Corrupt folder on USB drive

Question

Error code 0x80070570 cannot delete this empty folder on USB flash drive on PC

Answer 1

USB flash drives are very volatile and can become corrupt easily, usually if the flash drive is removed while Windows is still accessing the USB flash drive.

This is the best option to remove that folder and fix any corruption on the drive:

Copy off any other files you need from the flash drive into a folder on your PC.

Then format the USB drive in File Explorer, the Quick Format option is sufficient.

When the format completes, copy your files back onto the USB flash drive.

Answer 2

Error 0x80070570 indicates file system corruption or that Windows can’t correctly read/write the folder entry on the USB drive. On removable media this is often caused by:

• Removing the USB drive without using Safely Remove Hardware.
• Power loss or system crash while the drive was in use.
• BitLocker or other encryption/boot structures on the drive being damaged.

To fix and be able to delete the corrupt folder, use these steps (note: they can be destructive to data on the USB, so back up anything important first):

1. Run CHKDSK on the USB drive
   Open Command Prompt as administrator and run (replace E: with the USB drive letter):

      chkdsk E: /f /r
   

   Let it complete and repair any file system errors. When finished, try deleting the folder again.
2. If the drive is BitLocker‑protected and not recognized
   On older Windows versions, unexpected shutdowns with BitLocker To Go could corrupt the virtual boot block on the USB so it can’t be mounted or accessed, which leads to errors when accessing or modifying folders. In that case the device may not be recognized or mounted at all, and tools like manage-bde can fail with errors. If the drive shows this behavior, data recovery may not be possible without specialized tools.
3. If CHKDSK doesn’t help, reformat the USB drive
   If the folder remains undeletable after CHKDSK and data is already backed up, reformatting is the most reliable fix:
   • In File Explorer, right‑click the USB drive > Format.
   • Choose a file system (for general use and bootable media, FAT32 is often required; for large files, exFAT or NTFS).
   • Select Start to format. This removes all data, including the corrupt folder.

Going forward, always use Safely Remove Hardware before unplugging the USB drive to reduce the chance of corruption.

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References:

• USB storage device cannot be recognized or mounted on a computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2
• Error message that states the file system is corrupt in Windows 7 or in Windows Server 2008 R2
• Creating and using a USB recovery drive for Surface