Windows 7: Can't access or delete folder although logged in as administrator

Question

I have some folder: C:\program files (x86)\myApplication\myFolder

I uninstalled the application, but myFolder is still there. If I try to open it, I get an 'Access denied'.

If I try to delete it I get the message that I need to acquire Admin rights to proceed. If I click the respective button, I still get a message that I don't have the necessary rights to do it.

If I click on properties of the folder it takes quite some time until the properties window opens (around 10 seconds). It's 0 bytes. If I go to 'security' and check the owner of the folder, it tells me that the current owner of the folder cannot be displayed. If I try to change the owner to myself it tells me that the new owner cannot be setup - access denied.

Can anyone tell me how I can get rid of that folder?

Answer 1

I feel like I answered this more than once but I can never find it when the dupes show up. Anyway what you are looking for is this command:

Net user administrator /active:yes

Enter this into an elevated cmd window (right click, run as administrator), log off then log in as the administrator account. Make sure you disable it by setting active:no when you are done, this account is not for day to day use and bypasses UAC.

Answer 2

Are you logged as a local administrator in the first place? If not, that is your answer...you do not have the rights. If you are, then take ownership of it with this command:

TAKEOWN /F directory /R /A

This will take ownership and give permissions to the administrator.

Answer 3

It may be locked by an application, try deleting it from safe mode