How do you delete deeply nested files and directories?

[Noble]

Isn't this just grand!

Vista Home Basic's backup utility has alot to be desired. So, I went
on a mission to find a good free backup program. Well, I found one,
installed it, and it started creating numerous nested folders on my
hard drive. If I had not caught it in time I dunno what would have
happend. I think there are somewhere between 160-170 nested folders on
my drive now.

The question -- How do I remove them?

I have tried deleting them but I keep getting a message like, "The
source file name(s) are larger than is supported by the file system."

Not good!!

I tried using delete while holding down the shift key to bypass the
recycle bin and that did not work. I have tried third party programs
and explorer replacements and that does not work. I have went to the
DOS command prompt and tried, that does not work.

I googled the message and it appears this is something that can happen
since MS has a article on it. I tried all the steps in the article
(including creating a network share at the deepest point) and still no
luck.

I am going to have to re-format my machine and start over unless some
of you guru's here can offer any suggestions to help me out of this
pickle??

Thanks in advance,
Noble

 

[Paul Randall]

Hopefully someone else will come up with a better answer. While waiting,
you might try this:

1) Find the root folder of this nested mess and take ownership of it.
How to: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

2) Open a command prompt as administrator.
Navigate to the parent folder of the root of the mess.

Run the RmDir command to delete the subfolder tree. Here's the syntax:
Rmdir (rd)Removes (that is, deletes) a directory.

Syntax
rmdir [Drive:]Path [/s] [/q]

rd [Drive:]Path [/s] [/q]

Parameters
[Drive:]Path
Specifies the location and name of the directory that you want to delete.
/s
Removes the specified directory and all subdirectories including any files.
Use /s to remove a tree.
/q
Runs rmdir in quiet mode. Deletes directories without confirmation.
/?
Displays help at the command prompt.

Note that this can be a very dangerous command if run to delete the wrong
path.

Let us know whether it works for you.

-Paul Randall

 

[dean-dean]

Can you move the parent folder of the nested folders to a location that
would make the path as short as possible? For example, from
C:\Folder1\Folder2\Folder3\Folder4WithUnwantedSubFolders to
C:\Folder4WithUnwantedSubFolders, and then delete the folder
Folder4WithUnwantedSubFolders? You could also try renaming
Folder4WithUnwantedSubFolders to F4, for example, to shorten the number of
characters in the path, doing so for each subfolder parent until they are
deletable, for example, the above becoming C:\F1\F2\F3\F4....

 

[Noble]

@Paul - I will try that. I had completely forgot about DELTREE. I use
to use it all the time in my MS-DOS days.

@Dean-Dean - I have actually been doing that. It works but there are
so darn many of them it's easy to get lost. I am hoping for a slick
and fast method if its all possible. I could be days doing the rename
thing because I first have to go as deep as I think I can and then I
create a network share to shorten the path and then I start renaming
and deleting. I spent about 2 hours doing this last night and I feel
like I did not get anywhere.

nb

 

[Noble]

There were files in some of the directories so I could not use "RD" to
remove them. I also could not use "DELTREE" because I could not find
it on Vista Basic. I also went and downloaded a "XTREE" clone and it
would not even untangle the mess. So, I just broke down and backed up
the stuff I needed and reformatted my machine.

For those of you that are curious about what program caused me so much
grief:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/bueasy


Thanks for everyone's help in this matter.

nb

 

[Noble]

For those of you that might be interested, I found an excellent
article on a message forum that tells you how you can use NTBackup on
a Vista machine. I have included below what you need to do.

You need to copy the following files from an XP install, they are all
in the "System32" folder under Windows:

ntbackup.exe
ntmsapi.dll
ntmsdba.dl
vss_ps.dll
vssadmin.exe
vssapi.dll
vssvc.exe

On your Vista machine you need to create a new folder. I called mine,
what else, "NTBackup". Place ALL of the files into this newly created
folder. There you go! You are all set.

Note: You will get a popup when starting NTBackup but it will still
work just fine. You can even associate the .BKF file with ntbackup.exe
to get the NTBackup icon to display on your backup files.

Also note if you use NTBackup to schedule a task you will need to make
sure that NTBACKUP.EXE is part of your path otherwise the job will not
work.

 

[Casey MacPherson]

Actually VISTA has backup facilities built in. You don't need to use
NTBackup from XP for this.

To get to this:
Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Backup Status and
Configuration