Windows 10: 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
• 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.

:)

 

The Directory Name Is Invalid


OK, here's my situation. I have a Western Digital (WD) My Passport Ultra external USB hard drive. I use this as a media drive on my WD TV Live Plus media player. For some unknown reason, the media player will sometimes corrupt files on the My Passport drive. The net effect is that a file is somehow changed into a directory.

The problem is when I attempted to delete/remove the corrupted file/directory, I receive a 'The directory name is invalid.' error.

I've tried the following:

• Run chkdsk /f; no errors found.
• Run WD Drive Utilities diagnostics; no errors found.
• Checked dir /x looking for an 8.3 filename; no luck.
• Taken ownership of the directory; no luck.
• Tried a few file unlocker utilities; no luck (not reported as locked and delete fails).
• Even tried an NTFS disk editor; no luck.

I've spent the last three hours googling a solution. Nothing!

Anyone else ever encountered something similar and found a solution?

 

Cannot Delete Empty Folder "Directory Name is Invalid"

Did you actually succeed in renaming it, or did it fail with the 'invalid' error?

Perhaps you can delete it by using its 8.3 name. Open a command prompt, then type cd Desktop to go into that directory. Now type dir /x to list the 8.3 names as well as the long names. Now try deleting it using its 8.3 short name.

 

The directory name is invalid

Hi David,

Since you have rebuilt your computer, it may have made some changes or installed some updates that might be causing the error message "G: \The directory name is invalid". However, let's check if there is a device that you can remove in Safely Remove Hardware
utility. Follow these steps to access the utility:

• Press the Windows icon + R on your keyboard.
• Copy and paste this 'RunDll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll".
• Remove any device that you'll see in the utility.
• Restart your computer, then observe if the issue will occur again.

We're looking forward to your feedback.