empty filder that will NOT delete

hnjbrown · #1 02-19-2005, 09:17 PM

My OS is windows xp home edition with service pack 2. I have an empty sub folder (directory) in "My Music" folder that I am unable to delete. When I try to delete it, I get the following error message: "Error deleting file or folder" cannot delete file: cannot read from the source file or disk. I have tried to delete it in both safe mode and dos mode. I have disabled indexing service. I tried to get rid of it using killbox and moveonboot. The folder is empty. It is not set to read only. I am at my wits end. It takes up no space on my drive (0KB) I just don't like it being there. My drive is compressed, all the folder names have blue text indicating that they are compressed, except the one that will not die, the file name text is black.
Any suggestions ?????

Thank you
H. Brown

Miz · #2 02-19-2005, 11:05 PM

Sometimes turning off the Indexing service in Control Panel>Administrative Tools>Services will allow you to delete a stubborn file or folder.

In this case, though, it might be easier to use MoveOnBoot. It will move or delete the files you tell it to on the next bootup, before Windows loads and can interfere.

hnjbrown · #3 02-20-2005, 10:31 PM

I tried moveonboot. It didn't work. Any other ideas?

Cache · #4 02-21-2005, 01:26 AM

did you stop any instances of windows explorer running at the time you tried to delete the folder from DOS?

HalOfBorg · #5 02-21-2005, 09:09 AM

I read the following solution - I THINK it was on this forum, might not be, about the same issue. It DID resolve the problem:

This happens under XP. A file or folder will NOT delete. It is 'IN USE' - usually by something that you HAVE shut down!

Rebooting has always worked for me, but not for all people. One person with a corrupt filename (or other oddity) had this problem.

Only thing that worked was:

Try going to a command prompt in the directory above the one you want to delete and typing:

attrib -r -s -h directoryname\*.* /s
rd directoryname /s/q

where directory name should be obvious. If that doesn't work, try killing the explorer process and repeating the above steps.

NOTE: This worked for a person where ALL other attempts and utilities failed in ANY WinXP or BOOT DISK mode.

Not known if the 'kill explorer process' had to be done. I HAVE shut down explorer.exe (NOT iexplore - that is Internet Explorer) before from Ctrl-Alt-Del (Task Manager), and to restart it did FILE - NEW TASK(Run). Type 'explorer' and hit ENTER. This rereads the registry, works fine, no crash under XP.

bazza100 · #6 03-20-2005, 03:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hnjbrown

My OS is windows xp home edition with service pack 2. I have an empty sub folder (directory) in "My Music" folder that I am unable to delete. When I try to delete it, I get the following error message: "Error deleting file or folder" cannot delete file: cannot read from the source file or disk. I have tried to delete it in both safe mode and dos mode. I have disabled indexing service. I tried to get rid of it using killbox and moveonboot. The folder is empty. It is not set to read only. I am at my wits end. It takes up no space on my drive (0KB) I just don't like it being there. My drive is compressed, all the folder names have blue text indicating that they are compressed, except the one that will not die, the file name text is black.
Any suggestions ?????

Thank you
H. Brown

Hi H. I have had the same problem myself with XP Home, I simply rebooted into safemode by pressing F8 as the system boots and deleted the files/folders from there without any trouble.

Bazza100

mgriffit · #7 03-22-2005, 09:43 PM

The My Music (and My Pictures, My Downloads, My Videos, etc..) are not always real folder names. They are just pointers to another folder, typically under the "Documents and Settings\user name\... " tree. So you may have already deleted the real location and this pointer doesn't know what to do. You can download a powertoy from Microsoft called TweakUI.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/d...powertoys.mspx

After installing, expand My Computer option, then click on Special Folders. In the right pane, you'll see a pull down list. Find My Music about halfway down the list. This will show you where the folder really is and also gives you the option of moving it. You will need to logoff/on after changing anything.

In the event that you still can't delete a folder. you will need to unhide/unsystem/unread-only everything in the folder. Start/Run .. Cmd.exe
cd to folder
dir /a -- shows any hidden files
attrib -r -s -h *.* -- will allow you to delete any hidden/sys files
del * -- deletes the files
cd ..
rd foldername -- delete the folder

(there is a simpler much more dangerous way, so i will give you this method instead :-)
have fun

Overclocked Doc · #8 03-22-2005, 10:47 PM

Here's a simple fix! :

You simply need to drag the folder you wish to delete into the previous folder so that it appears along side it rather than in it.

So for example, if you have a folder "A" which, when opend contains "B" inturn when opened contains "C"...and so on, you must move folder "C" into the same folder as"B". Sounds complicated, but it's quite simple! Once "C" is moved along side "B", they will both appear when you open file "A". From there
"C" can be deleted.

Try it!