Fast deleting files on Windows Vista

08Jun09

 

For some time now, I have been having trouble with deleting folders that contain a lot and – I mean a _lot_ – of files. Such folders are very hard to remove either with Windows Explorer or Total Commander.
The reason for that is unknown to me. I guessing it has something to do with reading the file attributes – which is completely unnecessary. For a while now I have been searching for a solution and I believe to have found it.
Note: I do not claim anything, just saying that I completely forgot about this possibility.
So here it goes. Very simple. Open up the command prompt, navigate to the folder of interest (or it’s parent folder) and type the command:
rmdir “<foldername>” /S
Change <foldername> to the name of the folder you would like to delete. The S switch ensures that all files and subfolders will be deleted as well.
After hitting <Enter> you’ll be prompted to approve the delete, and the deletion occurs.
While using Total Commander, the deletion of a fairly large folder (read: ~350MB, ~20k files) would take somewhere up to an hour, with the command above it’s less than ten seconds. Sweet, eh? Cheers!

For some time now, I have been having trouble with deleting folders that contain a lot and – I mean a lot - of files. Such folders are very hard to remove either with Windows Explorer or Total Commander.

The reason for that is unknown to me. I’m guessing it has something to do with reading the file attributes – which is completely unnecessary. For a while now I have been searching for a solution and I believe to have found it.

So here it goes. Very simple. Open up the command prompt, navigate to the folder of interest (or it’s parent folder) and type the command:

rmdir "<foldername>" /S

Change <foldername> to the name of the folder you would like to delete. The S switch ensures that all files and subfolders will be deleted as well.

After hitting <Enter> you’ll be prompted to approve the delete, and the deletion occurs.

While using Total Commander, the deletion of a fairly large folder (read: ~350MB, ~20k files) would take somewhere up to an hour, with the command above it’s less than ten seconds. Sweet, eh? Cheers!


Filed under: Tech, Tricks   |  2 Comments
Tags: , ,

2 Responses to “Fast deleting files on Windows Vista”  

Feed for this Entry
  1. 1 Jávor on 2009. June 9. said:

    Nem teljesen értettem a dolgot, de én shift+delete-tel szoktam törölni és úgy 10 gigát 10 sec alatt letöröl. Bocs, ha hülyeséget vagy fölösleges faszságot mondtam:D

    • 2 pogi on 2009. July 15. said:

      Akkor van jelentősége, ha sok, nagyon kicsi fájt törölsz, mint pl én ma közel 500.000 apró file-t töröltem, és ha sima shift + del-t nyomsz mire végigkalkulálja a törlési időt addigra ezzel a módszerrel le is törlöd.