0x80070091 - Directory Not Empty Error

What is 0x80070091?

The 0x80070091 error is categorized as a medium-severity Windows operating system issue that can significantly impact your PC's stability. The directory is not empty. Commonly occurs during failed System Restore operations or when attempting to delete Windows.old or app folders. When experiencing the 0x80070091 error, users report restore failures, file deletion blocks, or folder access alerts. In most diagnostic scenarios, this problem is directly triggered by underlying software complications such as corrupted directory nodes, locked background handles, and file system indexing issues. To permanently resolve the 0x80070091 issue and prevent further system degradation, it is highly recommended to follow our step-by-step troubleshooting guide below, ensuring your Windows operating system components are functioning correctly.

Common Causes

• Corrupted directory indexing structure
• Background handles locking folder files
• System Restore database mismatch
• Bad sectors on the storage partition

Step-by-Step Fix Guide

• 1
  Run CHKDSK disk repair utility

  Applying the first fix (Run CHKDSK disk repair utility) addresses the most common root cause of 0x80070091 and restores baseline functionality.

• 2
  Delete the target folder in Safe Mode

  If the problem persists, proceeding with the remaining steps ensures all edge cases related to directory instability are covered.

• 3
  Take folder ownership via Command Prompt
• 4
  Rename the WindowsApps directory in recovery console

Commands & Diagnostics