Help, How do I remove an entire directory?

**vandorjw** · January 20th, 2009

I have to remove an a directory and all its files. How do I do this?

rmdir -f help (didn't work)

ps: help is filled with files.

I need an answer in the next hour.

thanks in advance

**p_quarles** · January 20th, 2009

Try:

Code:

rm -ri /path/to/dir

The i stands for "interactive," and prompts you about each file. Safer is to use a file manager to move the directory to trash.

**oldos2er** · January 20th, 2009

What do you mean "help is filled with files"? Hopefully you're not deleting anything outside your /home.

**p_quarles** · January 20th, 2009

Originally Posted by oldos2er

What do you mean "help is filled with files"? Hopefully you're not deleting anything outside your /home.

"help" is the name of the directory. rmdir won't by default execute a request to remove a directory that has contents.

**mbeach** · January 20th, 2009

perhaps look up the "rm" command.

Code:

man rm

specifically take a look at the Options for --recursive

its a good idea to use the full path to the folder to make sure you don't delete something you didn't mean to.

**vandorjw** · February 5th, 2009

Thanks for the replies. I went around the problem by graphically logging in to the remote computer. Whoever said that help was a directory was correct.

Before I had graphical capabilities,it was necessary for me to know how to do it using the command line. But now I can right click and delete things.

Thanks for the quick responses, I got them on time. Just didn't bother to reply until now.

Cheers - CC7