What is 0x80070091?
0x80070091 shows up as a medium-severity Windows operating system fault. The directory is not empty. Commonly occurs during failed System Restore operations or when attempting to delete Windows.old or app folders. It sometimes comes down to bad sectors on the storage partition. See the troubleshooting steps below for the fix.
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
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1
Run CHKDSK disk repair utility
Begin with Run CHKDSK disk repair utility; it's the step that resolves 0x80070091 for the largest share of reported cases.
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2
Delete the target folder in Safe Mode
Should the issue continue afterward, the remaining steps are there to cover the less common directory instability scenarios.
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3
Take folder ownership via Command Prompt
If earlier steps didn't help, "Take folder ownership via Command Prompt" directly addresses background handles locking folder files.
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4
Rename the WindowsApps directory in recovery console
"Rename the WindowsApps directory in recovery console" is worth trying when corrupted directory indexing structure turns out to be the culprit.
Commands & Diagnostics
chkdsk C: /f /r
takeown /f C:\Folder /r
Frequently Asked Questions
0x80070091 is most often triggered by corrupted directory indexing structure. Other reports point to background handles locking folder files, system Restore database mismatch and bad sectors on the storage partition as contributing factors.
Try "Run CHKDSK disk repair utility" first — it resolves most 0x80070091 cases on its own. Only work through the rest of the guide above if it comes back.
0x80070091 is a medium-severity issue. It can affect system stability, but the fix steps above typically resolve it without lasting damage.
In most cases, yes — the guide above resolves 0x80070091 without a clean install. Treat a reinstall as the last resort, not the first move.
Sometimes. Microsoft regularly releases patches that fix known BSOD triggers including 0x80070091. Make sure Windows is fully up to date via Settings → Windows Update before attempting more advanced fixes.
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