Can Not Delete Directory ("The directory name is invalid")

I have a WD My Passport USB drive, which I use with my WD TV Live Plus media player. As best I can determine, the media player has corrupted some of the file entries on the drive. It appears to have somehow changed the NTFS MFT data such that these files are instead being reported as directories.

When I attempt to delete these "directories", I receive a "The directory name is invalid" error. The "directory" name is in fact valid and just to be sure, I've renamed the entries several times with simple names (test, corrupt, etc.). They still cannot be deleted.

Here's what I've done over the last six hours trying to fix this problem:

• chkdsk /f /r - no problems found
• reinstalled device drivers
• mounted drive from ubuntu. "directories" show size corresponding to the files, but have a directory attribute. can not delete - permission error.
• tried numerous utilities (wise force delete, delete doctor, file assassin, etc) which fail to delete

I've also examined the drive using Active Disk Editor. I can see that entities have the directory flag set. However, even changing the flag back to zero does not allow deletion.

I suspect the answer may lie in editing the MFT, but I'm not familiar enough with the details of NTFS to know how to fix the problem.

What about copying everything else off to another drive, format the drive then copy it back?

Might want to consider using robocopy as it has the ability to preserve dates if that is important to you.

Try giving yourself full permissions on the directories.

Uninstall the drive's drivers from Device Manager, and let Windows re-install the drivers again.

I think you may be stuck with copy/format/restore. Depends on how annoying these files/folders are to you.