how to delete directory that won't delete

[paso4242]

I am running windows 10 and there is a directory that just won't delete. I have tried to delete it in safe more also using secure delete and I shredder but every time I reboot it's there again. The directories are empty.

 

thanks for any suggestions.

[uk666]

If Windows 10 refuses to delete a folder or file, this might be caused by two reasons:

1. Either the affected files/folders are currently being used by Windows 10 or a running software.
2. You don´t have the required permissions to delete the folder/file.

Please provide:

1. What is the folder called and where it located?
2. When you try to delete the folder, what error message did you get?
    

[uk666]

How to Fix Deleted Files/Folders Keep Coming Back on Windows 10

Depending on the situation you are in, you may need to try different solutions to cope with the issue. 

Fix A. Fix A Corrupted Recycle Bin

If you see files and folders in Windows Recycle Bin keep coming back after a refresh, it's most likely that something went wrong with the Recycle Bin application. To stop files from reappearing after emptied recycle bin, you need to fix corrupted recycle bin in Windows 10 by using the Windows PowerShell.

1. Run "Windows PowerShell" as an Administrator in Windows 10.

• Open the Windows Start menu at the bottom-left corner of the screen and navigate to Windows PowerShell.
• Right-click to open the Options menu.
• Choose More > Run as Administrator.

2. Type or Copy and Paste to Windows PowerShell (Press CTRL + C to Copy it, and press CTRL + V to Paste it in the window) the command rd /s /q C:\$Recycle.bin and press "Enter".

3. Type Exit to close the Windows PowerShell window.

Fix B. Check Permissions

If you are not allowed to make changes to the files or folders by the system, how can you successfully remove items from your computer? Thus, the first thing you need to do is to check your system permission.

1. Find and Right-Click on the File/Folder you want to Delete, then choose "Properties".
2. Click the "Security" tab and choose "Advanced" at the bottom right-hand side.
3. Click the 'Owner' tab and click 'Edit'.
4. Under Owner, click on 'Change' link.
5. Type 'Everyone' and click on Apply and OK.
6. Go back to the "Security" tab, click "Edit" to change permissions.
7. Under 'Permission for SYSTEM', place a Check Mark on all the Allow.
8. Click on 'Apply' and 'OK'.
9. Delete the File/Folder.

Fix C. Run Microsoft Safety Scanner

"Deleted files or folders keep coming back" can also be caused by a Virus or Malicious Software. 

Microsoft Safety Scanner works as a malware removal tool that can be used to scan your system for viruses or other kinds of malware and then remove them. It only provides another way to scan and remove infections when you suspect that your security software is not working correctly and believe the device has been infected.

Since Microsoft Safety Scanner is not a built-in tool in Windows, you will need to download it first from the official Microsoft site.

Download Microsoft Safety Scanner (msert.exe ) (64-bit?

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Save the msert.exe to where you want, and run it.

Check the Accept all terms of the preceding license agreement box, and click/tap on Next.

Run the tool and select the type of scan you want to run, Quick scan, Full scan, or Customized scan. Then click "Next"

Select the scan you want to run on Windows 10:

• Quick scan: Scans the section likely to contain viruses, spyware, and other unwanted software but does not remove any infections. Instead, you will be prompted to perform a full scan.
• Full scan: Scans the entire system for malware and removes infections.
• Customized scan: Performs a quick virus scan and scans the folder location you specified.

Wait for the scanning process to complete. When it has done, the scanner will tell you there is no virus found or it has removed the deleted viruses, spyware, and other potentially unwanted software. 

If there is malicious software deleted and removed, you can click "View detailed results of the scan" to check for more information.

Fix D. Use the DISM and SFC tools to repair missing or corrupted system files.

If Windows 10 is having problems, it could result from missing or corrupted files. This guide will show you the steps to repair the installation using the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) and System File Checker (SFC) command tools.

Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM):

Type or Copy and Paste to Windows PowerShell (Press CTRL + C to Copy it, and press CTRL + V to Paste it in the window) the command dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth and press "Enter".

Once you complete the steps, the Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool will connect to Windows Update online to download and Replace Damaged Files (if applicable).

System File Checker (SFC):

After the image has been restored to a healthy state, you must use the System File Checker (SFC) command tool to Repair the current setup.

Type or Copy and Paste to Windows PowerShell (Press CTRL + C to Copy it, and press CTRL + V to Paste it in the window) the command sfc /scannow and press "Enter".

Once you complete the steps, the System File Checker tool will Repair the System Files (if applicable).

[paso4242]

Hard to believe but I have tried several the above (with thanks) but the directory is still there. At first I deleted it using the security things and it showed it was gone on a reboot. Then After a couple of reboots the directory is back!

I will try the last one and see if that works. I have never seen this before. There are no files in the directories that won't go away.

 

 

[uk666]

Have you checked that files in that folder are not “hidden”?

If you still cannot delete the folder, please provide the following info:

1. What is the folder called and where it located?
2. When you try to delete the folder, what error message did you get?

[paso4242]

The folders are now gone, it seems they were infected somehow and when I ran Microsoft Defender and cleaned the folders they deleted and never came back. 

 

thanks for everyone who gave suggestions.

[BamSec1]

On 5/23/2021 at 4:34 PM, paso4242 said:

thanks for everyone who gave suggestions.

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