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How can I delete over 6,000 recursive directories?

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lanux128:
try this and see if it helps, Remove Empty Directories aka RED.



• http://www.jonasjohn.de/lab/red.htm

Jammo the OrganizedFellow:
I'm not able to boot to a LiveCD because the last time I tried one, I couldn't use my wireless Logitech keyboard.
I'm sure I would have to be hard-wired in, right? Is that the right term?

I tried this http://www.jonasjohn.de/lab/red.htm posted by lanux128.
It didn't work.

MilesAhead posted this http://www.sevenforums.com/performance-maintenance/29234-deltree.html
I'm not comfortable playing with a VB script :(
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
"You can download Ubuntu and run it alongside your current Windows system."

So I'm gonna give it a shot.
It's supposed to be as easy as installing and uninstalling a Windows app.


I've played with Ubuntu years years ago.
It was always pretty good at detecting my hardware. I just hope it's still as good :)

I'll report back.

Jammo the OrganizedFellow:
SUCCESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As I've used Ubuntu in the past, I've also used EasyBCD http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1
and I'm pretty sure that all I really needed was iReboot http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=11

I've rebooted into Ubuntu (I feel right at home) and knew instantly where to go to delete that damned directory.
:D :P :)

THANK YOU for the recommendations fellas!!!

rjbull:
NOPE.
I extracted the contents of "delage32.zip" to a temp directory. And ran my first command:
Delage32 D:\MomPhoneBackup\*.* 10 /recurse /rd
[...]
DelAge32 - No files
[...]
But I tried a few more times and all come up with the same results.
-Jammo the OrganizedFellow (June 01, 2011, 05:27 PM)
--- End quote ---

It's meant for deleting files over a given age.  You may need to wrap the path in double quotes, if the path has spaces in it.  I.e.,

D:\Here it is\*.*

would probably fail, but

"D:\Here it is\*.*"

should work (I think).  I certainly had to use quotes round UNC paths.  You may also have run into a command line that's just too long for Windows/DOS to accept: there's a limit, though I can't remember just what it is.

Examples of command lines that worked for me:

--- ---c:\dos\utils\delage32 g:\pcw\bak\*.7z 60Straightforward, there isn't a space in the path

--- ---c:\dos\utils\delage32 "\\GBRCSFBZ001\Groups\Technical\Library\Newsletter\Newsletter_*.pdf" 60with UNC path

--- ---c:\dos\utils\delage32.exe "c:\Documents and Settings\robertbull\Local Settings\Temp\ev_client_log_*.txt" 1 /includeRO /includeH /quietboth worked, and that last one does have spaces in the path.  I used these examples in batch files for automated clean-ups, using PowerPro's scheduler.

Another thought; shouldn't most file managers do what you want without fuss?  Total Commander certainly will.  You have to press OK the first time if it thinks there's something inside the top-level directory you're deleting, including empty child directories, but only the once.  It isn't free as delage32 is, but it's modestly priced, and one of the best-value file managers out there, as well as one of the very best file managers anywhere.  It was the first thing that made using Windows almost semi-tolerable for this old-time DOS person.

MilesAhead:
Here's the MS way to do it from command line:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930527

Skip past the stuff about using Disk Cleanup. At the bottom it has the steps for command line to get permissions then delete folder with all subfolders and contents.

At least that's what they say.
I imagine it should work as long as your flavor of Windows has takeown.exe installed.

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