How to Delete Files Protected by TrustedInstaller - Spiceworks

How to Delete Files Protected by TrustedInstaller

If you try to delete or rename certain files that are installed by default in

Windows, for example EXPLORER.EXE you will soon discover that you can¡¯t do

anything with the file even if you are a system admin. This is because they are

owned by a process called ¡°Trusted Installer¡±.

If you try to rename or delete the file you will get the following warning appear

on your screen.

Thankfully there is a workaround. You first have to change the security

permissions on the file and take ownership of the file and then give yourself full

control to access the file.

Once you have done this you will be able to delete, or rename the file. By

reading this ¡°How To¡±, I will guide you through the required steps in order to

change the file ownership and permissions.

Browse to the file you want to change the permissions on, in the example I am

going to use Explore.exe which is in the c:\windows\ folder. Right Click the file

and select Properties

On the file properties tab you need to select the Security tab

Once on the Security tab you need to click on the Advanced button

On the advanced tab you will see that TrustedInstaller has full control over the

file, whilst everyone else has ¡°read & execute¡± rights.

To change this you need to click on the Owner Tab

On the Owner tab you can now see that the current owner is set to

TrustedInstaller.

Click the Edit button at the bottom of the window

Highlight the user you would like to become the new owner and then select OK

at the bottom of the tab.

I would generally pick administrators but on this occasion I selected my own

account. A security warning will appear advising that you need to close and

reopen the file properties before you can make any changes. Click OK on the

security prompt.

Once the security prompt has closed you can see in the owners tab that the file

permissions have changed to the account you selected.

Click OK on all the file properties tabs that are still open to close them. Once

closed Right click the file again and select properties. Then select the Security

Tab again.

This time on the security tab you select the Edit button

If the user name you changed the ownership to is not in the list then click on

the Add button

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