Anyone know how I can delete a folder that cannot be found?

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JeckeL
How do you know the folder exists even though it says the folder cannot be found, does it show up when you're browsing the HDD? If so what's preventing you from just right-clicking on it and deleting?

One thing you can do to make sure you've got the path right is open command prompt then open a window to browse the HDD beside it, in command prompt type (where (space) is just a blank space):

rd(space)/s(space)

Then drag the folder from the external HDD window onto the command prompt window and it will automatically throw the path to that folder into the command line
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JeckeL

JeckeL

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Do you know the exact path to the file/folder? Make note of what drive letter is assigned to your external hard drive when you connect it (e.g. E:\ , F:\ , G:\ ) then in command prompt type "del (path to file)"... for example:

del "E:\text files\file.txt"

If there are spaces in the path you need quotations around it, if there are no spaces you don't need them:

del E:\text\file.txt
 
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Legolas8181

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So what do I need to put to delete a folder called "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)"
 
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JeckeL

JeckeL

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To remove a directory/folder use the "rd" command (stands for remove directory IIRC). When you put in the HDD what drive letter is assigned to it? Did you put it directly on the HDD or did you create a folder first? If not, use this:

rd /s "E:\Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)"

If it is inside a different folder (for example, a folder called "movies"):

rd /s "E:\movies\Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)"

Again this is assuming the removable device is assigned drive letter E: ...if you have multiple HDD's, disc drives, etc, then it'll probably be something G: or H:
 
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Legolas8181

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It's F:\Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. So I just type "rd /s "E:\Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)"" into the command prompt and it will delete it?
 
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JeckeL

JeckeL

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Yes but F: instead of E:

 
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Legolas8181

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I did that 3 times over and it failed the find the item. First time I made a typo but the 2nd and third were right
 
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JeckeL

JeckeL

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Jul 19, 2009
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19,165
How do you know the folder exists even though it says the folder cannot be found, does it show up when you're browsing the HDD? If so what's preventing you from just right-clicking on it and deleting?

One thing you can do to make sure you've got the path right is open command prompt then open a window to browse the HDD beside it, in command prompt type (where (space) is just a blank space):

rd(space)/s(space)

Then drag the folder from the external HDD window onto the command prompt window and it will automatically throw the path to that folder into the command line
 
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