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Are you trying to delete some unwanted folders from your Windows 11 PC and getting the “Error 0x80070091: The directory is not empty” warning? Do you also see the same error message when trying to delete an empty folder? You can quickly fix the issue and get going with your work by trying the troubleshooting methods mentioned below.
There are many problems I’ve come across while working the computer help-desk. One of the common issues I’ve encountered is one that involves folders not deleting properly. When this issue occurs, an error message appears that says “Cannot Delete foldername: The directory is not empty“.
This problem can happen in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, and other earlier operating systems. The problem can usually be solved with a chkdsk scan. However, you may also perform other troubleshooting methods if the chkdsk command doesn’t work.
What Is the Directory Is Not Empty Error?As the name suggests, this is a Windows File Explorer process that stops someone from deleting a folder or directory that might contain important files. Also, if a folder contains .DLL or other runtime files of an app and the app is running, the “Error 0x80070091: The directory is not empty” warning message will pop up. Interestingly, you might see the same error when you’re trying to delete certain folders inside the Windows installation drive.
Reasons Behind the Directory Is Not Empty ErrorThere are many reasons behind this error but the most important ones are:
HDD or SSD or NVMe SSD bad sectors in the partition where the folder exists
An active app is using the content of the folder
The folder is empty but there are hidden runtime files used by Windows or other apps
Also read: How to Install an NVMe SSD in a Desktop and Laptop
How to Fix the Directory Is Not Empty Error in Windows 11There are many ways to resolve the Error 0x80070091 warning message and delete the folders and files you want to delete on Windows 11. However, there’s no straightforward fix. The resolution is fully dependent on the exact reason the directory is not empty warning when trying to wipe clean some space in Windows 11.
Method 1: Fix Error 0x80070091 by Running CHKDSK:
Press Enter.
If you used a drive letter in the command above, you will get a prompt about dismounting the drive. Type Y for Yes and press Enter.
“Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)”
Type Y for Yes and press Enter on your keyboard.
Nothing will happen just yet. You’ll have to restart your computer, to let the scan run. Once the scan is completed, try to delete the folder. You should be able to delete it just fine because CHKDSK has fixed the errors preventing it.
Method 2: Create a New FileYou can add a new file inside the folder to remind the Windows system that you got full control over the directory or folder. Simply, go inside the folder and follow these steps:
It would show several file options. From the list, choose Microsoft Word/Excel Documents.
Give the newly-created file a random name.
Now, go back to the parent directory, select the target folder, and press Shift + Delete to erase the folder and its content.
Method 3: Append ! to the Directory NameYou can try a quick workaround which is renaming the folder with an exclamation mark at the beginning. Simply select the folder and press the F2 button on the keyboard. Press the Home key and type the ! mark before the actual folder name. Press Enter to confirm the change. Now, try deleting the folder by pressing Shift + Delete or simply Delete.
Method 4: Delete the Folder Using a Terminal CommandYou can force delete the target folder by using a terminal app and executing some commands from the WinRe environment. Follow the steps below:
Restart the device by pressing the Shift key.
On the blue screen menu, open a Command Prompt window by following these steps:
Now, execute the following command inside the terminal:
rmdir /s “folder path”
You must replace the text folder path with the exact location of the directory or folder you want to delete. For instance:
rmdir /s “C:Test”
Hit Enter and the terminal should easily erase the folder and its content.
Method 5: Force Restart the Windows File Explorer UtilityA minor bug or program code issue in the Windows File Explorer tool can stop you from performing related tasks like deleting folders and files. Execute the following steps and then try to delete the target folder:
Hit Ctrl + Shift + Esc buttons altogether to launch the Task Manager app.
The screen will become black for a few milliseconds.
Method 6: Use the System File Checker ToolSuppose the folder you want to erase is in the C: drive, you can run the System File Checker tool to fix any file system issues. Then you can attempt to delete the folder. Here’s how you can run the tool:
Open Command Prompt with administrative rights.
Now, copy and paste the following command into the terminal app and hit Enter:
sfc /scannow
Once the scan is complete, go ahead and try to delete the folder you want to erase.
Method 7: Change the Write Permission of the Target FolderThough unable to delete issue when you don’t possess the write access, is different. Sometimes, Windows 11 may show the “The directory is not empty” error too. In such a situation, follow these easy steps to fix the write access issue:
Checkmark the Replace owners checkbox as well.
Try deleting the folder and this should work just fine.
Method 8: Perform a System Scan Using Microsoft Safety ScannerSafety Scanner by Microsoft empowers you to hunt down malware and wipe those trouble-makers from your Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7 PC. You can download the app for free using the given links below. Once downloaded, install the app. Run the app and follow on-screen guidance to perform a malware scan. Once the scan is complete, the tool will guide you on how to get rid of any detected malware.
Method 9: Reboot Into Safe ModeSometimes Start Up programs and third-party apps may link their processes to certain drives, directories, folders, and files. And Windows 11 won’t let you delete any of these components if any program is already using the storage volume. The best way to fix this is to restart Windows PC in Safe Mode. Here’s how you can do this on your Windows system:
Open the Start menu and press the Shift key.
Choose Troubleshoot and go to Advanced options.
Press the number four or F4 on the next screen that shows up after the system restart.
You should now be in Safe Mode.
Go to the folder and try to delete it.
Reboot the PC to go back to normal mode.
Method 10: Perform GUI HDD Error CheckingOnline research suggests that many Windows 11 and earlier computer users were able to fix the issue by performing a GUI-based disk checking. Here’s how it’s done:
Go to This PC or My Computer.
Select the drive or partition on which the target folder is available.
Select the Check button under the Error checking section.
ConclusionThese are some of the ways to erase an empty or unwanted folder from your Windows 11 PC when you see the “Error 0x80070091: The directory is not empty” or simply the “The directory is not empty” warning. You must try the methods following the steps mentioned and attempt to delete the folder or directory after completing each method.
Next up, resolve the request is not supported and Windows Error 0x80071160 problems on Windows 11 PCs.
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Outlook Cannot Download Folder Inbox From The Imap Email Server (0X800Ccc0E)
Undoubtedly Microsoft Outlook is a great email client application that is used to manage various types of personal data included with the Microsoft Office suite. But at times you may encounter errors while working on Outlook. One such error code 0x800CCC0E users encountered when they find an issue while sending or receiving email messages on Outlook. With this error code, you could see the following error message:
Outlook cannot download folder Inbox from the IMAP email server, Error 0x800CCC0E
So if you have also faced Outlook Error 0x800CCC0E on your Windows device, then this guide will help you to resolve the problem.
Fix Outlook cannot download folder Inbox from the IMAP email server, Error 0x800CCC0EThe Outlook cannot download folder Inbox from the IMAP email server, Error 0x800CCC0E is a common situation when your emails stop working in Outlook however it keeps working on the other devices at the same time. To resolve such type of problem, follow the below suggestions:
Check server requirement from settings
Delete duplicate accounts
Change server port number
Repair Outlook
Re-install Outlook.
Let us see them in details:
1] Check server requirement from settingsAnother possible solution is to check the server requirement from settings.
To get it started, open Microsoft Outlook first.
Then go to the top menu bar select File.
This will open a new wizard named Internet E-mail Settings.
Switch to the Outgoing Server tab and mark the checkbox next to My outgoing server (SMTP) required authentication.
Once you complete the procedure, restart the application and see if it works.
3] Delete duplicate accountsDuplicate accounts are also one of the reasons for the occurrences of this error. So, if you have also a duplicate account, delete it and check if it helps you to get rid of this issue.
Inside the Account Settings window, make sure you’re on the E-mail tab.
Now select the duplicate account from the list and hit the Remove button.
After following steps properly, restart Outlook and check if the problem is solved now.
4] Change server port numberIt is suggested that whenever you encounter this kind of problem you should change the server port number. Here are the steps to get you started:
Once the Change Account window opens, go to the bottom-right corner and hit the More Settings button.
Under Server Port Numbers, change the Outgoing server (SMTP) port number to 587.
Once you complete the steps, restart the application and check if it resolved the problem.
4] Repair OutlookSometimes this type of problem is temporary and only restarting it will fix the problem. Although, if it doesn’t work, try to repair the application using the below instructions:
Open the Windows Settings using the Win+I keyboard shortcut.
Under Apps & features, scroll through the list and select the Office Product you want to repair.
On the next page, select the radio button next to the Repair button and then hit Continue.
Now follow the on-screen instructions to proceed with the repair process.
Once you complete it successfully, restart Outlook and try to send the email again.
Read: Repair corrupt Outlook PST & OST personal data files with Inbox Repair Tool, etc.
5] Re-install Outlook to fix Error 0x800ccc0eIf the problem is still persevering, in such a case reinstallation of the Outlook can possibly resolve the error.
To do so, open the Control Panel first and then go to Programs and Features.
Select the Uninstall button from the context menu.
Now follow the on-screen instructions to complete the uninstallation process.
This will successfully remove the Office app from your device.
Now it’s time to install Office 365 on Windows PC again.
When you complete the steps, check if you’re now able to send and receive the email again.
Unfortunately, if none of the above solutions worked here, try to contact the Office Support.
That’s it. Let us know which method you find helpful to fix this Outlook error.
Fix “Midjourney The Application Did Not Respond” Error
Midjouney is an excellent AI-powered tool that can transform simple text inputs into images or creative art pieces. This is not a free tool but valuable to many artists. However, recently some users have pointed out that are witnessing an error message while trying to use the Midjourney tool via the Midjoruney bot. They get a “Midjourney The Application Did Not Respond” error message.
To fix Discord crashing down and showing the error issue, there are a few things you can try on your end, and in this article, we will look at them.
8 Ways to Fix “Midjourney the Application Did Not Respond” Error
1. Restart the app:
As simple as it may sound, If you encounter the “Midjourney The Application Did Not Respond” error, the first thing you should try is restarting the application. App data stored on the PC over time might get corrupted and cause the app to perform abnormally. In such a scenario, ultimately terminating the app and starting it again can fix the problem.
Once you have closed down the application, wait a few minutes and relaunch it. Now check whether the “Midjourney the Application Did Not Respond” error message still pops up when you use the Midjourney bot on Discord. If it does, move on to the next fix.
If restarting does not solve the problem, try updating it. The app developers will constantly keep on working to fix the bugs and errors that might be present in the software. If you see this error due to a bug, an update could solve your problem.
Since Midjourney Bot is only available through Discord, you must update the Discord app and check whether that solves your problem. To update Discord, go to Discord’s home page and download the setup for the latest version. Once you have it, run the setup, and the installation of the newest version of the tool will initiate.
Once the installation is complete, try using Midjourney Bot in the Discord server again. If it still does not work, move on to the next fix.
3. Run a System Scan:
Now it is time to check yourself for any issues. The ideal first step would be to check the system files and whether there are any infections. If there is any malware or virus infection, it is enough for any application to work abnormally.
You will first need a reliable antivirus application to run the system scan. For that, you can Google out the best ones currently in the market and buy yourself the one that best fits your needs. Once you have the antivirus program, you must update the definitions to the latest version to ensure any new virus or malware can also be detected.
After updating the antivirus program, run the system scan and check whether you see anything. If nothing is wrong here and the “Midjourney the Application Did Not Respond” error persists, move on to the next solution.
Outdated or faulty drivers in a PC could lead to all sorts of compatibility issues. And that might impact the Midjourney Bot app as well. So you need to update all the drivers on your system and check whether that solves your “Midjourney the Application Did Not Respond” error.
There are three ways to update the drivers; manually, automatically, or using a third-party tool. To update the drivers manually, you need to download the setup file for it from the official website.
To update the drivers automatically, you could use the built-in Windows tool to check and install the latest drivers on your PC from the web.
Press Windows Key + I to open up the Settings menu.
Search for Device Manager, and once you see it, open it up.
Look for the drivers that need an update in the list of devices that show up.
Then follow the on-screen instruction to update the drivers automatically,
Finally, the third option is to use a third-party app that scans the system for any outdated or missing drivers and installs them if there are any. These applications charge a bit, but it is worth the price as you need not worry about drivers on your PC again.
5. Reinstall the Application:
Sometimes more than an update is needed to iron out issues with the installation. A clean re-install is the best way to fix any installation corruption. So with the Discord app, you need to uninstall it and then reinstall the latest version of it again.
To uninstall the Discord app, follow the steps below.
Press Windows Key + I to open up the Windows Settings page.
Look for the Discord app.
Follow the on-screen instructions after that to complete the uninstallation process.
After the uninstallation, head over to Discord’s website and download the latest version for your system. Once you have the latest setup file, install it on your system and restart the computer.
If you still see the e “Midjourney the Application Did Not Respond” error message while using the Midjourney Bot on Discord, move on to the next solution.
6. Leave and Rejoin the Bot:
One of the solutions that has solved the problem for most users is a reset of the bot. The Midjourney Bot on Discord has a lot of simultaneous users pulling on its resources, which can sometimes affect the app. So you need to leave the bot channel and try joining it again. This will give the Midjourney bot a reset on your device.
This trick has mainly worked wonders for the “Midjourney The Application Did Not Respond” error. So let’s see how one can do it.
Launch the Discord app on your PC.
Locate the Midjourney Bot.
Select “Kick Midjourney Bot,” which will delete the bot from your server.
After this, you must go to the Midjourney server and choose the People option.
Select the Midjourney Bot and choose the option Add to Server.
Choose your server to confirm your action, and then tap on Authorize.
Now try using the Midjourney bot again. If you still see the error message, move on to the next solution.
7. Reset Settings:
If none of the above solutions worked for you, try resetting everything back to the default value on your Midjourney Bot. A single command is enough to act, which should take care of any setting restrictions or changes your bot might face.
So to revert everything to its original value, follow the steps below.
Open up the Discord app on your PC.
Open the bot server.
Type “/prefer suffix” in the chat box and press Enter.
Wait till the process completes and you are done.
Now try using the bot again with the same prompt that previously gave you the error message. If you still see the e “Midjourney the Application Did Not Respond” error, move on to the final fix mentioned below.
8. Check the Discord server and connection:
Discord goes into maintenance from time to time, and if it is one of those times, that could also be the reason behind the “Midjourney the Application Did Not Respond” error message on your device.
To check the server status of Discord, open up Downdetector on your PC and search for server information on Discord. You can even visit the Twitter handle of Discord. If there is any outage or maintenance in progress, it will show up there.
In the case of maintenance, you can only wait until the developers take care of it on their end.
Additionally, you should also check the internet connection you are using. If your ISP has some block in place for Midjourney, that will also cause the error to pop up. Contact your ISP, inform them about your problem, and inquire whether the issue is on their end.
How To Fix “Windows Cannot Access The Specified Device Path Or File” Error
Does your PC give you the error “Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file” when you try to open a file or device path? Chances are you don’t have the proper permissions to access the selected file or that the device you’re trying to access is not connected to your PC at all.
There are various reasons Windows displays the error mentioned above. Follow a few common fixes below to get rid of the problem.
Table of Contents
Change the File PermissionWindows can display the “Windows Cannot Access the Specified Device Path or File” error when you attempt to open a file for which you don’t have the right permissions. You can enable all permissions for the file and that should fix your issue.
