How do you get rid of MS's left-over detritus on your old drive

[jmig]

I just purchased a 4TB M2 SSD for flight sims, in anticipation of 2024. After redownloading MS2020 and copying DCS I tried to clean the old M2 drive. Even after Formatting the drive there are two folders and a file still on the drive.

The illegitimate cretins from MS won’t let you delete these folders and files. I tried to change the permissions but that did no good. I even used a copy of Hirin to boot the computer in hopes of removing the offending folders…nope.

Anyone know how to get that crap off?

 

[Priller]

John,

Try this one: https://www.fileshredder.org/

Jan

 

[DennyA]

If you formatted the drive and there are folders on it, then either the operating system is putting files there, or MSFS (or some other app) still thanks that's where those specific files should go. I'd leave them...

 

[Tom Clayton]

Plug the drive into a USB external adapter and you should be able to completely wipe it. Just remember that SSD's have a limited number of writes, and a full format may take a decent chunk if that.

 

[jmig]

If you formatted the drive and there are folders on it, then either the operating system is putting files there, or MSFS (or some other app) still thanks that's where those specific files should go. I'd leave them...

Nope, if I am formatting the drive it is because I want EVERYTHING gone. Windows writing files on my drive is okay when I need them to run the program. When I get rid of the program, I expect all of it to go and not leaving trash like someone tossing aa empty beer can out the window. Not allowing me to erase unwanted and unneeded files really pisses me off. It is MY computer. not Microsoft's.

Denny, please don't take this as me snapping at you. It is, as I said in my original post, "The illegitimate cretins" from Redmond WA and Paris with whom I am exasperated .

 

[jmig]

Plug the drive into a USB external adapter and you should be able to completely wipe it. Just remember that SSD's have a limited number of writes, and a full format may take a decent chunk if that.

I am not sure if I have such an adapter. I don't recognize the term. I have my computer back together and running after upgrading the RAM and M2 drive. I will try Priller's program first.

 

[Brytskiva]

I am not sure if I have such an adapter. I don't recognize the term. I have my computer back together and running after upgrading the RAM and M2 drive. I will try Priller's program first.

m.2 Enclosure , ICY Box .... works fine on USB 3.0 or better ~

 

[jmig]

m.2 Enclosure , ICY Box .... works fine on USB 3.0 or better ~

I had one of those before. I used it as a removable drive to move files from one computer to another. It lasted maybe six months and then stopped working. I have on order a PCI to M2 adapter. Maybe that will work for the M2 drive. I just tried Philler's "File Shredder". It didn't work. The folders disapeared on the File Shredder program window but not File Explorer.

 

[Dangerousdave26]

I have to agree with Denny if you formatted the drive there is no way those folders are left overs. Something created them because that program thinks they are needed there. Think deleting the FS9 or FSX config. The program generates a new one when it is run. To get them gone completely you would have to find out what program is doing it and where is the reference to that location.

That reference would be in a program setting or registry entry.

Not having those folders might cause issue if you just delete them. To test that theory change the drive letter of the SSD. if it is currently the D change it to an J.

Reboot the PC then delete the folders.

Try to run MSFS. If it needs those files in that location you will know. It should throw some type of location not found error or some other problem will show up.

Then you know you have to find what is referencing that drive and folder.

 

[Brytskiva]

Strange , i got 4 of them and all of them works , 2 with MSFS on , and 2 for everything else , but they can be HOT ....

 

[Paul K]

'The illegitimate cretins from MS..' Love it. I shall be borrowing that one.

 

[tiger1962]

I just tried Philler's "File Shredder". It didn't work. The folders disapeared on the File Shredder program window but not File Explorer.

I've just had the same problem after this week's Windows 11 update which created a windows.old folder on my C: drive which was "access denied" no matter what I tried. I finally got rid of it just now with this free app:

Download - UnLock IT

emcosoftware.com

It also adds a context entry so that you can select multiple folders/files, right-click and choose Unlock IT, then select Check, Unlock or Delete. It works. Brilliant.

 

[jmig]

I have to agree with Denny if you formatted the drive there is no way those folders are left overs. Something created them because that program thinks they are needed there. Think deleting the FS9 or FSX config. The program generates a new one when it is run. To get them gone completely you would have to find out what program is doing it and where is the reference to that location.

That reference would be in a program setting or registry entry.

