Folder name _PWF6A~D cannot be deleted

This is a folder on a backup device I have. It seems to have been created 10/31/2015. It has a subfolder named folders.501 which has a folder temporaryItems, which appears empty both in Explorer and CMD. Yet it doesn't seem to be empty. I cannot delete these folders. I've looked and found a discussion about this name appearing due to the MacOS but that has never run on my computer.

So: 1) why is it on my drive; 2) why does Windows report it is not empty but Explorer shows it is empty; 3) how do I get rid of it

THANKS!

This is on a Windows 10 machine. No Mac involved at all.

I haven't tried CClearner etc. I will

I only mentioned Mac because the references I found on line were to a Mac. Confusing to me, as to my knowledge no Mac OS has been installed.

@bro67 If you find trivial addenda particularly concerning, don’t express it as part of the discussion. Concentrate on the problem at hand.

Efforts at gathering and providing information about a problem prior to voicing it is a conduct we need to see much more of in the forums. But if you think something someone said is irrelevant, you should ignore it rather than encourage silence because the additional guidance may be beneficial for others with a different perspective to the problem.


RonNewYork, what error message are you getting when you attempt to delete the folder? Additionally, what file system does this item reside? If it’s a file system that doesn’t support permissions then it’s likely a process has a handle on it.

User 501 is the default user on OSX, it seems the folders could be created if streaming to or from a Mac? That could I guess include ipods, iphones and ipads.

When I try to delete it in cmd.exe there is no error but nothing happens. In explorer I get directory name is invalid. If I try to use RD on it or the folder below, folders.501, I get "folder is not empty" error.

This is a backup device. Most of the time it is off-line; no cable connection. I plug it in, do backups and unplug it. This folder has a date of 10/31/2015. That date means nothing special to me.

I am very certain there never was a Mac OS on it.