Windows 10 folder cannot be deleted

weybrew · 05 Oct 2020

Here is a folder I have found on my Win 10 PC. I have tried to delete/uninstall but it will not go away. How can It be removed?

Windows 10 PRO v10.0.19041

Berton · 05 Oct 2020

It may help to see what the file extension is, View, Options, View again, Uncheck the Hide extensions. I've always had problems managing files where there's too many dots/periods in a file name, fortunately not often on my own computers. There's some options folks have used but my final choice is to boot to a Linux LiveDVD or LiveUSB to access a drive and delete a stubborn file.

dalchina · 05 Oct 2020

a. boot to a command prompt and then delete it.
b. Install and run Emco Unlockit (free) and select it for deletion. If necessary it will be deleted on restart.
c. Boot from a live boot disk and delete it.
d. Boot from a Win 10 install disk and via 'Repair your computer' navigate to a command prompt and delete it.

e. You might have some luck deleting it in Safe Mode

etc etc....

weybrew · 05 Oct 2020

Thanks, Berton, for your reply. The file info listed in my original posting is the entire I.D.

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks, dalchina, for your comments. I am not 'techie' enough to know what to do with the command line suggestion. I have never used Emco Unlockit but I have used Unlocker and this is the first file it has ever failed to remove, even after a reboot. Not really sure about the 'live boot disk' but I think I remember creating one...I'll try to find it. I don't know the difference between a 'live boot disk' and an install disk. I have what ever Windows promted me to create. I do know about booting into SAFE mode so I'll try that.

dalchina · 05 Oct 2020

The basic idea is to delete it when
a. Windows permissions no longer apply
b. Nothing is running that might lock it

I.e. Windows isn't running. You might be lucky in Safe Mode.

Emco Unlockit has a decent GUI - and unlike many tools, handles folders as well as files. Simple, easy.

Of course, if the file is continually being recreated on startup, well, that's a different matter. You can check that by inspecting its properties (creation time).

A live boot disk lets your PC boot up from an external disk not using your internal disk at all. You get an operating system (Windows/Linux) and a load of programs installed ready to use.

Here's Kyhi's original one: see the desktop and all the progs:
Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk

You cannot install Win 10 using that disk.

A Win 10 install disk -- yes- it installs Win 10. Can be used to repair Win 10 too in some ways.
And you can boot from it and by clicking 'Repair your computer' get a number of things you can use- command prompt, system restore, startup repair...

joeandmarg0 · 05 Oct 2020

This method might work for you:
left click on file
right click on file
left click on "Properties"
left click on "Details "tab
at the bottom of the window,left click on"Remove properties and personal information"
in the new window,left click on the second Radio button " Remove the following properties from the file"
in the same window,left click "Select all" and then "OK"
in the "Details" tab window,left click "OK",which should remove the file.

Ghot · 05 Oct 2020

weybrew said:

Thanks, Berton, for your reply. The file info listed in my original posting is the entire I.D.

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks, dalchina, for your comments. I am not 'techie' enough to know what to do with the command line suggestion. I have never used Emco Unlockit but I have used Unlocker and this is the first file it has ever failed to remove, even after a reboot. Not really sure about the 'live boot disk' but I think I remember creating one...I'll try to find it. I don't know the difference between a 'live boot disk' and an install disk. I have what ever Windows promted me to create. I do know about booting into SAFE mode so I'll try that.

You might try and rename the folder. Then try to delete it.
All things like this are easier to do in Safe Mode.

Another possibility is using a file shredder. A lot of antivirus programs have them, CCleaner has one.

I would also try Emco Unlockit. It's much more powerful than Unlocker was.

i486 · 05 Oct 2020

weybrew said:

Here is a folder I have found on my Win 10 PC. I have tried to delete/uninstall but it will not go away. How can It be removed?

Windows 10 PRO v10.0.19041

Open cmd.exe as admin and use this command as a template. It has deleted all stubborn folders in the past, for me anyway.

Code:

rd /s "\\?\D:\bad\folder\path"

Those spaces in there are necessary.

Jacee · 05 Oct 2020

It looks like it's a "screen cut" from something.

Scroll down to Laverne and Shirley here: Browse newsgroup alt.binaries.classic.tv.shows

*Laverne and Shirley S06 Season 6 - X265 - PROPER - Project Restoration - Professor X265 [01/22] "Laverne & Shirley - 6x22 - Child's Play (x265) Project Restoration.mp4" (1/1221) yEnc 732425817 Bytes*

i486 · 05 Oct 2020

Jacee said:

It looks like it's a "screen cut" from something.

Scroll down to Laverne and Shirley here: Browse newsgroup alt.binaries.classic.tv.shows

*Laverne and Shirley S06 Season 6 - X265 - PROPER - Project Restoration - Professor X265 [01/22] "Laverne & Shirley - 6x22 - Child's Play (x265) Project Restoration.mp4" (1/1221) yEnc 732425817 Bytes*

Yes, it looks like a part of an incomplete download. I can guarantee that my code will work on folders, so the OP could move other subfolders and files away from the folder where the bad file is, and then delete it. Unless the folder is part of the system, or there are gigabytes worth of data in that folder that would be inconvenient to move, that's what I'd try first.

There are of course other powerful commands that target files, they will look similar.