Multiple Windows users have identified a Windows error “0x80070091 – The directory is not empty” when trying to delete a folder. Other users with the same error encountered this when transferring files from external drive or during backup or imagine. This error is present on Windows PC 7 a Windows 10.
It is clear what exactly the problem is, but it is more likely due to bad sectors on external drive or corrupt files that cannot be erased. In this article, we will provide known fixes to this bug, repairing disk errors with chkdsk utility and then providing solution to remove non-erasable folders.
Method 1: run chkdsk utility
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Click the Start button, type cmd, right click on the cmd utility and select Run as administrator. This opens the Windows command line tool. Grant access to the UAC if requested.
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Before doing it, find the external drive you are having problems with and identify its letter. You can do this by pressing the Windows keys + And to open Mi PC / This PC.
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On the command line, type the following command and hit enter.
chkdsk / f / r Z:
Where Z: is the letter name of your external drive.
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Press Y then Enter when prompted to check disk on next reboot.
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Close all your applications and then restart your computer. Please wait while the disc is checked and repaired. The problem should be resolved when the computer is back online. Try copying again to see if the problem is resolved.
Method 2: alternative solutions
We will look for two alternative solutions, which are to add an excel file to the problem folder and then delete that folder, And also prepend the problem folder name with a sign! and then delete the folder.
Solution 1
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Create a new Excel file in the folder that cannot be deleted.
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Select the problem folder and press the Delete or Shift keys + Suppress.
Solution 2
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Right click on the problem folder and click rename. To nothing ! at the beginning of the folder name.
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Select that folder and press the Delete or Shift keys + Supr.
