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NT4.0 Cannot remove folder Access denied

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by kilroy

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I have an NT 4.0 server with SP6a. I have a 9 gig hard drive which has a 2 gig NTFS c:\ partiton and a 7 gig NTFS d:\ partition. I can write to C:\ and I can delete files however, I can't delete the folders which contain those files. I get the following error message.

Cannot remove folder ( folder name )Access denied. Make sure disk is not full or write-protected and that the file is not currently in use.

C:\ drive has 1.3 gig of free space and d:\ has 4 gig of free space. The files are not in use. I can create an empty folder and can't delete it. I have given administrators, everyone and system Full-Control and I have executed the Permissions several times as well as rebooted. I check to give sub-folders the Full-Control also. This has made no difference. The folders wont delete. How can you tell if the folders are write protected. Is there something that is preventing the Permissions from changing even although it appears to run successfully?

Please help!

Thank You,
Mike

7 replies

by timthetoolman

In order to get you out for the immediate problem you're in, I suggest you "take ownership" of the folders first and then you shouldn't have trouble deleting them.

You'll need to be an administrator to do this.

Are you deleting them on the machine? Or across the network (from another machine) ?

Cheers,
Tim.

by kilroy

It is a stand alone server used for Optica storeage. The folders are on the Server not the Network. There is only one user and that is the ( default ) Administrator. Since all folders and the files with in them are created by the Administrator, then I already have ownership. It seems as it the entire drive is write protected as far as folders are concerned. I can delete the files with ih the folders.

by timthetoolman

Hi,

Try using the cacls command from a DOS window to verify that the permissions are set correctly. Maybe the GUI is lying?

Create a file in one of the directories first to look for differences between the two.

Here is an expample. Note thesecond entry couldn't be shown because the file WAS in use...

E:\>cacls *.*
E:\Adobe BUILTIN\Administrators:F
BUILTIN\Administrators:(OI)(CI)(IO)F
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:F
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)(IO)F
TIM01\Tim Medhurst:F
CREATOR OWNER:(OI)(CI)(IO)F
BUILTIN\Users:R
BUILTIN\Users:(OI)(CI)(IO)(special access:)
GENERIC_READ
GENERIC_EXECUTE

BUILTIN\Users:(CI)(special access:)
FILE_APPEND_DATA

BUILTIN\Users:(CI)(special access:)
FILE_WRITE_DATA

Everyone:(OI)(CI)C

E:\hiberfil.sys
The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.

Try doing a shift-delete to bypass the re-cycle bin. The problem could be somehow related to re-cycle bin problems...

Make sure you dont have the num-lock key activated when you do this, though. See...

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q132579

For info on that.

Can you delete successfully from the D: partition?

Cheers,
Tim.

by shanghai sam

I just had an interesting discovery. I was looking at Q136517 since I had seen a reference to not being able to delete files do to a corrupted Recycel Bin and I took a look at mine and found that it didn't have the Desktop.ini file. I created one and rebooted. I tried to delete a folder and it deleted. then I tried another and the old routine strated again. I rebooted and repeated this and I noticed the just before the Hard drive stopped from the reboot that I couldn't delete a folder however, if I was quick about it I could delete a folder or two before NT completely completed the startup and the Hard drive stopped. I also get the message that the folder is Read Only when I try to rename a folder. I think that something is bypassing the permissions after startup. Also I could always delete files in a folder but had to go into each sub-folder to delete files and never was able to delete folders.

I wonder if it could be a corrupt Recycle Bin? I removed the Desktop.ini file and it had no effect on quickly deleteing folders after a reboot.

The instructions Q136517 are somewhat confusing. They say to restart to a command prompt but I don't think that is possibly for NT 4.0 is it? The say to issue the commands attrib -s -h recycled and then del recycled.

Also the NT name is Recycler not Recycled. I ran accross another KB at Microsoft and it was also about Recycle Bin trapping files in some location however I couldn't find that again.

Thanks for all your help so far.
Mike

by timthetoolman

Yep. You can hold down the F8 key during the boot to get to the safe start menu.

One of the options is boot to a command prompt.

I think thats what you want.

Cheers,
Tim.

by kilroy

Well first of all thanks for Tring. Although you didn't provide the solution I just don't see how you could have. I resolved the problem. To make a long story short. It was my Optical software and various registry settings from several upgrades and Band-Aids!!!! I deleted all of the Reg entries after de-installing the software as well as, deleting all other sources of it and
Presto!!! I can delete and rename folders and even fry an egg.

The bad news is that I had to work all day and night both Christmas eve and day. Since my holiday is hosed, I can at least spread a little cheer to others and I here by award you the 150 points. Yes I'm at work now!!!! I expect to have the Server back to Abbey Normal by morning.

Thanks for being there,

Mike

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