I've created a few XP disks with integrated service packs, but when it unzips them to prepare for slipstreaming, it will create folders with random numbers and letters (9649e599c4ace7ecbadf93db23db72ab) and now I can't delete them.

I can delete everything inside them except the folders because it says I don't have permission to even though I am the administrator on this machine.

Anyone know what's the deal with this?

I seem to remember that happening some time ago-IIRC I just took ownership of the file & deleted it. I had/have no Earthly idea why they weren't cleaned up in the first place.

The thing is, the files were created on this username and this username is the admin account. So I should be able to delete the files anyway..

They were probably locked by some of the Windows processes.

Check out the Unlocker utility: http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/

Well I've tried the unlocker utility, dr. delete, as well as a number of other things and the folders still remain inaccessable and undeleteable.

Anyone have any other options?

Well, maybe it's a stupid idea, but how about to try scandisk/chkdsk? I remember I had a similar problem in DOS many years before.

so are you assuming you should be able to delete them or did you try to take ownership and change the security permissions anyway ?

I have this problem occasionally when applying hotfixes ... they extract to my E Drive, then become undeletable.

To expand on what J.C. said .....

Go to "Folder Options" ---> "View" and uncheck "Use Simple File Sharing".

Right click on the folder in question --> click "Security" tab and check the permissions. If that doesn't do it, click the "Advanced" button ---> "Owner" tab.

I don't have a current undeletable folder to walk it through from there, but basically you need to take ownership of the folder via the "Owner" screen.

Excellent, I had to take ownership of the folder and apply to all subfolders to delete them.

Windows sure does suck