Can't delete folder!

Howdy:
Running Win7 H P 64-bit

I have a couple of folders inside a folder on my desktop. I can't
delete them! Every time I try it says that they aren't there, but they
are. I've re-booted, been into SafeMode and even right clicked and
entered Properties>Security>Edit, etc, etc, etc and gave permission at
one time or another to everyone listed (2). No joy!

How do I get rid of these pesky folders? There are no files inside of
them, they are empty, save for a couple of sub-folders. Can't delete
the sub-folders either.

Am I going to have to re-install Windows to get rid of these freakin'
things? Thanks for any help.

- -
The Seabat
--
The Seabat

On 27/07/2011 10:14 PM, The Seabat wrote:
> Howdy:
> Running Win7 H P 64-bit
>
> I have a couple of folders inside a folder on my desktop. I can't
> delete them! Every time I try it says that they aren't there, but they
> are. I've re-booted, been into SafeMode and even right clicked and
> entered Properties>Security>Edit, etc, etc, etc and gave permission at
> one time or another to everyone listed (2). No joy!
>
> How do I get rid of these pesky folders? There are no files inside of
> them, they are empty, save for a couple of sub-folders. Can't delete
> the sub-folders either.
>
> Am I going to have to re-install Windows to get rid of these freakin'
> things? Thanks for any help.
>
> - -
> The Seabat

You could try a utility called Remove Empty Directories (RED).

Remove Empty Directories - Freeware for Windows
http://www.jonasjohn.de/lab/red.htm

If that doesn't work, then perhaps the folder names or paths are too
long? See if you can't rename them to shorter names, like "x" or "a" or
whatever.

Chances are that you won't be able to rename them either. So in that
case, your only hope is to boot into an outside operating environment
and delete them from outside of Windows. There is a set of utilities,
built ontop of Linux that can do this for you, called BootMed.

BootMed - The Best Medicine for a Computer that Won't Boot, and other
Ailments
http://www.bootmed.com/

Yousuf Khan

The Seabat wrote:
> Howdy:
> Running Win7 H P 64-bit
>
> I have a couple of folders inside a folder on my desktop. I can't
> delete them! Every time I try it says that they aren't there, but they
> are. I've re-booted, been into SafeMode and even right clicked and
> entered Properties>Security>Edit, etc, etc, etc and gave permission at
> one time or another to everyone listed (2). No joy!
>
> How do I get rid of these pesky folders? There are no files inside of
> them, they are empty, save for a couple of sub-folders. Can't delete
> the sub-folders either.
>
> Am I going to have to re-install Windows to get rid of these freakin'
> things? Thanks for any help.
>
> - -
> The Seabat

Just for the record, give some example directory paths, of
where the files are located.

Windows 7 has junction points, libraries, VirtualStore and
its share of tricks. You need to understand the tricks, in
order to use the file system.

As an example, you can't store a file under C: directly.
There are also limits on dumping you own files into Program Files.
So if you post the path to where the stuff is stored, it makes
it easier to explain the issue (or not).

Paul

On Wed, 27 Jul 2011 22:46:17 -0400, Paul <> wrote:

>As an example, you can't store a file under C: directly.
>There are also limits on dumping you own files into Program Files.

Side question...I have no problem storing files in the root of C: or
in the Program Files folder. Is that because I have UAC disabled?

--

Char Jackson

Char Jackson wrote:
> On Wed, 27 Jul 2011 22:46:17 -0400, Paul <> wrote:
>
>> As an example, you can't store a file under C: directly.
>> There are also limits on dumping you own files into Program Files.
>
> Side question...I have no problem storing files in the root of C: or
> in the Program Files folder. Is that because I have UAC disabled?
>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_Account_Control

"UAC attempts to alleviate this using File and Registry Virtualization"

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927387

"When you use an application for which virtualization is enabled, you
create data files in virtualizable locations of the file system. When
you use another application or Windows Explorer to access these newly
created files, you cannot find them. For example, if you save a file in
a photo editing application in the %programfiles%, %systemroot%,
%systemdrive%, or %programdata% folders, you cannot locate this file."

It looks like that is a function of UAC, but who knows when these
features are really turned off.

*******

If Microsoft wants to do stuff like this, they should have designed
an Explorer for the file system, that would explain these things.
Like if you attempt to delete a file, it could give you a lecture
in a giant balloon dialog, about where the file is actually
stored, what permissions are involved, what program has the
file open, and so on. Rather than making the OS into a giant
"Whack a mole" game :-(

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whac-A-Mole

That's why I'd prefer to see posters mention a path, so it's
easier to explain what is going on. Just suggesting a bigger
nuclear weapon to delete files, isn't the best approach, as
sooner or later the wrong thing is going to get deleted.

