Vista Protected Folder Erase Guide

    How to erase a folder Vista refuses to erase (i.e. protected system-owned folders):
01. Right click on folder (Context menu appears.)
02. Select "Properties" ("[Folder Name] Properties" dialog appears.)
03. Click the "Security" tab.
04. Click "Advanced" button (Advanced Security Settings for [Folder Name] appears.)
05. Click "Owner" tab.
06. Click "Edit" button.
07. Click new owner's name in "Change owner to" box.
08. Click box to check "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects".
09. Click "Apply" button. ("Changing ownership of..." progress message appears.)
10. Click "Yes" to acknowledge "Windows Security" warning.
11. Click OK to close topmost "Advanced Security Settings" dialog.
12. Click "Permissions" tab (first tab) on current "Advanced Security Settings" dialog.
13. Click "Edit" button.
14. Click to select the Administrator in the "Permission Entries" box.
15. NOTE: If "Administrator" appears more than once, select the one that has "Subfolders and files only" in the "Apply To" column.
16. Click Edit button. ("Permission Entry for [Folder Name]" dialog appears.)
17. Click to check "Apply these permissions to objects..." option.
18. Click to check ALL the boxes in the "Allow" column.
19. Click "OK" (Dialog box closes, return to "Advance Security Settings" dialog.)
20. Click to check "Include inheritable permissions..." option.
21. Click to check "Replace all existing inheritable permissions..." option.
22. Click "Apply" button. ("Windows Security" confirmation dialog appears.)
23. Click "Yes" to confirm that you wish to continue.
24. Watch progress indicator on the "Windows Security: Setting security information..." dialog.
25. When all security information has been applied, the progress indicator dialog will close automatically.
26. You are now at the "Advanced Security Settings for [Folder Name]" dialog box... the "Permissions" tab should be visible.
27. Click "OK" and the dialog box closes, revealing the previous dialog box.
28. Click "OK" and the dialog box closes, revealing the "Properties" dialog box.
29. Click "OK" and the "Properties" dialog box closes.
30. Return to Windows Explorer and delete the folder.

    Happy decontamination !