How do you delete a directory named "."?

PhB · 29-09-2008, 10:54 AM

My pc has a small fat partition F:\ Now theres a directory inside this partition named "ab". This directory has got a subdirectory named "." . My problem is I can't delete this directory nor its parent. Is there any way to delete it either in linux or windows? Rmdir cmd doesn't work. I use WinXP pro and SUSE enterprise sp1.

dheeraj_kumar · 29-09-2008, 09:09 PM

Try

http://www.emco.is/products/move-on-boot/features.php

It can delete files on boot.

bhushan05d251 · 29-09-2008, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhB

My pc has a small fat partition F:\ Now theres a directory inside this partition named "ab". This directory has got a subdirectory named "." . My problem is I can't delete this directory nor its parent. Is there any way to delete it either in linux or windows? Rmdir cmd doesn't work. I use WinXP pro and SUSE enterprise sp1.

first telme y r u using fat file system??

dheeraj_kumar · 29-09-2008, 10:02 PM

^^ He probably wants to use it with a dos-based OS. Nothing wrong with that.

ThinkFree · 29-09-2008, 10:06 PM

Try UNLOCKER

pillainp · 29-09-2008, 10:19 PM

Just curious.

How did you even create a folder named just "." in the first place? Vista will not allow me to do that, even if I type a space before and after: it just tells me "You must type a folder name!".

a_tif · 29-09-2008, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThinkFree

Try UNLOCKER

yes use unlocker i have managed to delete such undeletable directories using it

afonofa · 29-09-2008, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhushan05d251

first telme y r u using fat file system??

Atleast give some possible solution and then ask why

@PhB: Can't you boot into DOS and then delete the folder? Or rename that "." folder and then try deleting it. I'm curious too as to how you created that folder.

NucleusKore · 29-09-2008, 10:53 PM

Boot with a live linux or windows cd (UBCD4win) and delete it

PhB · 30-09-2008, 08:49 AM

I will just reformat the partition. I don't know whether that is really a folder.
The ls cmd shows
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 16384 2007-04-28 19:34 .
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 16384 2007-04-28 19:34 .
drwxr-xr-x 3d4 root root 16384 2007-08-31 17:31 ..
Anyway use ascii charas 160 or 255 to name a folder to just a dot.

dheeraj_kumar · 01-10-2008, 09:45 PM

Well...

. is the current folder
.. is the top-one-level folder

Garbage · 01-10-2008, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dheeraj_kumar

Well...

. is the current folder
.. is the top-one-level folder

lol... you just come to know that ?? :O

PhB · 01-10-2008, 10:19 PM

Well I know . is the current dir and .. is the top level dir. But normally in an empty dir there are only two entries. Here its three.

dheeraj_kumar · 02-10-2008, 12:15 PM

Quote:

lol... you just come to know that ?? :O

No

I was just telling PhB that

@PhB
They must both point to the current directory only, since the creation time for both is the same. Is that a hardlink by any chance?

PhB · 02-10-2008, 06:01 PM

No. That was not a hardlink and now I have reformatted the partition. Like I said it was a small one, created for playing around. Its use was over anyway so I merged it with an NTFS partition.
May the F:\ drive rest in peace.

29-09-2008, 10:54 AM	#1 (permalink)
PhB Jughead!!! Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 67	How do you delete a directory named "."? My pc has a small fat partition F:\ Now theres a directory inside this partition named "ab". This directory has got a subdirectory named "." . My problem is I can't delete this directory nor its parent. Is there any way to delete it either in linux or windows? Rmdir cmd doesn't work. I use WinXP pro and SUSE enterprise sp1.

29-09-2008, 09:09 PM	#2 (permalink)
dheeraj_kumar Legen-wait for it-dary! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chennai Posts: 2,471	Re: How do you delete a directory named "."? Try http://www.emco.is/products/move-on-boot/features.php It can delete files on boot. __________________ If the Start Windows Restart when Windows starts check box is checked Windows Restart will start automatically every time Windows is started. - Actual excerpt from a windows program help file

29-09-2008, 10:02 PM	#4 (permalink)
dheeraj_kumar Legen-wait for it-dary! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chennai Posts: 2,471	Re: How do you delete a directory named "."? ^^ He probably wants to use it with a dos-based OS. Nothing wrong with that. __________________ If the Start Windows Restart when Windows starts check box is checked Windows Restart will start automatically every time Windows is started. - Actual excerpt from a windows program help file

29-09-2008, 10:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
ThinkFree Human Spambot Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Lat 28.38°N , Longt 77.13°E Posts: 2,429	Re: How do you delete a directory named "."? Try UNLOCKER

29-09-2008, 10:19 PM	#6 (permalink)
pillainp Apprentice Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 93	Re: How do you delete a directory named "."? Just curious. How did you even create a folder named just "." in the first place? Vista will not allow me to do that, even if I type a space before and after: it just tells me "You must type a folder name!".

Popular Categories

Popular Articles

Content Categories

Sister Sites

Follow Us

Facebook Channels

Digit Magazine

	Advertisements. Register and be a member of the community to get rid of them.
Advertisement

29-09-2008, 10:53 PM	#9 (permalink)
NucleusKore TheSaint Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Antigua Posts: 3,444	Re: How do you delete a directory named "."? Boot with a live linux or windows cd (UBCD4win) and delete it __________________ http://www.neville.in http://www.linuxrocks.in "The Future Is Open"

30-09-2008, 08:49 AM	#10 (permalink)
PhB Jughead!!! Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 67	Re: How do you delete a directory named "."? I will just reformat the partition. I don't know whether that is really a folder. The ls cmd shows drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 16384 2007-04-28 19:34 . drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 16384 2007-04-28 19:34 . drwxr-xr-x 3d4 root root 16384 2007-08-31 17:31 .. Anyway use ascii charas 160 or 255 to name a folder to just a dot.

01-10-2008, 09:45 PM	#11 (permalink)
dheeraj_kumar Legen-wait for it-dary! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chennai Posts: 2,471	Re: How do you delete a directory named "."? Well... . is the current folder .. is the top-one-level folder __________________ If the Start Windows Restart when Windows starts check box is checked Windows Restart will start automatically every time Windows is started. - Actual excerpt from a windows program help file

01-10-2008, 10:19 PM	#13 (permalink)
PhB Jughead!!! Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 67	Re: How do you delete a directory named "."? Well I know . is the current dir and .. is the top level dir. But normally in an empty dir there are only two entries. Here its three.

02-10-2008, 06:01 PM	#15 (permalink)
PhB Jughead!!! Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 67	Re: How do you delete a directory named "."? No. That was not a hardlink and now I have reformatted the partition. Like I said it was a small one, created for playing around. Its use was over anyway so I merged it with an NTFS partition. May the F:\ drive rest in peace.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
VISTA TUTORIAL: Add "Hide File Names" Option in "View" Menu of Folders	Vishal Gupta	Tutorials	7	27-06-2007 10:46 PM
how to create "con" named folder in win xp ??	dinesh_mettur	Software Q&A	6	18-12-2006 09:32 AM
Intel debuting long delayed Chip code-named "Montecito"	JGuru	Technology News	2	20-07-2006 10:39 PM
How to remove the "delete" when i right click on any file	faraz_majidkhan	Software Q&A	6	30-05-2006 12:03 PM
Microsoft's new OS, code-named "Singularity"	ferrarif50	Software Q&A	3	16-12-2005 05:45 PM