Remove file dos command

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So why take the trouble to delete files using command prompt and command line? Are you aware that it is possible to erase a file on Windows by making use of the Command Prompt? Below are some steps on how to go about it:.

Erasing folders or directories varies a bit. If you attempt to operate the rm command on a folder, the message below will appear:. You can't erase a directory utilizing the rm command. Therefore, to erase a director called Archives, you need to operate the command below:.

Keep in mind that this is a permanent decision. You can, however, make use of the —flag for security. A file may be locked or you might not be permitted to erase one or multiple files. This may be irritating; however, you can make use of the command line to get a simple solution. The only difference is that you may not be able to delete some protected files, which shouldn't be a problem in most cases.

Now that Command Prompt is open, use cd to change directories to where your files are. I've prepared a directory on the desktop called Test Folder. Note: Any files deleted with the del command cannot be recovered. Be very careful where and how you use this command. Also, bonus tip — Command Prompt has basic autocompletion. So you could just type in del test , press the tab key, and Command Prompt will change it to del "Test File.

Sometimes files are marked as read only, and you'll see the following error when you try to use the del command:. Both commands work the same way, but let's stick with rmdir since it's a bit more expressive. Also, I'll use the terms directory and folder interchangeably for the rest of the tutorial. Note: Any directories deleted with the rmdir command cannot be recovered. In this case I want to remove a directory named Subfolder, so I'll use the command rmdir Subfolder :.

You could cd into the Subfolder directory and remove the file, then come back with cd..