1

I am trying to create a folder with name, let's say, phantomdir but I am getting a dialogue that says, translated, "A directory with same name 'phantomdir' already exists in this location. Do you want to merge 'New Folder' with it?"

Yes. Hidden items are displayed.

I can type filepath E:\phantomdir to Windows Explorer address bar and Windows Explorer navigates to the directory, which is empty. But the phantomdir is not visible at E:\ in Windows Explorer.

The phantomdir is not listed when I dir in E:\ but I can cd E:\pahtomdir and dir in there and output is below.

E:\phantomdir>dir
 Volume in drive E is Elements
 Volume Serial Number is E079-122F

 Directory of E:\phantomdir

File Not Found

How did this happen? I was going to copy some files and folders with filepaths longer than Windows Explorer can copy to external drive using C:\Users\user>robocopy D:\ E:\phantomdir\ /E, cmd was not run as administrator. It printed out permission denied, waiting 30 seconds at first element it tried to copy and I ctrl+c'd it. I looked into E:\phantomdir and saw directories are created but no files are copied. So I shift+delete'd E:\phantomdir. Then I tried to copy using some other way.

What did I break? What do I fix and how?

Thanks in advance.

5
  • Welcome to Superuser! Is the directory not listed if you type dir /ad? Sep 23, 2020 at 18:36
  • Directory is listed when I dir /ad.
    – engin
    Sep 23, 2020 at 18:55
  • Try on the command line attrib -ahs e:\phantomdir /D. Check if you see it on windows explorer. If yes, then it will confirm why you can see it with dir /ad. Sep 23, 2020 at 19:59
  • That did it. I can see the lost folder when I dir and in Windows Explorer. Thanks.
    – engin
    Sep 23, 2020 at 20:14
  • I will post an answer and a bit of explanation. Sep 23, 2020 at 20:15

1 Answer 1

0

You could not see the folder on Windows Explorer, but you were getting a message to merge the folder you were trying to create with an existing one. That meant that the folder existed, but could not be seen. That's why it was good to try dir /ad to verify that indeed the folder was hidden. Then, executing attrib -ahs e:\phantomdir /D removed on the folder (/D) the attributes: archiving, hidden and system (-ahs).

Yes. Hidden items are displayed.

I can't explain why you could not see the folder although you had selected to view hidden files and folders. However, the only explanation was that the folder was hidden due to the message that appeared when you tried to create a folder why the same name. The commands just confirmed the assumption.

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .