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I'm coming from:

How to delete “System Volume Information” folder from external drives?

but unlikely that answer couldn't solve my problem. I've a copy of an old "system volume information" in my additional drive (not the WINDOWS HDD).

I tried to remove it with cmd as administrador, rmdir, doing takeown and other solutions but I couldn't. The content/names of the files are too long so it gives an error (Yes, I tried with short names but they also can't work)

Any suggestion to avoid this issue without downloading/using a big distribution of linux?

UPDATE 1:

This is how it looks after /rd command

enter image description here

By the way, "El nombre del archivo es demasiado largo" means "The filename is too long"

UPDATE 2:

System Restore disabled from the HDD with the issue enter image description here

djsmiley2kStaysInside
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Leandro Bardelli
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    Use Live Windows? :) Anyway, what's the error you're getting? Trying to `rd /s /q` just the System Volume Information folder tells you the path is too long? – Karan May 11 '15 at 03:18
  • Well, I think if I could with Windows Live, I should with the installed windows, because the folder is not from the native installation, is from an old backup :) – Leandro Bardelli May 11 '15 at 03:20
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    See my edited comment above. Also, did you try from a Safe Mode command prompt? – Karan May 11 '15 at 03:20
  • @Karan yes :( I'll update asap my question with a test – Leandro Bardelli May 11 '15 at 03:24
  • run `sc stop ntfrs` and delete) – STTR May 11 '15 at 03:25
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    @STTR: What service is that? It doesn't seem to exist on my PC. Leandro: Did you try disabling System Restore for that partition and then using rd? – Karan May 11 '15 at 03:28
  • @Karan W2K3 as example) – STTR May 11 '15 at 03:29
  • `sc stop VSS` and `sc stop SWPRV` at Windows 7 – STTR May 11 '15 at 03:33
  • @Karan yes. I think that folder must be as anyone other. It was copied with an ubuntu live (That actually I don't have). I tried to not download it . – Leandro Bardelli May 11 '15 at 03:33
  • @STTR what are that commands? I don't think so any service may cause this, is seems to be more a windows File Allocation issue. – Leandro Bardelli May 11 '15 at 03:34
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    Honestly, instead of struggling with this so much I don't see why you can't download an 8MB ttylinux or 50MB Damn Small Linux, create a bootable LiveUSB using UNetBootin, boot from the same and get rid of the folder. You'd probably have accomplished all that by now and been back in Windows in the time it's taken you to post and update your question multiple times. :) – Karan May 11 '15 at 03:38
  • I didn't know the existence of those live. Thanks a lot!!! I'll update my question because my "any suggestion avoid live linux implies -a big distribution-". If you want to answer it, I'll glad to mark it as accepted. – Leandro Bardelli May 11 '15 at 03:40

2 Answers2

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Simply download a small Linux distro like Damn Small Linux or ttylinux, create a LiveUSB using UNetbootin, boot using the same and get rid of the folder.

Karan
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    NP, but I'm curious whether you tried doing this using *Safe Mode with Command Prompt*? Don't think you answered that question of mine. Another possible solution might be to boot into Windows RE (Recovery Environment) via F8 > Repair or from Windows installation media and then accessing the command prompt. – Karan May 11 '15 at 03:46
  • I will try in the next reboot after finishing several tasks here, just to know, and I'll comment it. But I don't have too much hope in that option. I think this error will happen in any situation, being -system volume information- folder or any one. Indeed, I think I'll update the title in order to help further users with a similar problem. Windows.... *sight* – Leandro Bardelli May 11 '15 at 03:50
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    Perhaps it won't work, but before booting into Linux there's no harm in trying and reporting back, both to satisfy our curiosity and also for future reference. – Karan May 11 '15 at 03:51
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You could also try one of the answers mentioned in Tool for deleting directories with path/names too long for normal delete.

In particular, I had success with the 7-Zip file manager multiple times already. If you managed to clear all the protective permission settings on that folder, 7-Zip should work seamlessly.

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