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How to Delete Corrupted Folder in External Hard Drive? Ultimate Guide

Overview: Are you also facing this problem of how to delete corrupted folder in external hard drive and not getting the proper steps to resolve this issue. Then, this blog will be helpful for you as we will explain the possible causes behind this and various methods to remove the corrupted folder.

Talking about external hard drives, it is the way to store and transfer the data when your internal storage is full. However, your folders can get corrupted stored in your drives which prevent you from deleting it. This can be due to file system errors or any malware attacks.

If you’re also dealing with data removal challenges, you may find our guide on how to remove data from broken laptop? helpful.

Reasons For Folder Corruption in External Hard Drives

There are various reasons why you are not able to delete corrupted folder from your external hard drives:

• Having malware can corrupt files and folders.
• Dropping or mishandling the drive can cause damage and corruption.
• It can be due to file system issues (FAT32, NTFS, exFAT) can corrupt folders.
• Power outages or surges can corrupt data.
• Bad sectors over time can lead to folder corruption.

How to Delete Corrupted Folders in External Hard Drive? Manual Methods

Here, in this section you will find effective solutions to remove corrupted folders. Follow the steps mentioned below to solve the issue.

Method 1. Delete Corrupted Folder Using CMD

By using this method, you will know how to delete corrupted folders in external hard drive. It helps bypass system restrictions and forcefully delete files.

1. Firstly, press Windows + R and type command prompt and hit Enter.

2. Next, type the following command:

del /f /q /a “E:\FolderName”

You have to replace “E:\FolderName” with your actual folder path.

3. If your corrupted folder is still not deleted, then type rmdir command.

rmdir /s /q “E:\FolderName”

Just change the path as you did above.

Method 2. Run CHKDSK to Fix Folder Corruption

1. Firstly, open the command prompt as administrator role.

2. Run the following command:

chkdsk E: /f /r /x

Just do the same and replace E with your external drive letter.

3. Now, wait for the process to complete and delete the folders again.

Method 3. Delete Corrupted Folder Using Safe Mode

When you boot your system in safe mode, it disables all those extra background processes which might be locking your corrupted folder. It easily enables you to delete corrupted files without interference.

1. Once your computer is started, press the F8 key (on older systems)
2. As, you can also select the option Settings > Update & Security > Recovery and restart under Advanced startup.
3. You will be presented with multiple options and select Safe Mode and proceed to remove the corrupted folder manually.

Method 4. Take Ownership of the Folder

If you cannot delete a corrupted folder because of permission problems, taking ownership is a trick that grants full control for the operation. Here are the steps to do this and know how to delete corrupted folder in external hard drive:

1. To the corrupted folder, right-click and select Properties.
2. Bring up the Security tab and click Advanced.
3. Under Owner, select Change, type in your username, and click OK.
4. Check Replace owner on sub containers and objects, then Apply and OK. Try deleting the folder once again.

How to Delete Corrupted Folder in External Hard Drive – Permanent Solution

If you are not able to delete a corrupted folder from your external hard drive, then use a reliable solution such as PCVITA File Eraser Software. It ensures complete and irreversible deletion of corrupted files and folders, preventing any chance of recovery. Unlike manual methods that may fail due to file corruption. The only thing that needs to be done is to select an external hard drive, pick the wiping process over others, and let the software do the job effortlessly. This ensures a clean and free-from-broken-folders drive.

Conclusion

So far we have discussed various methods to know how to delete corrupted folder in external hard drive. When you are experiencing file system errors, CHKDSK is probably the best solution. Ownership of the folder may also help in case you have permission problems. For difficult cases, use our tool which guarantees secured deletion. Try these simple methods to remove corrupted folders easily.