Gfrktyl

Having tried all of these suggestions and more, I still couldn't delete the offending files.

What finally did it was to use the following syntax (in an elevated command prompt):

del "\?<full path to file>"

eg, to use the original example:

del "\?C:cygwinusrsharetexmf-distdoclatexhausarbeit-jura."

What a really simple solution that I've found. It's the simplest and fastest and easiest way to achieve this. I am now laughing at how simple it is.

1. Install WinRAR


2. Follow the Step by Step procedure from the pictures:


3.  
   
   


4.  
   
   


5.  
   
   


6.  
   
   

I don't know if you can do it with 7zip, but WinRAR has it and you don't have to buy it, just install the trial and then uninstall it (or probably portables out there but I don't think they are legit i.e. they are possibly cracked.)

Open an elevated command prompt and type in the following commands, pressing Enter after each one:

cd C:cygwinusrsharetexmf-distdoclatexhausarbeit-jura



del *.*



Y



cd c:



rmdir /s /q C:cygwinusrsharetexmf-distdoclatexhausarbeit-jura



rmdir /s /q C:cygwinusrsharetexmf-distdoclatex



rmdir /s /q C:cygwinusrsharetexmf-distdoc



rmdir /s /q C:cygwinusrsharetexmf-dist



rmdir /s /q C:cygwinusrshare



rmdir /s /q C:cygwinusr



rmdir /s /q C:cygwin

The easiest way to do this is to open a Windows Command Prompt window and use the rd command with the /S /Q options. You might have to open the Command Prompt as an administrator for this to work.

1. Click the Start Button (Orb) and locate the link to open the Command Prompt. If you don't see it, you might have to search for it by typing command or cmd.exe in the search box at the bottom.


2. Right click on the command or cmd.exe link and select Run as administrator, then click Yes if prompted to allow it.


3. In the Command Prompt window, type the command (don't press the Enter key yet):
   rd /S /Q "C:Cygwin"


4. This command will delete all the files and folders inside the specified folder without prompting, so be sure to double and triple check check that you have specified the correct folder.


5. If you want to be prompted to delete the files and sub-folders, type the command without the /Q like this:
   rd /S "C:Cygwin"


6. When you are sure you have typed the command correctly, press the Enter key.

The Cygwin folder, and all the files and sub-folders within it will be deleted.


Here is the syntax for the rd command:

C:>rd /?

Removes (deletes) a directory.



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

If there are
System, Hidden, or Read-only files or folders that cause the rd command to fail, use the attrib command with the /S /D options like this:

attrib -S -H -R "C:Cygwin*.*" /S

to remove those attributes from the files and sub-folders, then re-try the rd command.

The way I did it was pretty easy. I have a dual-boot system with Linux, so I just booted into Linux, navigated to the file and deleted it. I'm sure you could do the same with a live CD.

Use bash rm command from Ubuntu on Windows 10

There are a number of ways to tackle this issue, but the most simple way is with the DEL command, as mentioned above.

It's important to note, however, that DEL by itself will not work as the files in this case tend to get flagged with the System attribute thus you must issue a special parameter to have them show up.

In order to see them in CMD prompt using DIR, navigate to the folder in question and issue the following command:

Dir /A

That will list all files in that directory regardless of attribute. Then to delete it just issue the following command, issuing the same /A parameter:

DEL *.* /A

Of course that deletes all files in that dir, so if you want other files to remain you should move them out or back them up first.