My directory has become recursive. How can I remove it?

Question

The directory structure of one of my folders has become recursive or something, making an almost endless loop until I cannot go further down:

D:\prog\ai2\oving5\robotst\out\PRODUC~1\robots\out\PRODUC~1\robots\out\PRODUC~1\robots\out\PRODUC~1\robots\out\PRODUC~1\robots\out\PRODUC~1\robots\out\PRODUC~1\robots\out\PRODUC~1\robots\out\PRODUC~1\robots\out\PRODUC~1\robots\out\production\robots

How did this happen?

Trying to delete any file/directory somewhere in this path through Explorer fails with:

The source file names(s) are larger than is supported by the file system. Try moving to a location which has a shorter path name, or try renaming to shorter name(s) before attempting this operation.

Moving anything fails with the same message. I've tried renaming the directories to single letter names, but it's still too long. I've also tried shift+delete to bypass Recycle Bin.

Trying through command line (del and rd), nothing happens. No errors message, but the directories remain.

I've even tried removing the directory in Linux with rm -rf robotst, but it fails with

rm: cannot remove "path": File or path name too long

Any ideas on how to remove the folders, and why this has happened?

Can't really say that looks anything like my situation here. — Matsemann, Apr 29 '14 at 12:22
try this one http://superuser.com/questions/78434/tool-for-deleting-directories-with-path-names-too-long-for-normal-delete (I would start with an 7zip answer /to use it as 'alternative explorer'/, it always worked flawlessly for me) — wmz, Apr 29 '14 at 12:56
Possible duplicate of Tool for deleting directories with path/names too long for normal delete, How do I delete a folder which is nested quite deep and avoid "File name too long"? — and31415, Apr 29 '14 at 15:50
@and31415 I don't think those will help either since the OP's path is infinite. — CodesInChaos, Apr 29 '14 at 16:03
Can you go to D:\prog\ai2\oving5\robotst\out\PRODUC~1 and show me what the DIR command shows? — dsolimano, Apr 29 '14 at 16:05
I wonder which kind of link loop this is. Windows supports pretty many types, junction points, symlinks hardlinks and some others I forgot about. Using the dir command as @dsolimano suggests should enable you to distinguish symlinks from the rest of them — CodesInChaos, Apr 29 '14 at 16:06

My directory has become recursive. How can I remove it?

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