Windows 10: Win10: WindowsApps folder on a secondary drive - how to delete it? (And can we ask who...

I installed some gamepass games with Xbox's PC app (https://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-app).


I didn't want these on my primary drive, so I installed them on my secondary (it uses storage settings->change where new content is saved).


A few weeks later, and I needed to format my primary drive - it's only a 10 min job, so, no problems there.


However, on installing the Xbox PC app again, it didn't find any of the previous installs of the games and there was no way at add the location of the games on the secondary drive to the app (both of which are standard features with app delivery platforms for games, so, bit of a fail there).


I figure, ok, no problem, I'll just set where new content is saved to the secondary drive, and it'll either find it, or just overwrite it. (Note: the Xbox PC app uses Win10's core setting for this - which again is a bit of a fail, because it's standard that users can save games to a different location than windows apps. Not the case here. Strike 3 for the Xbox PC app).


But no, when I tried to set it to the D drive and apply, I get the prompt to say "This will delete the WindowsApps saved there" I click ok, and immediately get a failed message saying it can't do it, with an error code of 0x80070002.


Ok, so, Windows can't sort itself out, no problem: I'll just go delete those folders myself - they're on a secondary drive, not involved with the new/clean windows install, it's my PC so my user account is admin level, I have access permissions on all the files/folders in D:\WindowsApps ... so, no big deal right?


Wrong.


Turns out whoever wrote this file system thought it was a super smart idea to have a level of access that even system admins don't have.


So, first I get an error of not having permission to delete them. I then force permissions using admin powershell, then I get errors saying I can't delete them because the files are in use by the system. I reboot. Same error. I boot in to safe mode cmd prompt and try to delete them through that. Generic error for being unable to do it.


It's now got to the point where I can't even browse the subfolders inside D:\WindowsApps, I just get an error saying the location is unavailable.


I'm looking at this thinking I have two options:


1. Boot Linux off a USB drive and tear the god damned files/folders out by completely circumventing Windows entirely.

2. Format the entire secondary drive.


Before I do either of those, I thought I'd ask here if anyone knows of any way to wipe out a WindowsApps folder? (Note: it also created a D:\Program Files\ModifiableWindowsApps which needs massacring too.)


If whoever wrote this system happens to read this: PLEASE. PLEASE TELL US WHY WE ENDED UP WITH THIS SYSTEM. I've been a software developer for 15 years, and I'm fascinated to find out the choices (and politics) that ended up with WindowsApps insane (read: completely unacceptable) security.


Thanks in advance for any help.

:)

 

Deleting the WindowsApps folder on secondary drive?

Hmm, which is faster. I attempted a Live Linux Drive already but it was very slow and would not boot, not to mention I don't know a thing about using linux.

Would option 2 be easier? I looked at Macrium, but the install steps themselves are confusing me, and I fear not knowing how to navigate it once I boot to it.

EDIT: I installed Macrium Reflect Free, went through these steps to create the media.
Don't forget to check the UEFI/MBR box if you are attempting this yourself.
I then booted to it, "browsed my files for an image", but for real, navigate to the WindowsApps folder on your secondary drive, and delete it. It doesn't disappear instantly, but when you exit the drive, and log back into windows, the folder will be gone.

Thanks for the suggestion cereberus!

 

Deleting the WindowsApps folder on secondary drive?

There are two tools essential tools that everyone one should always have - Macrium Reflect Free and a dishwasher. *Smile.

 

WindowsApps folder can't be deleted on secondary disk

I installed Macrium Reflect Free, went through these steps to create the media on a USB or CD.
Don't forget to check the UEFI/MBR box if you are attempting this yourself.
I then booted from it (spam-pressing F8 during startup),
I clicked "browse my files for an image", but for real it open up a windows explorer interface.
Navigate to the WindowsApps folder on your secondary drive, and delete it.
It doesn't disappear instantly, but when you exit the drive, and log back into windows, the folder will be gone.