Folder - Delete from Command Prompt

How to Delete a Folder in Windows from the Command Prompt​

   Information

This will show you how to permanently delete a Folder in Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8 using the RD or RMDIR command from within a command prompt.

This can be handy if you cannot delete the folder using the normal methods.

   Note

While you can run this command in a non-elevated or elevated command prompt, you would get the best results using a elevated command prompt.

   Warning

The folder will be deleted immediately and not placed in the Recycle Bin first. Deleting a folder using this command will also delete all of it's contents as well as the folder. Be sure to backup anything you want to keep in the folder first.

EXAMPLE: RD and RMDIR Command
NOTE: You can use either the RD or RMDIR command in the command prompt. They are the same command.





Here's How:
1. Do step 2 or 3 below for where you would like to use a command prompt at.


2. To Use a Elevated Command Prompt in Windows
A) Open an Elevated command prompt in Vista/Windows 7 or Windows 8, and go to step 4 below.
3. To Use a Command Prompt at Boot
A) Open a command prompt at boot in Vista/Windows 7 or Windows 8, and go to step 4 below.

B) In the command prompt, type diskpart and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

C) In the command prompt, type list volume and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: This will let you see what the drive letter is for the drive that you want to delete the folder in since it may not always be the same drive letter that it is in Windows.

D) After making note of the drive letter, type exit and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

4. In the command prompt, type the command below and press enter.
NOTE: Substitute Full Path of Folder within quotes below with your folder's full path within quotes instead.

RD /S /Q "[COLOR=red][B]Full Path of Folder[/B][/COLOR]"

NOTE: For example, if I wanted to delete a folder named Folder on my desktop, I would type this command below.

RD /S /Q "C:\Users\UserName\Desktop\Folder"

5. The folder should now be deleted.

6. Close the command prompt.
NOTE: If you used a command prompt at boot, then also close the System Recovery Options window and restart the computer.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Delete a File in Windows from the Command Prompt
• Add "Delete Files in Folder" and "Empty Folder" to Context Menu of Folders in Windows
• How to Open a Command Prompt at Startup in Windows 7
• How to Open a Elevated Command Prompt in Windows 7
• How to Open a Command Prompt in Windows 7
• How to Hide or Unhide a File or Folder in Windows 7
• How to Rename a File and Folder from the Command Prompt

 

[Brink]

Hello Fishcad, and welcome to Seven Forums.

What folders are you trying to delete?

Have you tried to do this in a command prompt at boot instead of from within Windows 7?

If this is for the Windows.old folder, then this tutorial below may be more helpful.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/19151-windows-old-folder-delete.html

 

[fishcad]

5 of those folders with the really long names that are left from Windows update. I have not been able to get directly to the command prompt from boot. How do you do that?

 

[Brink]

The tutorial link in my post above can help show you how to.

If that fails to delete the folder, then you might see if you may be able to using the free program Unlocker.

 

[fishcad]

Thanks

I had to go to Option Three to get it done but it worked. I had previously tried Unlocker which I've used on another computer but it didn't do anything.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome. I'm happy to hear that you were able to get it deleted.

 

[mytouchoftech]

Thanks for this! I had created a symbolic link that only the command line could successfully delete.

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome mytouchoftech, and welcome to Seven Forums.

 

[BiggestT4]

Deleting using Command Prompt

I tried this technique to attempt to delete a folder on my Local Disk D:\ Drive and on every single file and folder, an error message came up with Access is Denied.... I don't know what to do to get rid of this folder. Can you help?

 

[Parman]

Try taking ownership.

 

[BiggestT4]

it won't allow me to take ownership the entire folder cannot be changed in anyway shape or form.

 

[BiggestT4]

ok, so after clicking the ownership change button frantically it has done it, I am now the owner of that folder, however when I try and delete it, it still comes up with the message access is denied.

 

[Parman]

Which folder is this. Should you have full permissions?

 

[BiggestT4]

Ok, so it came up with the fact that one of my users was inheriting permissions, therefore I have been able to remove that and now thankfully it has started to work, I am now in control of that folder.

Thank you for your time, but you can consider this issue solved!

 

[Parman]

I'm glad it all got worked out. I figured it was just a permission issue but I had to make sure it was a folder you could actually delete.

 

[PatrickGSR94]

Okay so I have a laptop at work that the AV was popping up constantly this morning saying it had removed 30 or 40 trojans from C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Desktop\Installer\... So I uninstalled the Google Bar for IE and also Google Chrome. Removed every other folder in that Google directory. But it will not let me delete the \Google\Desktop folder and everything inside it.

I have tried removing it in Command Line. I have tried Safe Mode with Command Line, I have even tried creating a registry key that moves that folder to another folder and renames it at next reboot. That last part worked. Now it sits in C:\temp\ and the folder is called simply "delete". But I still cannot get rid of that folder from CMD or anything else. It says access is denied at every sub-folder level.

I am using the administrator account for the computer. I wish I could connect the hard drive to a different PC but that's not really possible. I checked Properties of the offending folder and it says "0 files, 257 folders". Yikes!

Any other ideas what I might try?

*edit* downloaded the app Unlocker and that made quick work of it. Entire folder is gone now.

 

[fd1193]

I still have a problem, I'm trying to delete a corrupted folder off a external HDD, I go to CMD, Run as Admin, Type, "RD /S /Q "F:\G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013) [1080p]" & it says "the system cannot find the specified file". The external is the "F:" & the folder I'm trying to delete is the root of the drive "F:\G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013) [1080p]". I think that my problem has to do with the name of the folder cause there is a ":" in it, but that is just what I was thinking. Also I am in the F: directory when I do all this.

 

[Brink]

Hello fd, and welcome to Seven Forums.

In that case, you might see if using the free program Unlocker may be able to delete it for you.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[John E Quest]

I followed all the suggestions and after doing so I ended up with -Access is denied (!!!!major frustration!!!)
This has been something I've tried to resolve for more than a year and still NEED to resolve this as It continues to get copied ( inadvertently) on disks I burn.\
Please help?
JEQ

 

[Brink]

Hello John, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Normally when you get an "Access is denied" message, you would need to take ownership (if not already) of the file , then set permissions of the file to "Allow" your account "Full control" of it.

If that doesn't help, then you could try the free program Unlocker to delete it with.

If this is a system file or folder of Windows, then you wouldn't want to delete it though.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[hulkbuster]

Thank you that was a great tutorial. I was looking for some tutorial for this in the net.
Glad i found here.