Windows 7 Upgrade Failure

Whilst upgrading Windows Vista to Windows 7 succeeded on 2 of my desktop computers it failed on the third. I had the exact symptoms described in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/978421 which sucessfully restored Windows Vista. The problem folder was C:\Users\UserName\Documents

However this has now left a recursive Documents folder in C:\temp that cannot be deleted. I have tried using Windows commands (RD /S and RMDIR /s), chkdsk, file/folder utilities KillBox and Unlocker all failed because the path is too long. chkdsk complains that the "path is too deep".

Basically, the Documents folder in c:\temp appears to be referring to itself recursively so that moving sub-folders up shows further folders longer than the maximum file path that Windows can use.

Is there a way to correct the folder so that it doesn't refer to itself or a means of deleting this folder?

It seems to me that the only solution is backup (excluding c:\temp), re-format and re-build this desktop but I'm hoping to avoid the lengthly re-build for a simpler solution to fix the c:\temp\Documents folder.

 

So just to clarify you did everything exactly like that page said in order to fix it and it left you with your problem?

Then I have no idea how to fix it myself, but what you could do is back up the files you need, do a clean install of windows (delete the partition, create a new one, then install takes like an hour and a half to install and do the updates depending on your internet speed for the updates.) and your good to go. Unless I missed what you said in you last couple of sentences, you don't have to rebuild your computer.

 

Never had this problem. But, from the command line, how far down the path can you go? Can you then delete the folder from there?

What about trying the recovery console in vista?

Or using a linux live cd?

 

You might try NTFSLinksView to get some idea of whether you are seeing a problem with junction points.

 

Yes followed the instructions and ended up with the problem. Going to do a clean install, need some of the drivers from the backup.

The path is infinite and goes on forever because it is a "junction" to itself, i.e., a recursive link. The recovery console doesn't help fix the bad folder unless I reinstall Windows.

Yes, this is precisely the problem. Somehow before the upgrade the Documents folder of a particular user was "copied" into itself creating an initial recursive link, which the above "fix" moves a copy to C:\temp thus creating the problem. But, both the copy and the original broken Documents folders are still there.

What I was looking for in a solution was a means of fixing the broken folder so that it could be removed. However, I've fully backed up the disk overnight and going to clean install later after testing I can recover a test file from the backup.