Windows 10: How do I delete a zombie Windows folder?

I somehow created a folder that I cannot delete. While extracting files from several RAR archives to a new destination folder, I somehow -I thought- managed to create two folders with the same name. It turned out one folder name had a trailing space character at the end and one did not but I did not realize this right away.


I tried to delete both files, one went to the recycle bin but on the second I got a message that the folder didn't exist. After some trial and error I finally figured out the folder name has a space character at the end but that knowledge has not helped me find a way to delete the folder.


When I try to delete the folder in Windows Explorer now, I get the normal "Are you sure" confirmation dialog but then Windows comes back saying it could not find the item, it is no longer located in the folder.


When I try to rename the folder by deleting the trailing space character at the end, Windows tells me that the source and destination file names are the same. When I try to rename the folder to a totally new file name, Windows says it "cannot find this item".


It shows up as a File Folder type file in the directory. I can open the folder by double clicking on the icon. I can save a text file there with Notepad++ but get a message that "The directory name is invalid" when I double click on the file to reopen in Notepad++.


I've even tried using the old DOS RMDIR in the CMD window but got the "not found" message back.


Any suggestions on how to remove this folder are appreciated.

:)

 

Trouble deleting a folder

Thanks for the suggestion but it says "delete folder failed for E:\....." for each folder I try.

*Confused

Will I be forever stuck with these unnecessary folders? *Oh Well hwell:

 

C windows installer folder - Delete?

He can do symbolic link redirection and move the files in it to a different location. *Wink
Better try it out in a virtual of first. Just a suggestion.

Like:
First move everything in c:\windows\installer to d:\installercache
Then delete c:\windows\installer folder
Then type this in command mode as admin
mklink /d c:\windows\installer d:\installercache

Removing those installer files is a bad idea. it might prevent you from updating or uninstalling apps.

 

Windows 8 - delete windows folders in another drive

I have the problem (from Windows 8) to delete the folders windows and programs on a secondary disk on which it was 7 .... know how to get full control to delete those folders?