Can't Delete Files Even After Deleted Partition/Format

percy

OSNN Senior Addict
Joined
15 Jan 2004
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416
Hi. I have a 120Gb hdisk and has 2 partitions. 1st partitions was used as the primary and the second as the logical drive for data files. I had used a different hdisk as the new OS drive and made the the 120Gb as a slave with "D:" and "E:" drives respectively. I wanted to delete "D:" and had already used Partition Magic and even use Acronis from DOS boot and deleted the partition and reformated it. But when I connected it back and checked if "D:" is already formated and no more files but the 'documents and settings/programs files/windows" folders were still there as if nothing happened. I had deleted this partition and reformatted it but why are these folder still existing and whenever I try to manually delete the folder it would say this is being used by windows but I have my "C:" drive as the OS drive. What else can I do? Thanks.:dead:
 
a little hard to understand you, but if windows is locking a file on another partition then delete it while the PC is not in windows.
1, try safe mode (hit F8 over and over from the bios screen until you see the windows boot menu and select safe mode)
2, boot from the windows Cd into recovery console (use google "windows xp recovery console if you dont know about this)
3, the format command, open a dos prompt and type
format D: within windows and see if it throws the "need to dismount volume" warning and lets you dismount it there and then, or after a reboot.

hopefully 1 of the above will work.
 
I think windows on the new partition is still defaulting some automatically generated directories ('documents and settings/programs files/windows') to the old drive. So when you delete it windows writes it back again.

You need to go into windows and tell it to use the new drive for that directory.
 
You are right. Since I am in the process of re-installing everything, I had disconnected the other drive that has the other OS (1st partion of 120Gb) and re-installed the new OS to the 60Gb. After re-installing the OS then I had connected the 120Gb and formatted it's 1st partition and now the files are deleted. Thank you again.
 

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