How to delete Vista Installation without reformatting
By Detector | 11 May 2008
To uninstall Windows Vista, you can simply remove the bootloader of Vista with VistaBootPro. But, how will you remove the vista files? Those files get a lot of space of you disc drive. If you try to remove it from your XP OS, you will get “Access Denied” errors. Those files have permission restrictions that do not allow you to delete them. What you need to do to delete those files and to make more disc space is to follow next steps:
- Go in Safe Mode . Restart your computer, and press F8 in the old pre-Windows Vista bootloader, or while waiting for the Windows XP logo to show up. (when cursor blinks). Select Safe Mode in the list of options that shows up.
- Login as Administrator.
- After login go to Start -> My Computer -> Tools -> Folder Options -> View -> Show Hidden Files and Folders -> OK. This option will show all windows hidden files and folders. These include “Program Data, Pagefile, Documents and Settings (hidden).”
- Select all the folders you wish to delete. Right click -> Properties.
- Go to Security Tab (yes to the popup that shows up) and click on Advanced.
- Go to Owner and select Administrator, make sure “Replace owner on subcontainers and files” is ticked.
- Wait. Once finished, right click, Properties, security and advanced again. Make sure administrator has full permissions.
- Check “Replace permission entries on all child objects with entries shown here that apply to child objects.” Hit OK. Wait again.
- Now, the last step! Go to Advanced again. Go to Administrator and hit “Full Control” under Allow. Make sure “Replace permission entries on all child objects with entries shown here that apply to child objects.” Press OK, and wait again.
- If everything is right, you should have full and unlimited access on Windows Vista files.
- Now, hit the Del button and delete those files without any restriction!
- Restart computer and that’s it!
Tags | Howto, Tips and Tricks, Vista, Windows
thanks for this magnificent tip. It saves life’s