Files, ProgramData and Windows. If I try to delete these, the errormessage after all UAC confirmation windows is: "You need permission to perform this action". I don't want to format partition D because of there is also data I don't want to remove, so what should I do to delete these folders? I have tried to change ownership to admin group, as well as give full rights to admin group to these folders but no help. The second question: I changed the owner of a folder from TrustedInstaller to admin. Now I try to set TrustedInstalled again to the owner, but I can't find it when using "Select users and groups": what's the right location? Or how should I do that?

Firstly, you have to move these filesyou need fromD: to another place temporarily until you perform a format from command prompt with this command line: "format D:/x" so that you couldn't get UAC warning messages. For 2nd problem, you can pefrom following: From Security Tab in Properites offolder you want to change>>ClickAdvanced >>Select Owner >>ClickEdit >>Click Other users or Groups >>ClickAdvanced >>ClickFind Now Then select the owner you'd like to add and apply. Good luck

TrustedInstaller does not exist in the "visible" users and groups as it runs as an NT Service. To restore: Right mouse button click on the file and choose Properties Click Security tab Click Advanced button Click Owner tab Click Edit button Click Other User or Group and type in NT SERVICE\TrustedInstaller Press Ok on all dialogs until all property dialogs are closed Cited from http://blogs.msdn.com/irenak/archive/2007/01/30/sysk-277-how-to-bring-back-the-trustedinstaller.aspx

That's incredible! As an administrator on my own home based PC I can not delete a particular file that is not a part of OS without formatting a partition. Good job, Vista Team...

I completely agree. I have the e_x_a_c_t same problem. A bunch of files in a bunch of folders inside a parent folder which Vista in all its omnipotency won't allow me to delete despite my login being the owner _a_n_d_ having full permissions on folders and files. Microsoft or MVPs, can we please have an answer here on how this is solved? Or do I have to re-format my drive to get rid of these files?

The only solution I have found is to drill down to the lowest directory and delete one at a time, going up to the root.

I have encounterd this same problem while trying to build a Vista based trading workstation.First try locked up and lost keyboard and mouse. Auto repair just made things worse. Finally reinstalled,but left C drive intact, since it had some folder I wanted. Found a Boot directory apparently leftover from theauto repair effort. Tried to remove Boot directory after changing owner from TrustedInstaller. Still cannotremove. Only recourse I see is to reformat the drive.This is what I mean by Technocrap-technology that almost works. In my long carrer I've never seen a situationwhere I as an administrator lost control of my own machine. Ugly!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have tried the above and still get an ERROR!

This ridiculous! Should be able to easily change/delete any file or folders that I want to? Why have we NOT received a way to do this?????

I know the last post was 9 months ago but the thread was not closed and I wondered if you had found your solution to your problem?