CODEWITHSUNDEEP
powershellcmdwindows-10
Maxwell Patrick
Maxwell Patrick

Reputation: 23

How do you delete C:\Program Files\SomeApp without administrator privileges?

I am currently attempting to delete the C:\Program Files\SomeApp folder on a test PC where I do not know the administrator password. I have access to cmd.exe, powershell, and not much else.

When I try running rm "C:\Program Files\TestApp\*" I get this:

Confirm
The item at C:\Program Files\TestApp has children and the Recurse parameter was not specified. If you continue, all children will be removed with the item. Are you
 sure you want to continue?
[Y] Yes  [A] Yes to All  [N] No  [L] No to All  [S] Suspend  [?] Help (default is "Y"):

When I say y + [ENTER] it says this:

At line:1 char:1
+ rm "C:\Program Files\TestApp\*"
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : PermissionDenied: (SomeFile.txt:FileInfo) [Remove-Item], UnauthorizedAccessException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : RemoveFileSystemItemUnAuthorizedAccess,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.RemoveItemCommand
rm : Cannot remove item C:\Program Files\TestApp\SomeFile.txt: Access to the path 'SomeFile.txt' is denied.

Which was expected, but I was hoping otherwise.

Anyway, Thanks in advance!

Upvotes: 0

Views: 1468

Answers (1)

Chuck Walbourn
Chuck Walbourn

Reputation: 41057

With User Account Control enabled (the default and recommended setting), administrator rights are required to modify the C:\Program Files folder.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/identity-protection/user-account-control/user-account-control-overview

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/dxtecharts/user-account-control-for-game-developers

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/dotnet/articles/bb530410(v=msdn.10)

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2008-R2-and-2008/cc709691(v=ws.10)

Upvotes: 2

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