When I uninstalled Norton Systemworks, it left behind the folder NPROTECT in C:\RECYCLER. This folder held 5.7GB of Norton protected (deleted) files that could not be deleted from the system.

While it was uninstalled, I changed my user name, and later reinstalled. Norton now is associated with the new name only. The remaining files that won't delete are associated with the old name. And apparently the old name is gone for good.

In an attempt to get to the files, I reinstalled Norton and disabled the protection features, but it didn't help, I still can't delete them.

I managed to delete all but 950MB by going to the command line and doing this:

C:\DOCUME~1\JOHND~1> CD\

C:\DOCUME~1\JOHND~1> CD RECYCLER\NPROTECT

C:\DOCUME~1\JOHND~1> DEL *.*

C:\DOCUME~1\JOHND~1> Y

C:\DOCUME~1\JOHND~1> CD

C:\DOCUME~1\JOHND~1> RD NPROTECT

C:\DOCUME~1\JOHND~1> EXIT

[All I did was type what I was told; I don't know any DOS at all]

This cleared the bulk of the files even though Winders complained that it "couldn't find the files," and "the directory is not empty", I tried several more times and the remaining files would not delete.

Is it possible that the old name is actually still on the system somewhere? If I could substitute it for"JOHND~1" in the prompt, and repeat the command sequence, I think it would do the trick.

Windows XP Home v5.01.2600 SP1 | Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1 | eMachines T2042 | 2GHz Intel Celeron Processor | 512MB RAM | 40GB Hard Drive | Intel 3D AGP Graphics | 10/100Mbps Ethernet | CD-RW 40x Write | DVD 16x Play

Check Norton's homepage. It tells you how to completely remove it from your system.

del \\?\c:\recycler\nprotect\*.*

Norton hired help hasn't got a clue.

mine gives me a C:\RECYCLER\nprotect\00001345.
The system cannot find the file specified. , when I try to delete. IT CANT DELETE AT ALL!!!

Woo hoo i tried everything to get ridda folders i had in nprotect, booting in safe mode etc, none of which worked until i tryed sided00r's command listed above(obviously changed a bit for my troublsomefolder) and it deleted them silently rather than whinging about cannot find file etc...Nice one sided00r the magic must lay within the \\?\ in the path i guess, thanks once again i was a gnats wotsit away from formatting :o)

This might work better:

rmdir /s \\?\C:\RECYCLER\NPROTECT

Enjoy.