How To Delete a Directory from the EFI System Partition (ESP)

Managing your EFI System Partition might seem complex, but with clear steps, it becomes a simple process. This guide provides a detailed walkthrough to help you safely delete a directory, like Debian, from the EFI System Partition (ESP).

How To Delete a Directory from the EFI System Partition (ESP)

Open Command Prompt with Administrator Rights

• Go to the search bar, type cmd, right-click on "Command Prompt," and select "Run as Administrator."

Launch Disk Management Tool

• Type diskpart and press Enter.
• Then, type list disk and press Enter to view the list of available disks.

Select Your Disk

• Identify your disk (commonly Disk 0) and type select disk 0 (replacing 0 with the relevant disk number). Press Enter.

View and Select the EFI Partition Volume

• Type list volume and press Enter to view the list of volumes.
• Locate the EFI System Partition (typically labeled SYSTEM or EFI). Then type select volume 2 (replacing 2 with the correct volume number) and press Enter.

Assign a Drive Letter to the EFI Partition

• Type assign letter=Z (or use another available drive letter) and press Enter.

Exit Disk Management

• Type exit and press Enter to leave the disk management tool.

Access the EFI Partition

• Type Z: (or the drive letter you assigned) and press Enter to navigate to the EFI partition.
• Then type cd EFI and press Enter to move into the EFI directory.

Delete the Target Directory

• Type dir to display the list of directories. Confirm the presence of the directory you want to delete (e.g., debian).
• Finally, type rmdir /S /Q debian and press Enter to remove the directory and its contents.

Following these steps ensures the safe and efficient removal of unnecessary directories from your EFI System Partition.