Can't access or delete folder.

[Kenny]

I have a 160GB Maxtor Secondary HDD, originally partitioned but merged into
one using Partition Magic 8, also used PM to reassign drive letters.
Adding up total space used gives me about 24 GB but Properties tell me
there's about93GB used!
Theres a folder on this drive which in right click/Properties tells me 0
bytes but if I left click this folder tells me F:\Kenny not accessible,
access denied.
I think the discrepancy in space used is to do with this folder, have tried
deleting the folder but get "Cannot remove folder, access denied".
Things I have done so far:
Checkdisk.
SFC.
Defrag, took ages.
Tried accessing and deleting from Command Prompt, again access denied.
Tried starting in Safe Mode, no go PC boots back into Windows normally,
Restart doesn't work properly and I have to power off and on again.
Ran Maxtor PowerMax diagnostic on drive, all tests passed. Also ran DocMem,
RAM OK.
Ran Repair option from XP CD, exactly the same afterwards.
I believe there is data in this folder even though Properties report it as 0
bytes.
How can I either access this folder or delete it?
Did PM cause the problem?
Are the Safe Mode and Restart problem related to this, it all started to
happen at the same time?
If I move the 24GB of "good" data and reformat the drive will it fix it?
Am using an older BIOS version, would it help to flash to newer?
All these problems started when data on an external Maxtor 160GB in an
IcyBox USB enclosure couldn't be accessed. Checkdisk and Defrag wouldn't
work here so I disconnected it. The external (now disconnected) and
Secondary internal are identical Maxtors bought at the same time.
Are these bad drives, I have always used Western Digital before and have
never had these type of problems.
Sorry about the long winded post and the number of questions but I can't
think of anything else to try.

PC specs:
Asus A7N8X m/b
Athlon 2500XP Barton
512 MB PC 2700 RAM
Matrox G450eTV video card
Creative SB Live soundcard
Pioneer DVDROM
NEC ND2500A DVDRW
SpeedTouch USB modem
Generic Firewire card added for digital camcorder
XP Pro with SP2

 

[Jan Otto Ruud]

Theres a folder on this drive which in right click/Properties tells me 0
bytes but if I left click this folder tells me F:\Kenny not accessible,
access denied.

That (0 bytes and not accessible) normally means that you do not have
privileges to open the folder. With administrator priviliges you can take
ownership of F:\Kenny, check what's there and eventually delete it.

 

[beb]

Scan for virus, malware, etc.