Undeletable folder

[Bendy Demon]

Ok, so....

I have this ZTemp folder, right? I use Disk Cleanup to clean it up (as the name implies) yet even Disk Cleanup will not delete the files in it.

I get to teh temp folder itsel so I can delete the contents of a particular folder only to find I can't because a thing called 'TrustedInstaller' "owns" it despite it being in the Temp folder.

So I tried changing to the ownership to myself -the owner and admin of my own computer- and still it refuses to delete this particual folder- that I want gone. Now since it only has 35 megabytes one would just say to me to just forget it and move on and in most cases I'd say "Sure. Whatever" however this 35 megabytes is a recent development whereas it used to be just a measely 1 or so mb.

I do not want to go into teh command prompt because for one I am not adept enough to fix problems and I am very wary of making changes that I do not understand.

Microsoft help forums are no help as apparently they don't want to address that issue. I even tried adding another 'group' and that didn't work so even though I am the owner of said folder I can't get rid of it..even when I used the computers admin (which is me too) as owner and I still get told I need the admins permisson even when I access the folder as a admin.

You know..Windows 10 is frustrating and they make it that way too. Not like XP or -presumably- windows 7

[Timothy]

Hi @Bendy Demon, I had similar issues deleting a folder/files in the past because the folder/file path was too long which would not allow the normal delete process to work.

Could this be the case?

[Bendy Demon]

3 minutes ago, Timothy said:

Hi @Bendy Demon, I had similar issues deleting a folder/files in the past because the folder/file path was too long which would not allow the normal delete process to work.

Could this be the case?

I don't see why that would be the case as Disk Cleanup, Ccleaner and Glary Utilities cleaned up files with long names. Maybe I just give up?

[Timothy]

18 minutes ago, Bendy Demon said:

I don't see why that would be the case as Disk Cleanup, Ccleaner and Glary Utilities cleaned up files with long names. Maybe I just give up?

It caused some bug for me. I only got rid of it when I used a new SSD for my OS and formatted the HDD with the un-deletable folder to zeros (after backing up what I needed).

If it’s recently gone from 1MB to 35, that suggests that a program or process is actively using it. 
It’s possibly a temp/cache folder for a program.

If you don’t mind sharing, what’s the folder path? Or file names in the folder?

Also, if it’s not essential that you delete it, it’s probably just worth leaving it alone unless it eats a lot of storage.

Edited August 9, 2022 by Timothy
Typo.

[acute]

45 minutes ago, Bendy Demon said:

Windows 10 is frustrating and they make it that way too. Not like [...] Windows 7

Windows 10 is my 'pet peeve'.

It's a nightmare! 

Win10 says "Working on it", when Windows 7 used to do it straightaway.

[acute]

From Professor Google:

[Bendy Demon]

Even booting in 'Safe Mode' looks to be a nightmare too! The only reason I got a computer with Windows 10 is so I could update the programs I use alot. At least in XP I could boot in safe mode then do what I needed then restart. Not so easy in Win 10.

[acute]

(Ignore the bolded bit)

[Bendy Demon]

Just now, acute said:

(Ignore the bolded bit)

I did that but there is this one folder in the Temp file folder that won't go away. I select it but can't get rid of it because I need "permission" from the admin..which is me..still can't get rid of it.

Like I mentioned, the afore mentioned files in the folder were originally under the 'ownership' of 'TrustedInstaller' so I changed the ownership of folder to me...I assumed it applied to all files in that folder. ARGH! What a pain!!!!!!

[acute]

I believe the folder belongs in Windows, as does TrustedInstaller, so don't lose sleep over it.

Here's a Plan B I found, if it's seriously bothering you:

https://win10faq.com/how-to-access-temporary-files-in-windows-10/

 

Edited August 9, 2022 by acute

[Cookie Monster]

1 hour ago, Bendy Demon said:

Ok, so....

I have this ZTemp folder, right? I use Disk Cleanup to clean it up (as the name implies) yet even Disk Cleanup will not delete the files in it.

I get to teh temp folder itsel so I can delete the contents of a particular folder only to find I can't because a thing called 'TrustedInstaller' "owns" it despite it being in the Temp folder.

So I tried changing to the ownership to myself -the owner and admin of my own computer- and still it refuses to delete this particual folder- that I want gone. Now since it only has 35 megabytes one would just say to me to just forget it and move on and in most cases I'd say "Sure. Whatever" however this 35 megabytes is a recent development whereas it used to be just a measely 1 or so mb.

I do not want to go into teh command prompt because for one I am not adept enough to fix problems and I am very wary of making changes that I do not understand.

Microsoft help forums are no help as apparently they don't want to address that issue. I even tried adding another 'group' and that didn't work so even though I am the owner of said folder I can't get rid of it..even when I used the computers admin (which is me too) as owner and I still get told I need the admins permisson even when I access the folder as a admin.

You know..Windows 10 is frustrating and they make it that way too. Not like XP or -presumably- windows 7

Run your virus checker, if its not a virus you`re okay.

[Bendy Demon]

In case anyone is curious...

C:\windows\temp\f4272858-70b4-43b6-bf4a-30d9bf96b11b\windows\fonts\

this is the thing sticks around like an unwanted houseguest....

I

45 minutes ago, Cookie Monster said:

Run your virus checker, if its not a virus you`re okay.

Did that too and no virus or malware either....

[Bendy Demon]

3 hours ago, Bendy Demon said:

........

Ok..to clarify..in the afore mentioned folder it contains font files but the cruncher is that I tried clicking on several but it wouldn't open in the font viewer as it says it is not a valid font file..even the True Type files so I can't help but wonder why I cannot delete it.

If it is in the windows temp folder as is mentioned in an earlier post then why does windows cling to it? I want to try my program called Super Delete which is part of my program called SuperAntiSpyware but I am afraid I might do damage too and since I am not savvy enough for al this I don't wanna go into the command prompt thing and I am wary of booting in Safe Mode then deleting there as I am worried I might mess up my computer somehow.

[Bendy Demon]

One more update:

The only thing I can figure with this folder that I cannot delete is it may have something to do with a restore point I created a couple months back or so because of a windows update that I was not sure about. Other than that I give up on it. Thanks to all who replied to my post.

[the13bats]

It might not delete as it might be in use but im guessing.

This might help "if" it bugs you too much, not sure as im a 7 guru who isnt fond of 10.

https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-get-permission-from-trustedinstaller-in-windows-10-4780469

Im on the process of building a new PC which will run both 7 and 10 ( not at the same time but as a boot option ) on different ssds.