windows 11 admin problems on external drive

I have admin rights on my PC, but I have a 2Tb external drive connected, with hundreds of films on it which I want to delete.

But although I have admin rights, and the parent directory is fully accessible, I am finding I have to go into the specific sub directory, (of which there are 100's), and add 'full control' to separately, and it is hit and miss if it is allowed.
So even if I am allowed to change the rights to full control, I can then delete, but most of them this option is greyed out with the error, I have no admin rights to make changes.
I would have thought that if I have admin rights in the parent directory, this would be enough. It is very frustrating having to do about 5 mouse clicks to delete one directory/file, when there are so many.
Can anyone suggest something I can try, that I haven't already, thanks in advance.

Could you just format it and get rid of everything? If there are files you wish to keep move them to another disk and then format.

I did think about doing this but I have other files that I want to keep, and hiving them off I get the same admin issue.
I even tried to move the folders to my local drive, but it said I needed admin rights to move them.
Basically, my own PC, is telling me I cannot move, delete or copy my own files, because I am not allowed
very frustrating

badgerdiddy said:

I did think about doing this but I have other files that I want to keep, and hiving them off I get the same admin issue.
I even tried to move the folders to my local drive, but it said I needed admin rights to move them.
Basically, my own PC, is telling me I cannot move, delete or copy my own files, because I am not allowed
very frustrating

Click to expand...

Just take ownership of folders & files.
Use the .reg and merge it or use the command within the .reg file.

if you right-click on the drive in File Explorer and select properties......security see which users have full control.



Then edit and give users or admins full control

this is the problem
I already have full control on the parent directory, so I would have thought this would be enough

Remove full control, click OK then add it back and click OK. Or try OAT's method in post # 4.

I tried that, and it didn't work, and gives me an admin error for every sub folder underneath the parent.

Well, who has full control for the sub-folders?

I thought I did, by having control of the parent, but maybe not
I have been called away, I will have to get back to this later
but thanks for all your help so far

badgerdiddy said:

I tried that, and it didn't work, and gives me an admin error for every sub folder underneath the parent.

Click to expand...

In the Properties for the external drive click the Advanced button.



Click 'Change Permissions', tick the box for 'Replace all child object permission entries with inheritable permission entries from this object' and apply.