Windows makes it easy to change file permissions, and you can do this without using a command-line method.
Open the folder containing the problematic file.
Select the Security tab at the top.
From the Group or user names section, select your user account and select the Edit button.
Select your user account in the new window that opens.
In the Permissions section at the bottom, remove all checkmarks from the Deny column.
Select Apply followed by OK at the bottom. Do this on the Properties window, too.
Try reopening the problematic file to see if the issue has been resolved.
Plug-In the Removable DriveOnce the drive is plugged in and you see it in File Explorer, run the problematic file and it should open just fine.
Connect the Computer or NAS to the NetworkThe easiest way to fix this issue is to connect the other computer, where the file is stored, to your network. Once the computer or NAS is back up on the network, run your problematic file and it should open without issues.
Verify the Shortcut’s Actual FileIf your PC fails to open a shortcut, there’s a high chance that the actual file behind the shortcut is no longer available.
An easy way to verify the file’s existence behind the shortcut is by using a File Explorer window.
Locate your shortcut in File Explorer.
Select the Shortcut tab on the Properties window.
Select the Target box. Copy the full path to the file, but don’t copy the actual file name.
Open a File Explorer window, select the address bar at the top, press Ctrl + V to paste the copied path, press Enter.
Unblock the FileWhen a file comes from an untrusted source, like the internet, Windows tends to block access to the file. This is to protect your PC from any potential threats.
This blocking of untrusted files can cause Windows to display the “Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file” error when you try to open an untrusted file.
You can tell Windows that the file is safe to open and Windows will unblock the file for you.
Select the General tab at the top.
At the bottom, check the Unblock option.
Select Apply and then select OK.
Turn Off AntivirusSometimes your antivirus program detects safe files as suspicious files and prevents Windows from reading the file, causing the error message.
To fix this issue:
Temporarily turn off your antivirus program.
Try to open the file to see if it opens.
If it does, whitelist that file in your antivirus program so that it doesn’t detect it as a threat. You can usually whitelist files and apps from the settings menu of your antivirus tool. You can also just Google your antivirus program name followed by “whitelist app” and get the correct steps.
How To Delete Winsxs Folder On Windows 10
Users who have been using Windows 10 for years are well aware that the available disk space of the OS drive reduces over time for no apparent reason. It becomes even worse if you are using your computer for a longer time without any maintenance. The culprit that you are looking for is the WinSxS folder sitting inside the OS drive. Microsoft calls it “Windows Side By Side” or loosely the component store. The folder contains all sorts of system files that are used to fix various issues on your Windows PC. However, the folder size keeps eating the crucial space and that is the pain point of most users. So in this article, I will share an easy way to delete the WinSxS folder without affecting your PC’s stability. Now having said that, let’s get started.
What Exactly is WinSxS Folder?Before moving forward, let’s go through some crucial points. First of all, you can’t delete the WinSxS Folder entirely, but you can definitely reduce its size. The reason is that the WinSxS folder contains many important libraries and components of the operating system which are required to resolve OS related issues. So, in a way, one should not touch the WinSxS folder as it’s there to keep our PC safe and sound.
However, the point is that the WinSxS folder keeps getting larger over time and if you are using a machine for years then the folder would take around 40% of your OS drive which is completely insane. So, what exactly is happening in that folder? Actually, besides OS components, Windows also keeps update files in the WinSxS folder. So, whenever you get a new update, files are downloaded and stored in case you encounter an issue in the future and want to roll back to an earlier build. Basically, every time you get an update, the files are accumulated in that folder resulting in an incredibly higher size of the OS drive.
Steps to Clean Up WinSxS Folder
We will go through a two-step process to complete this task. First, we will use an internal tool and then move to a manual cleanup method. Now having said that, let’s begin.