Paul

On Wed, 27 Jul 2011 23:54:02 -0400, Paul <> wrote:

>Char Jackson wrote:
>> On Wed, 27 Jul 2011 22:46:17 -0400, Paul <> wrote:
>>
>>> As an example, you can't store a file under C: directly.
>>> There are also limits on dumping you own files into Program Files.
>>
>> Side question...I have no problem storing files in the root of C: or
>> in the Program Files folder. Is that because I have UAC disabled?
>>
>
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_Account_Control
>
> "UAC attempts to alleviate this using File and Registry Virtualization"
>
>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927387
>
> "When you use an application for which virtualization is enabled, you
> create data files in virtualizable locations of the file system. When
> you use another application or Windows Explorer to access these newly
> created files, you cannot find them. For example, if you save a file in
> a photo editing application in the %programfiles%, %systemroot%,
> %systemdrive%, or %programdata% folders, you cannot locate this file."
>
>It looks like that is a function of UAC, but who knows when these
>features are really turned off.
>
>*******
>
>If Microsoft wants to do stuff like this, they should have designed
>an Explorer for the file system, that would explain these things.
>Like if you attempt to delete a file, it could give you a lecture
>in a giant balloon dialog, about where the file is actually
>stored, what permissions are involved, what program has the
>file open, and so on. Rather than making the OS into a giant
>"Whack a mole" game :-(
>
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whac-A-Mole
>
>That's why I'd prefer to see posters mention a path, so it's
>easier to explain what is going on. Just suggesting a bigger
>nuclear weapon to delete files, isn't the best approach, as
>sooner or later the wrong thing is going to get deleted.
>
> Paul

Thanks, Paul, although I can't tell if that really answered my
question. I suppose I could enable UAC and see what happens, but not
today.

--

Char Jackson

Char Jackson wrote:

>
> Thanks, Paul, although I can't tell if that really answered my
> question. I suppose I could enable UAC and see what happens, but not
> today.
>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_Account_Control

"It is possible to turn off UAC while installing software, and
reenable it at a later time.[20]

However, this is not recommended since, as File & Registry Virtualization
is only active when UAC is turned on, user settings and configuration files
may be installed to a different place (a system directory rather than a
user-specific directory) if UAC is switched off than they would be
otherwise.[21]"

HTH,
Paul

On Wed, 27 Jul 2011 21:14:03 -0500, The Seabat <> wrote:

>Howdy:
>Running Win7 H P 64-bit
>
>I have a couple of folders inside a folder on my desktop. I can't
>delete them! Every time I try it says that they aren't there, but they
>are. I've re-booted, been into SafeMode and even right clicked and
>entered Properties>Security>Edit, etc, etc, etc and gave permission at
>one time or another to everyone listed (2). No joy!
>
>How do I get rid of these pesky folders? There are no files inside of
>them, they are empty, save for a couple of sub-folders. Can't delete
>the sub-folders either.
>
>Am I going to have to re-install Windows to get rid of these freakin'
>things? Thanks for any help.
>
>- -
>The Seabat

Start up in the safe mode, Command prompt and type
chkdsk c: /f

Reboot and the folders should be gone, or deletable.

There is also Unlocker: http://www.emptyloop.com/unlocker/

Unk

On 28/07/2011 03:14, The Seabat wrote:
> Howdy:
> Running Win7 H P 64-bit
>
> I have a couple of folders inside a folder on my desktop. I can't
> delete them! Every time I try it says that they aren't there, but they
> are. I've re-booted, been into SafeMode and even right clicked and
> entered Properties>Security>Edit, etc, etc, etc and gave permission at
> one time or another to everyone listed (2). No joy!
>
> How do I get rid of these pesky folders? There are no files inside of
> them, they are empty, save for a couple of sub-folders. Can't delete
> the sub-folders either.
>
> Am I going to have to re-install Windows to get rid of these freakin'
> things? Thanks for any help.

Download and install a utility such as Eraser, MoveOnBoot, LockHunter,
or similar. Then use it to delete the folder(s) at boot. This allows
deletion before something (usually explorer.exe) gets its hooks into the
file or folder.

--

Jeff

On Wed, 27 Jul 2011 22:46:17 -0400, Paul <> wrote:

> As an example, you can't store a file under C: directly.


Sorry, that's not correct. You certainly can (although you need to
have administrator privileges).