• Can’t delete old file history

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    #502910

    I was using file history in Win 8.1 on a hard drive that started showing errors.

    When the errors started coming up, I switched the file history drive to another hard drive that was clean.

    I then tried to delete the old file history folder structure but have been unable to do so.

    I get this error:

    An unexpected error is keeping you from deleting the folder. If you
    continue to receive this error, you can use the error code to search for help
    with this problem.

    Error 0x80070091: The directory is not empty.

    I have tried a couple of unlock programs that did not work, even when they set up the delete to work at Windows start-up.

    At this point, I have completely turned off file history on the machine (in case it was still locking the old location) but that did not help.

    Any ideas on how to get rid of the old file history folders?

    It’s only a few GB in size but it annoys me that I can’t get rid of it.

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    • #1535170

      Error 0x80070091: The directory is not empty.

      I had the same error recently (on a Windows.old(1) folder, not File History), and it was solved with chkdsk /r

      Windows 11 Pro version 22H2 build 22621.2361 + Microsoft 365 + Edge

      • #1535185

        I had the same error recently (on a Windows.old(1) folder, not File History), and it was solved with chkdsk /r

        I’ve tried that (apparently one of the MFT’s is written on a bad sector) but doesn’t help. Every time I boot, Windows tries to do a repair on that disk but it apparently doesn’t work because it keeps repeating the attempt at each boot.

        I am going to replace the drive soon, so maybe I’ll just leave it be.

    • #1535184

      See this EightForums article…

      http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/25820-file-history-cleanup-delete-older-versions-windows-8-a.html

      Thanks for the link but neither solution proffered there helps. Folder structure is in place and still generates the same msg when I try to delete it completely.

    • #1535196

      Did a full reformat on the disk. That got rid of it! 😀

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