Reduce Folder Size Using the DISM Tool
We are going to use the DISM Tool (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) to clean up the folder. DISM tool is used to keep the Windows image intact and prepare for recovery environments.
dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /AnalyzeComponentStore
3. Now, execute the second command to finally start the cleanup process. After the process is completed, you are done. The WinSxS folder should free up considerably.
Note: The process may take some time so keep patience.
dism /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup
Delete Update Files Using Disk Cleanup
This should sufficiently release storage on your Windows machine and make it faster. One thing to note here is that sometimes if the PC is too old, it’s better to just reset Windows 10 to get a clean start. Do remember to take a backup of your Windows 10 PC before you go through the resetting process.
Delete WinSxS Folder and Regain Space
Fix: Codec Error 0Xc00D5212 – Format Not Supported
Fix: Codec Error 0xc00d5212 – Format Not Supported [5 Ways] Quickly fix codec errors in Windows Media Player by following our solutions
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Error
0xc00d5212 is an
error message
that pops up when you try to
play
AVI
videos in Windows Media Player.
One way to fix the issue is by converting the
AVI
video to an alternative
format that
Windows Media Player
can play
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INSTALL BY CLICKING THE DOWNLOAD FILE
To fix Windows PC system issues, you will need a dedicated tool
Fortect is a tool that does not simply cleans up your PC, but has a repository with several millions of Windows System files stored in their initial version. When your PC encounters a problem, Fortect will fix it for you, by replacing bad files with fresh versions. To fix your current PC issue, here are the steps you need to take:
Download Fortect and install it on your PC.
Start the tool’s scanning process to look for corrupt files that are the source of your problem
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Error 0xc00d5212 is an error message that pops up for some Windows Media Player users when they try to play AVI videos.
That error message states: This item is was encoded in a format that’s not supported. 0Xc00d5212.
Consequently, WMP doesn’t play the video. Below are a few resolutions that should fix the error 0xc00d5212 for some users.
How can I fix This item was encoded in a format that’s not supported. 0xc00d5212? 1. Convert the AVI video to an alternative formatError 0xc00d5212 will pop up when the correct codec required to support the AVI file isn’t installed. Thus, converting the AVI video to an alternative format Windows Media Player will likely play is one way to fix the issue.
MP4 is among the most universal video file format that most media players play.
2. Install K-Lite CodecThen open the K-Lite setup wizard to install the pack. That should ensure there aren’t any codecs missing.
3. Update the display adapter driverError 0xc00d5212 can also be due to an incompatible graphics card driver. Therefore, updating the display adapter’s driver might resolve the issue.
The easiest way to do so is to use a third-party driver updater and fixer that will scan and then show users what devices, if any, require a driver update.
We recommend Outbyte Driver Updater because it has a high rate of accuracy when it comes to matching your hardware with its corresponding driver. It is also very lightweight, so it can work on pretty much any PC.
Expert tip:
4. Fix Corrupted Video File
Users can fix corrupted AVI files with Remo Repair AV.
If the error 0xc00d5212 error message occurs for one specific AVI file, that might be a corrupted file. Try playing alternative AVI videos in Windows Media Player to check if they play.
5. Play the Video With VLCVLC is a better media player than WMP that incorporates more built-in codecs. Thus, it’s an altogether more reliable video player than Windows Media Player.
Some WMP users have also confirmed that their AVI videos that didn’t play in Windows Media Player played fine in VLC.
Select Always Fix on the Damaged or incomplete AVI file drop-down menu, and select the Save option. Thereafter, VLC might fix corrupted AVI clips when users play the videos.
Those resolutions will usually fix error 0xc00d5212 for most WMP users so they can play AVI videos. Switching to an alternative media player is probably the most straightforward, and best, resolution.
As Microsoft hasn’t released a new WMP version since 2009, Windows Media Player is becoming increasingly antiquated media player software.
How do I fix error codec?
To solve this problem you need to set the player to Download codecs automatically. Then, when you try again to play the file, you will be prompted to install the codec. You can also install a codec pack.
How do I fix an unsupported video format?
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