Cant copy or delete files.

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Antoine

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Apr 24, 2017
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Ok for some reason I cant delete files from an external HDD without getting an error message (i have in in progress on that issue already) it has come to my attention now that wile I can download and install stuff to my PC just fine. i cant copy files from an SD card to a folder on my hdd, i also cant copy the same files from sd card to an external HDD. But I can copy those same files from external to said folder on hdd, I can also copy those same files from external to said SD card. However I need to get them from SD card to my PC then again from SD card to my external. But I cant do that without getting the message attached below.

Ive tried everything from doing it in safe mode, changing permissions (which I shouldnt have to as Im already administrator) giving all my accounts full control and even taking ownership, nothing worked. I hear this issue is common with ppl who upgraded to windows 10 for free that were previously on an earlier windows OS (and im guessing thats the problem because when I was using windows 8 before getting the upgrade to 10 I could move, copy and delete stuff just fine).

Any ideas on how to fixc this? only one I foun consist of refreshing/resetting the PC. Which there is a "keep your files" option but Im not sure what all it keeps (i,.e will it keep all the downloaded stuff in my "downloads" folder that was all the setup/install executable for everything Ive ever installed thus I just quickly reinstall whatever apps it deletes, also I was advised I may need a recovery disc when using that feature but I dont have a windows 10 recovery disk as it was a free upgrade from windows 8.1, I only have my Windows 8 recovery disk which we know wont work on Windows 10. So I dont wanna risk refreshing only to find out that I DO need said disc but dont have it.


So any way to fix this problem without having to resort to refreshing/resetting windows 10? Also before anyone brings up the "load linux on a usb then try to do it from linux" well we tried that for my "in progress" issue but we never did proceed because I cant get my Pc to boot from a USB and theres no option in my bios to set boot order (and even when I tell windows to boot from a usb (as that Is an option wen you shutdown/reset windows to troubleshooting mode) it still bypasses the usb and boots straight to windows 10 on my hdd
 
well this is the thread from before:

https://pchelpforum.net/t/cant-delete-files-from-external-hard-drive.19411/

Also I havent had the time or chance to test it but I may have figured out how to make my PC boot from usb to use the bootable linux. but If I recall the whole point of doing that was to confirm that if I could delete stuff from the external via linux but not in Windows that it would confirm that something is wrong in Windows and not the drive. Well I just used the drive on another windows PC and was able to delete stuff of of it just fine so that confirms that something screwy is going on with my windows. Which like I said,. I bought this PC with Win 8 installed and upgraded to 8.1 and I could copy and delete stuff just fine. this only started happening after the free update to windows 10, and based on my research others have had this very same issue after the free update to Windows 10. So theres definitely something going on ere. I just dont what to do or how to fix it.
 
what scans have you done on the PC, ext drive and SD card to check for malware?
when the ext drive and SD card are plugged into another PC, are things improved?
what build of Win10 do you have?
 
In the previous thread (Post # 39) I asked you to test using another user on the affected system was that ever tried and what were the results and did that other user have Administrator rights?

This will tell us if it is the user having the issue or windows.

Have you also tried running an SFC /Scannow

Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files
 
Last edited:
Rustys said:
In the previous thread (Post # 39) I asked you to test using another user on the affected system was that ever tried and what were the results and did that other user have Administrator rights?

This will tell us if it is the user having the issue or windows.

Have you also tried running an SFC /Scannow

Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files
Click to expand...

Well my account is an administrator access account and it doesnt work, I also tried the windows built in Administrator account and still doesnt work
 
Antoine said:
Well my account is an administrator access account and it doesnt work, I also tried the windows built in Administrator account and still doesnt work
Click to expand...
What were the results for the SFC /Scannow?

Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files

They say to run the command at least three times to get the best results.

Bruce said:
what scans have you done on the PC, ext drive and SD card to check for malware?
when the ext drive and SD card are plugged into another PC, are things improved?
what build of Win10 do you have?
Click to expand...
Bruce asked the following and you have yet to answer.

Have you tried a clean boot? @Evan Omo for providing the information.
Its also worth trying to Perform a clean boot in Windows.
 
all scannows said that Window did not detect any integrity violations

what scans have you done on the PC, ext drive and SD card to check for malware?

Ive done Malewarebytes on my PC, sd card and ext drive and they came up clean. I also did the "Prework" on this site a few months ago to diagnose other PC problems (and this OP listed problem existed back then) and was told my PC was clean. SO we know Maleware isnt the cause

when the ext drive and SD card are plugged into another PC, are things improved?

Yes, as stated before the ext drive and SD card can copy files onto and delete files off of them just fine when plugged into another PC. Thus we know the drives arent set to "read only" or something like that.

what build of Win10 do you have?

Windows 10 Home
Version 1709
OS Build 16299.98
 
ok, so as much as anyone can, it looks like it is 'your pc' with the issue and not the devices themselves.
it sounds like we can also rule out malware (again, as much as can ever be)
so now we get into the weird and unwanted.
weird - have you ever ran a registry cleaner on that PC? and have you created a new user profile and tried from there?
unwanted - if it was me, I'd bite the proverbial bullet and 'nuke it from space'. use the microsoft media creation tool to burn yourself a bootable ISO on USB or DVD (if you haven't already, not sure what you have done in this area)

I have on a couple of times seen personal files saved prior to a Win10 upgrade need their permissions changed to Everyone so they are accessed after the upgrade, but it's the exception not the norm, and the Permission changes has always worked.
 
What do you mean by "nuke it from space"? Also what would creating a bootable ISO fo to solve the problem?
No I havent created a new user and tried it but Ive used the built in Windows Administrator account which is supposed to be all access and yet cant do it under that account.

As for registry cleaners I use the registry fix that comes with CCleaner (all that seems to do is delete left over registry stuff from unistalled or deleted files) but thats about it.

Im assuming it IS the Win 10 issue you mentioned though because I could delete and copy just fine on win 8 and 8.1 before I did the win 10 upgrade. Ive tried every permission trick i the book but either they dont work or the steps im supposed to take in the istructions are undoable as the proper stuff to click isnt seen of my screen or is greyed out.
 
sorry, nuke it from space was a bad attempt to reference a saying from one of the Aliens movies. it means to wipe the PC and start from scratch.
I suggested creating a new ISO image onto a bootable DVD or USB stick to aid in the fresh install from said device if you want to go down that path.

creating another user would be another straw to clutch, you may get lucky and avoid the painful process of reinstalling everything again.

you really should think twice about running any sort of reg cleaning software. the one in CCleaner is considered a fairly light weight one in terms of it's aggression, it takes a lightly, lightly approach. but since Win7, reg cleaners are simply useless in terms of improving space or performance. and in Win10 with the constant changes, they can be dangerous as the cleaner has no reference to those current changes by MS. even the official word from MS is to not use them. a quick search on the Piriform community forum shows many issues happening after users have ran their reg cleaner.
the only time I now use one is when the OS is acting weird, and then, only after I have exhausted all other avenues. for you, it may well be the reason it is acting weird.
the thing with reg cleaning is the side-effects can take months to show up, making the offered backups done by that process useless.

also consider making system image backups, I'll let you read up on a great, common one called Macrium Reflect Free if you want more info on that.

as said, for me, I'd be fresh installing Windows and going from there....
 
Nah Im not ready to wipe clean (too much valuable data) an start over due to a small annoyance. Besides thats not really a "fix" thats more like a "tear down and rebuild". Sure you do that when a building is on fire. But not if theres a leak or one floor has been flooded, thats more of a "it can be fixed, just have to figure out how to" problem.
 
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