Deleting files in Windows Recovery Console

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ZollyMonsta

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#20717 3-Apr-2008 20:25

Hi

I need to delete files off a secondary hard disk, on a PC which has died.
Thought I'd be able to do this via Windows Recovery Console (I can see the directory
I wish to delete) however I get the message 'Access is Denied'.

How can I go about gaining access to the hard disk and being able to delete files off it?

OS is Windows XP Home Edition OEM - SP2

Cheers,
Grant

manhinli

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#120864 3-Apr-2008 20:44

I thought you had to log on as Administrator to be able to use the console? Shouldn't that mean that you should be able to remove files?

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ZollyMonsta

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#120890 3-Apr-2008 21:29

From what I can tell, only on the hard disk with the windows installation.
I have to disconnect that drive else the pc hangs. Trying to delete files off the non-windows installed
secondary drive gives the 'access denied' message.

I'm downloading a live linux cd now.. maybe I can boot off that and delete files.

manhinli

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#120892 3-Apr-2008 21:34

Yeah, Windows Recovery Console was made for Windows.

Linux Live CDs are great for these kind of jobs... just a question: what distro/CD are you getting?

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ZollyMonsta

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#120893 3-Apr-2008 21:38

I was downloading Knoppix.. but at nearly 700mb it was going to take 4 hours.
Currently downloading Slax 6.0.3
Think that will do the job? Guess it should as long as it can read an ntfs sata hard disk

manhinli

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#120895 3-Apr-2008 21:43

Well, NTFS write really isn't built in to many of the Linux distros out there...

KNOPPIX is very full featured, I've got 3 DVD versions I downloaded myself...

Slax should be alright, looks easy to use. Not sure about NTFS writing to disk, but that's for you to find out.

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ZollyMonsta

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#120902 3-Apr-2008 22:12

Guess I will.. LOL.. If it doesnt work I might download Knoppix overnight.

ZollyMonsta

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#120913 3-Apr-2008 22:41

Hurray,,, yes it does.. I can delete and copy files off my drives... Backing up data now to usb memory disk

3nvy

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#120971 4-Apr-2008 08:44

For those that aren't completely comfortable with the idea of using Linux, Ultimate Boot Disc or BartPE gives you full control over the NTFS file system, so you can delete/rearrange/do whatever you like until your hearts content.

ZollyMonsta

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#121015 4-Apr-2008 11:27

I disagree... A linux boot cd is the easiest.. I was able to boot off the linux live cd... and copy files from the broken pc over to a laptop on my internal network. No configuring required.. it just worked.

Trying to do it via Ultimate Boot CD was less than ultimate.. The utilities mostly didnt work. The ones that could see the NTFS drive could not remove files off the disk 'Access Is Denied'.

For simplicity, the Linux Boot CD seem to work well.