Can't Delete User Account File

A while back I made a new account and gave it administrator privilages and then deleted my old administrator account. Problem is, I have a *folder* for my old administrator account that is 4GB big, but has absolutely nothing inside and I can't delete it. Anybody have a similar problem or a solution to mine?

 

I am not sure why you are having a problem with this smoompa, but one of the first things I do after reinstalling Windows is to run the small registry hack from the site below which puts "Take Ownership" into the right click menu. 

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/add-take-ownership-to-explorer-right-click-menu-in-vista/

This usually fixes things that Windows refuses to let you do.

Cheers

 

Another thing to try is start your machine in safe mode (reboot and press F8 repeatedly) then select the Admin account (not your account).

Navigate to the folder and see if you can delete it.

 

It should be noted that Windows imposes a maximum file path limit of 256 characters. What this means to the end user is that although we can give our files and folders any name we choose. If the total length of the file path exceeds 256 characters we will loose the ability to edit, copy, move, or do anything else to the files at the far end of the path.

Example: .........C:\ Documents and settings\ Folder\ Sub folder\ Sub folder\ Holiday photos from Spain\ Me and PseFrank in the bar.jpg

If after totaling up all of the characters in the path the file name Me and PseFrank in the bar.jpg caused the total to exceed 256. Then this particular holiday pic would not be able to be copied, opened, moved, or deleted.

The way round this is to shorten the name of the holding folder (Holiday photos from Spain). And if that cannot be done, to shorten the name of the folder that holds that one. (Sub folder)

This may not be the cause of the original posters problems, but it's worth investigating.

 

There are varying degrees of Administrator groups though.

There is always 1 master Admin account, and you normally add a new user wanting admin rights to this group. The master Admin account is able to delete users (this is the one that you would have used to add/remove new users) and it will be able to delete any selected folders you no longer need