Remove directory Issues

Tuck · 27 Nov 2010

Hi,

I'm recovering from a nasty hard drive crash and I need to delete some corrupted directories. I'm encountering a problem when using Rmdir(rd) on a specific folder. In an elevated command prompt I type,

RD /S /Q "G:\Folder\Folder\TargetDirectory"

but even with the /s switch I still get the "The directory is not empty." message for each subfolder within the directory. I have also tried shift+delete and deleting in safe mode to no avail. Thanks for any response.

-Tuck

Brink · 27 Nov 2010

Hello Tuck,

You might see if you may be able to delete the folder using a command prompt at boot instead.

Folder - Delete from Command Prompt

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Tuck · 27 Nov 2010

Thanks for the quick response,

I tried deleting from the safe mode command prompt, but I encountered a similar problem. The command prompt listed each subfolder and for each it said "The directory is not empty," except for the last one where it said "The request could not be completed because of an IO error."

-Tuck

Brink · 27 Nov 2010

Safe Mode is not at boot. Give it a try it from a command prompt (click on link) opened using your retail Windows 7 installation DVD instead.

Tuck · 27 Nov 2010

I booted from the install disc and entered the command prompt. Upon trying to change to the drive with the undesired directory in it, by typing "G:", I received the message "the system cannot find the drive specified." The drive is external, which I should have mentioned before, but I don't know if that would make a difference.

Thanks,
Tucker

Brink · 27 Nov 2010

Ah, I see.

See if you may be able to manually delete the contents of each subfolder in the TargetDirectory, then see if you may be able to delete the TargetDirectory.

Ztruker · 27 Nov 2010

You can also try running chkdsk g: /f against that drive to see if it fixes any file system errors.

mjf · 27 Nov 2010

Tuck said:

I booted from the install disc and entered the command prompt. Upon trying to change to the drive with the undesired directory in it, by typing "G:", I received the message "the system cannot find the drive specified." The drive is external, which I should have mentioned before, but I don't know if that would make a difference.

Thanks,
Tucker

You are aware that drive letters "change" when booting from system repair or install disk?

Tuck · 27 Nov 2010

In response to Brink: If I try to open the subfolders, explorer freezes up for ten minutes or so and then displays the message "You need to format the disk G: before you can use it. Would you like to format it?" If I try to delete the subfolders themselves, even outside of the command prompt, I still get the "This directory is not empty," message.

In response to Ztruker: I have tried running chkdsk /f /r, which hangs in step 2 while discovering indexes.

In response to mjf: I do not understand what you mean. I noticed that the command prompt started in the X: drive, but I could switch to my C: drive with no issue. Would other drives letter's change?

Thanks to everybody for their suggestions,
Tuck

mjf · 27 Nov 2010

I thought earlier Brink was talking about booting from your install DVD or System Repair DVD. Then you get an X: prompt.
Windows is not being booted by your HDD. It's using the Winre version of windows on your boot disk.
Most of the drive letters will not coincide with what they are normally when you do a normal boot. In your case C: appears to coincide.

At the X:\...\ prompt
type
>diskpart
>list volume
then you get a list of drive letters next to the label descriptions. Your external (G:will probably have another letter assigned. This is the letter you use until you eventually reboot back into normal Windows 7.
> exit
get you back to
X:\....\