Introduction

When software installs on Windows Vista it carries special rights during the installation that only it can have. It can protect files and folders using those rights and make files and folder undeletable by most user accounts.

In certain circumstances you might need to delete a folder that was protected by the software installation. When you try to delete a folder Windows Vista tells you that you don’t have the proper privileges or rights to delete the folder even though you’re logged in as a user with administrative rights.

This guide shows you how to delete one of these folders.

Warning: Folders that are protected were protected for a reason. Delete the folders at your own risk.

Delete a Protected Folder

The only way I know how to delete a protected folder like the one discussed in this guide is to logon as Administrator and delete the folder using that account. There’s one problem though. By default you can’t logon as Administrator in Windows Vista.

Enable the Administrator Account

Read my [1] Logon Windows Vista as Administrator guide and enable the Administrator account.

Delete the protected folder

Logon as Administrator and delete the protected folder.

Disable the Administrator Account

Disable the Administrator account so that your computer is secured. See the bottom of the [1] Logon Windows Vista as Administrator guide for help with disabling the administrator account.