never delete system 32

Delete System32 is an ongoing trolling technique. System32 is essential to the running of most windows machines. It’s a special folder in the Windows directory. Without it, the computer would not work at all.
Originating in times before even Something Awful, the “Delete System32” meme is a technique to try to get unsupecting users to destroy their computer, thus removing them from the intertubes. System32 is usually presented as a virus, and instructions are given on how to delete it without the computer throwing up a warning message. Tracking down when the trend started is difficult, as Delete System32 doesn’t appear in google trends, and search for System32 was high before 4chan even existed. Finding people who have actually followed through on deleting System32 is even harder, as it basically destroys the computer. However, finding videos on youtube where people claim to delete System32 is easy. Finding videos where they actually delete system32 is not.
It is common for new users to somewhere, such as /b/, to be told “Delete System32, your computer will go much faster” or something similiar, until the advice stacks up en masse. Doing the actual deleting is very difficult. Windows is programmed not to let you, hence the @echo off.
Tracking down when it started is difficult, as google insights only stretches back to 2004.

NEVER DELETE UR SYSTEM 32 FOLDER! NO MATTTER WHAT SOMEONE SAYS!