Endless, Infinite, Never Ending folder... How to delete?!

[noisyscanner]

Hello all!
This has been sat around on my computer for some time now and I just though that today I would try and sort it out. I don't know how it got there but somehow it did, last February. Anyway, I seem to have a folder that goes on forever!
Here WAS the path before I attacked it:

C:\Windows.old\Users\Brad\Documents\Documents\Documents\Documents\Documents\ etc...
Windows.old was backup but there's nothing else in that folder.
I tried moving a very deep child folder out and going through that. No luck. So now I just have a recurring Documents\Documents etc... on my HD.

I looked through all this. Tried running CHKDSK, tried deleting it in safe mode, on Linux, and using scripts and stuff I found on the web. Something to do with Robocopy. That didn't work.

I would appreciate if anybody who knew what this is to please help out.
Ta,
Brad.

 

[logicearth]

Delete "Windows.old"

 

[noisyscanner]

It said to try renaming to a shorter path or moving to a different location as the filesystem doesn't support it. So I moved a deep "Documents" child folder to C:\ and deleted Windows.old. But if I try to delete "Documents" now, it gives the same error.

 

[logicearth]

Go to My Computer screen, right-click on the drive that has Windows.old > Properties.
Then hit the Disk Cleanup button, let it delete Windows.old.

 

[noisyscanner]

Okay it's just doing that now. I'll post the result.

 

[noisyscanner]

Right. Disk cleanup ran fine and when I went to do the "Clean up System Files" as well, that worked. BUT! I'm forgetting that the Windows.old folder is no longer there.
So I changed the directory structure back to how it was (C:\Windows.old\Users\Brad\Documents etc...) and now when I run "Clean up System Files", it freaks out and the disk cleanup application crashes within 2 seconds.

 

[Shootist]

You are someone else has fooled with permissions on the C:\ (System) drive to gain access to files and folders Microsoft does not want you to have access to. You or they have somehow killed all or some of the Junction points (Killed for the lack of a better term) making them into real folders, instead of virtual folders, and has cause a endless loop.

You may notice your hard drive filling up because of the endless loop recreating file and folders endlessly.

Have you ever heard of the phrase "Don't fool with mother nature"? Well there should be a big sign on the Win 7 system drive "Don't fool with permissions on the System drive, you'll be sorry".

 

[noisyscanner]

It's been like it since day 1 when I upgraded Vista to Windows 7.

 

[HammerHead]

Dskchk

I would run dskchk on the drive.

 

[Shootist]

It's been like it since day 1 when I upgraded Vista to Windows 7.

If you open Windows Explorer and click on the Documents & Settings folder in the ROOT of the C drive do you get a popup windows that says "Location is not available" with a red circle and a X in it "Access is denied".
Or the same on some other folders like C:\Users\Default User, C:\Users\Application Data, or most of the folders in the Users folder that has a big curved arrow on it like a shortcut arrow?

If you don't then someone/thing has reset the security permissions.

What happens if you try to delete Windows.Old?

 

[HammerHead]

Same Problem?

Read this thread especially post #2.

http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/151599-desktop-folder-not-really-shortcut.html

 

[noisyscanner]

@Hammerhead: "Dskchk: Command not found".
@Shootish: There is no "Documents and Settings" folder in the root of C:\. I'm not on XP.

 

[Shootist]

@Hammerhead: "Dskchk: Command not found".
@Shootish: There is no "Documents and Settings" folder in the root of C:\. I'm not on XP.

You are running XP and you have a Windows.old folder, which to my knowledge is what a upgrade install of Windows calls the the old windows folder, and you have NO Documents & Settings folder in the ROOT of the C:\drive and this endless folder is in the C:\Users folders of Windows.old.

What operating system did you have on this system before you put Windows XP on it?

Every install of XP I have ever seen, used or heard about had a Documents & Setting folder in the C:\ drive.

If you are running XP then why does your forum name have Windows Home Premium listed as your OS?

I'd say your computer if FUBAR.

 

[Orbital Shark]

I found a very interesting article over on MS Support that may be well worth looking at.

 

[noisyscanner]

I had Vista before Windows 7.

 

[Shootist]

I had Vista before Windows 7.

Oh you said you are not on XP.

Ok you don't have Show hidden files & folder checked in folder options so you wouldn't see the junction point Docs & Settings.

I have nothing else.

 

[logicearth]

Where did the OP said he was on Windows XP? I'm not seeing it.

 

[noisyscanner]

Look at post #12.

@Shootish: There is no "Documents and Settings" folder in the root of C:\. I'm not on XP.

 

[Shootist]

Where did the OP said he was on Windows XP? I'm not seeing it.

He said he wasn't and I missed the NOT.

 

[Orbital Shark]

I found a very interesting article over on MS Support that may be well worth looking at.

In conjunction with this you may want to try the following...

1, Click rb: All Programs > Accessories > System Tools
2, Right-click Disk Cleanup and select Run as Administrator

Now see if it grants full access to the deletion of the folder.

Also, you may want to see if you have better luck with the Built-In Admin Account.