Can't delete empty folders

Question

Hello,

I just recently did a reload from CD of the operating system then did a restore from a backup on my 2nd HDD. All this was due to a problem from adding Dimm's.

Anyway, I'm backup and running using Windows XP Pro Service Pkg 3. After getting my Windows up then I did the restore from backup. Doing this I brought over folders

but no files in these folders. Kept trying this until I had to to put the folders in an alternate location and that worked. My problem is the folders that were brought over

with no files I can not delete. I get : error deleting file or folder: access denied , make sure disk is not full or write protected and that the file is not currently in

use. As stated there are no files in these folder (folder is empty). I tried changing the attributes , un check READ ONLY but it will not let me do that, it looks as it does,

but you go back in properties and it's checked again in the READ ONLY box. Ok, from there I tried going to command prompts to delete theses foders by the 'RD Folder

Name' , again, Access is denied . I can not even do a 'CD' (access denied) in to the folder from the command prompt. If I had one or two of these no problem, but I

have about 18 of these folders, all empty and they have the same names as other folders which I had to place in alternate locations to get the files to come over

with the folder.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Thanks

fireberd · Answer

You will need to either log on as the Administrator (even if your regular log on has Administrator rights) or if you can Right click on the Windows Explorer and then select 'run as administrator' (I think this is in XP) then you should be able to delete the folders if they are not 'read only' (which happens when you copy to discs with certain copy modes - such as the drag to disc method).

reboot_y2k · Answer

Thanks for reply Fireberd.

I set myself up originally as computer administrator. As you mentioned the 'read only' is the attribute checked in properties, but I can not even change that. I can not anything with those folders, can not drag them anywhere nor change their name or even put anything in them. It's always 'access is denied: Make sure the disk is not write-protected and that the file is not currently in use'. Of course there is no files in these folders . All these folders are in the ' Document and Settings' folder. They do act like as if you're trying to change something on a CD.

Thanks again

reboot_y2k

eskymi · Answer

Try booting in to Safe Mode and see if you then can delete these folders.  IF these are the only problamatic folders then this might help.

Jim C · Answer

XP Pro has some special provisions for taking ownership and I do not have XP Pro. You may want to read http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

muto · Answer

that is indeed the correct answer, the other answers are wortheless.

this condition can happen when copying files/folders from write protected media such as cdr discs or backup tapes. you need to take ownership of the files/fodlers before you can delete them. you may additionally need to enter the file/folder properties to remove the read only attribute once you have taken ownership. the steps of taking ownership vary with xp home and pro, and even in xp pro when a member of a domain controller or not. the microsoft article above describes the various methods very well.

good luck.

reboot_y2k · Answer

Thanks for replys,

Referrence to the safe mode, I had tried that also, which that has worked in the past with me on other problems, but it did not this time. :(

Jim C , I going to look at this link you gave me. And thanks to you Muto

By the way, I wrote in my first post when I tried to restore some folders they came over but without the files, ok, now these are the folders I'm referring too. They show empty, 0 bytes. Here a twist I just come across. I did a hard drive copy to copy but just selected 'My Documents and Settings' where these Folders reside. Looking at my 2nd Hard Drive 'D" where I copied my Documents and Settings too, I look at the bad boys I can't delete from my 'C' drive , on the copied over folders I can access them and all the files that were to originally restore over on my Restore are there, well the skins are there and the data info for the files but nothing inside the file. Example a .jpeg foto may show 200kb and the type, name etc. but if you double click on the foto it shows 'no preview'.

So what this is telling me is even though on the folders that I can't access or delete and they show empty, there is something in them for sure. Think so??? I don't think they are being link to the other folders in the other areas with those files that I finally got to copy over.

Going to chech the link now, I'll let you guys know my outcome.

reboot

reboot_y2k · Answer

That worked guys, the taking owership. Had to do it with each folder, but that went pretty quick once you did a couple. Actually some of the folders had a few in itself, so there were probably 25 or so to do. Iknew there was something in them. It reminded me back in the days of UNIX when customers didn't have permissions or Root passwords to do these things. Thanks to all of you for your help and replys.

reboot

reboot_y2k · Answer

One other thing I would add , when doing this you may need to go into Control Panel to Folder options , click on View, then go down to Show hidden files and folders

and bullet that. Some of the files and folders (if anythere) may need changing ownership.

reboot

Windows General

Can't delete empty folders

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