How to delete protected files and folders in Windows Vista ?

Step 1

The first step is to change ownership on all the files and subfolders in the folder you want to delete. Right click the folder, select properties. Deselect read only, and then select the security tab. In the Security tab, select "advanced". Go to the "owner" tab, and select whichever of your personae you are logged in as. I was logged in as "Karen/Administrator" and this worked well for me. Select "Edit". In the new window click "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects" and then click apply.

Step 2

Don't forget the check box at the bottom and don't be alarmed by error messages saying you must skip or ignore files. Next, you need to redefine the permissions available to the new owner identity. Go to the Permissions tab. Click "Edit". You will get another window, where you will again select the user you want to change permissions for. Find your user identity on the list that appears, and choose the one that says "this folder, subfolders and files" or something to that effect. It varies. Click "Include inheritable permissions" and "Replace all inheritable permissions on all descendents", then select "Edit" (again) and in the permissions window that shows up, click everything in the allow column (clicking full control should do this for you). Hit O.K., the window will close, then hit "apply" in the next window. Hit O.K. to close the advanced security settings window.

Step 3

At this point you should be back to the first properties window. Select Edit and, in the new window, select your active user, and click Full control in the allow column. This column may be fuzzed out, but all the boxes are checked anyway. Click Apply, which closes the window, and then select O.K. to close the last window.

Step 4

You are done, or you would be done if Vista didn't suck. During this process, you will probably have seen various messages telling you this or that file or folder was too protected, and you couldn't change it, but would have to skip or ignore it, while other files and folder changed their permissions with no problem. These files and folder that couldn't be changed by a global reset such as I have just described will have to be addressed individually. In the mean time, however, you can go into the folder you want to delete, select all (ctrl>a) and hit delete. This will at least eliminate the files and folders you don't have to treat individually.

And how do you treat them individually? You go through and do the same damn thing you just did to the top level folder and you repeat it for any sub folders and files that persist in being protected, even though you clicked "all subfolders" initially. Vista has trust issues, and they don't really believe you know what you are doing and so, like in any dysfunctional relationship, you have to repeat and repeat yourself and hope that something sticks.

The first time you see the window warning you that you are about to delete a system file, give yourself a pat on the back, because it means that you are on your way to delete most of the obnoxious files. When I did this, I still couldn't delete the entire back up, because the folder has two hidden files in it that only show up if I try to delete the supposedly empty folder. Oh well, I got 17 gig of harddrive back, so I will survive.

Source:http://www.ehow.com/how_5906029__delete-files-folders-windows-vista.html