how to delete infinitely deep folder structure?

[Guest]

Hi,

One of my collegues was building a complex folder structure. One of the
tools he used to do this was robocopy in order to quickly create folders with
the same rights.

Somehow something went wrong. We now have one folder structure that seems to
be infinitely deep. Using the subst command we've traced the folder
partially. We gave up around the 750 folder level.

So, does anyone have any ideas how to get rid of this $%&!! structure?

I've tried some old tools, I've tried the posix commands described in KB
120716. I've even tried a cmd file that crawls down into the folder structure
and then tries to delete it folder by folder.
All somehow seem to choke on the fact that the folder structure is so deep.

I'd rather not scrap the volume since it contains a lot of data.

Any suggestion's would be appriciated.

 

[Leon E. Webster, MCSE]

RMDIR [/S] [/Q] [drive:]path
RD [/S] [/Q] [drive:]path

/S Removes all directories and files in the specified directory
in addition to the directory itself. Used to remove a directory
tree.

/Q Quiet mode, do not ask if ok to remove a directory tree with /S

Lee

 

[Guest]

RMDIR [/S] [/Q] [drive:]path
RD [/S] [/Q] [drive:]path

/S Removes all directories and files in the specified directory
in addition to the directory itself. Used to remove a directory
tree.

/Q Quiet mode, do not ask if ok to remove a directory tree with /S

Lee

Well Lee,

I may not sign with my mcse title but that does not mean I didn't try the
basic tools.

This does not work, gives me "directory not empty" error.

Any other ideas?

 

[Leon E. Webster, MCSE]

Sorrrry!

Lee

RMDIR [/S] [/Q] [drive:]path
RD [/S] [/Q] [drive:]path

/S Removes all directories and files in the specified directory
in addition to the directory itself. Used to remove a directory
tree.

/Q Quiet mode, do not ask if ok to remove a directory tree with /S

Lee

Well Lee,

I may not sign with my mcse title but that does not mean I didn't try the
basic tools.

This does not work, gives me "directory not empty" error.

Any other ideas?

 

[Guest]

Hi,

One of my collegues was building a complex folder structure. One of the
tools he used to do this was robocopy in order to quickly create folders with
the same rights.

Somehow something went wrong. We now have one folder structure that seems to
be infinitely deep. Using the subst command we've traced the folder
partially. We gave up around the 750 folder level.

So, does anyone have any ideas how to get rid of this $%&!! structure?

I've tried some old tools, I've tried the posix commands described in KB
120716. I've even tried a cmd file that crawls down into the folder structure
and then tries to delete it folder by folder.
All somehow seem to choke on the fact that the folder structure is so deep.

I'd rather not scrap the volume since it contains a lot of data.

Any suggestion's would be appriciated.

Finally figured it out.

1. at the top level of the problem folder create another dummy folder
2. type robocopy dummy_folder problem_folder /purge
3. sit back and sip some coffee
4. problem solved.

Jeroen

 

[Lee]

Ok...got an idea...add another drive to the system and mount its free space
to a folder....move the problem structure to the folder and then dismount
the free space...the folder's data is lost is space.

Lee

Sorrrry!

Lee

RMDIR [/S] [/Q] [drive:]path
RD [/S] [/Q] [drive:]path

/S Removes all directories and files in the specified directory
in addition to the directory itself. Used to remove a directory
tree.

/Q Quiet mode, do not ask if ok to remove a directory tree

with

/S
Well Lee,

I may not sign with my mcse title but that does not mean I didn't try the
basic tools.

This does not work, gives me "directory not empty" error.

Any other ideas?

in

KB