Not having those folders might cause issue if you just delete them. To test that theory change the drive letter of the SSD. if it is currently the D change it to an J.

Reboot the PC then delete the folders.

Try to run MSFS. If it needs those files in that location you will know. It should throw some type of location not found error or some other problem will show up.

Then you know you have to find what is referencing that drive and folder.

Dave, that drive has nothing to do with MSFS. MSFS is on the new 4 GB M2 drive and works fine. This drive is now going to be used for other files and I want it clean. I will try Tiger's suggestion and try UnLock It.

 

[jmig]

Strange , i got 4 of them and all of them works , 2 with MSFS on , and 2 for everything else , but they can be HOT ....

I may have gotten a bad one. I know it was cheap. I do remember it getting hot.

 

[DennyA]

No offense taken, jmig. I used to be one of those Redmond cretins but I moved on. (Also, I wasn't a coder, and I didn't work on MSFS, though I am partially to blame for tiny parts of Windows Vista.)

Can you post a screenshot of what the folders are? I can probably help figure out who the villains are there.

 

[Postbaer61]

I had a similar problem and was able to solve it with a command prompt as administrator in safe mode.
The command line was

e.a. C:\>rd yourunwantedfolder /Q /S

as shown in the video, but in german language

You ave to start your pc in safe mode by pressing the shift key and the restart mode.
Then change to trouble shooting or something like that,
then to advanced mode and to command prompt.

You have now the cmd window which is always set to x:windows\System32>
Now you have to change to the drive where the unwanted folder is located.
e.a. C:\>dir
Now you can see the content of this drive and search for your unwanted folder.
Then if you found the folder you have to tipe in the command.
e.a. C:\>rd yourunwantedfolder /Q /S
and press enter. The folder should be deleted.
You could check that by the command C:\>dir which listed your content of the C drive
in this case.
With C:\>exit you get back to the windows and click on continue or something like that, to get back to win11 to continue.

 

[DennyA]

I'd like to see what the files are called before you force-delete, though. Windows and MS apps can be stupid about where it puts things, and I'd hate to see something break because the file with the stupid 341af3418375dabbae234109 folder name was related to something important...

 

[jmig]

I had a similar problem and was able to solve it with a command prompt as administrator in safe mode.
The command line was

e.a. C:\>rd yourunwantedfolder /Q /S

as shown in the video, but in german language

You ave to start your pc in safe mode by pressing the shift key and the restart mode.
Then change to trouble shooting or something like that,
then to advanced mode and to command prompt.

You have now the cmd window which is always set to x:windows\System32>
Now you have to change to the drive where the unwanted folder is located.
e.a. C:\>dir
Now you can see the content of this drive and search for your unwanted folder.
Then if you found the folder you have to tipe in the command.
e.a. C:\>rd yourunwantedfolder /Q /S
and press enter. The folder should be deleted.
You could check that by the command C:\>dir which listed your content of the C drive
in this case.
With C:\>exit you get back to the windows and click on continue or something like that, to get back to win11 to continue.

I tried that. It didn't work for me.
@ Denny The folders are the

No offense taken, jmig. I used to be one of those Redmond cretins but I moved on. (Also, I wasn't a coder, and I didn't work on MSFS, though I am partially to blame for tiny parts of Windows Vista.)

Can you post a screenshot of what the folders are? I can probably help figure out who the villains are there.

Here are two screen shots. The offending folders are; Programn Files, Window Apps, and WpSystem. The first shot is the sim drive. It is the new 4TB M2 drive. This is how Microsoft installed MSFS 2020. The old Flight Sim drive a 2 TB M2 is out of the computer right now. I was able to get rid of all but the Program Files folder. It has a sub folder ModifiableWindowsApps, which is empty. I plan on using it is this computer, replacing a 1TB M2, so I want it completely clean.

The second screen shot is of my new Game drive. You can see the offending files in this directory. I really don't know how or why they are there. They aren't needed for Steam, as far as I know. I have never had MSFS on the Game drive. If they aren't needed, I don't want them. These blasted files are like weeds that just spread.

 

[tiger1962]

I think MSFS2020 likes to be installed on the same drive as Windows - *initially* - you can move it to the drive of your choice afterward using the Xbox App.
This could be due to MSFS2020 being a Windows App itself, not a stand-alone program.