-1

I'm trying to delete a folder with weird name: "T.E.E.M."
Windows doesn't recognize this kind of name and even tell me the folder can't be found (it was created via NodeJs, but i don't know why windows allowed it).

enter image description here

I tried to delete it normally and it says that the folder can't be found because it doesn't exist.

enter image description here

I tried in prompt too, using the 2 commands del "T.E.E.M." inside the right folder and Rmdir /S "T.E.E.M." but they both don't work. Any suggestion?

alesssz
  • 384
  • 4
  • 18
  • I am not very good in Italian, but I do have a few suggestions you could try. Try the command prompt in Administrator mode. Try to reboot your system, maybe a file is locked. And have you tried to type "del t"? By entering the -key, the file system auto completes the filename. Maybe there is some non-visual character in the filename? – ffonz Jan 18 '21 at 08:59

2 Answers2

1

Windows cannot handle files/folders ending on a period-symbol ('.'). That's what I discovered when I tried to create the "T.E.E.M."-folder myself. I ended up with a "T.E.E.M"-folder (without the last period). So this might do the trick for you:

del "\\?\<full path to file>"

but since this is a directory, maybe

rmdir /s "\\?\<full path to file>"

works better.

By entering \\?\ string parsing is disabled.

Original answer found here.

ffonz
  • 1,304
  • 1
  • 11
  • 29
  • It didn't work using rmdir, it says the folder is not empty (I actually don't know how, i cannot access it in any way). And using del, it says that it's impossible to find that directory – alesssz Jan 18 '21 at 09:38
  • Have you tried `rmdir /s "\\?\"`? – ffonz Jan 18 '21 at 10:28
  • With the /s worked just fine, thank you very much! I will mark your answer, thanks! Update it if you can :) – alesssz Jan 18 '21 at 12:57
0

I had this problem with a stubborn folder. I tried adjusting the security settings , shift-delete and all of the more standard attempts, I made sure the folder was empty and made sure all files were viewable. In desperation I performed the follwing steps:

  1. Command prompt "cmd"
  2. Once the command prompt came up I typed in "regedit"
  3. Performed search in the registry and poof out popped a listing of the folder with a mystery file shown in the path of the stubborn folder.
  4. I deleted the entry (warnings that it is dangerous to fool with the registry.)
  5. Rebooted my computer and looked for the now deleted folder and IT WAS GONE.
Denis
  • 653
  • 5
  • 3