> I build control/deploy/j2se only, using MKS.  If I do a gnumake clobber on that type of workspace (empty directory or not), I get the following error:
>
> gnumake[1]: Entering directory `C:/otto/jdk7/nightlies/ws/deploy/make'
>  >>>Recursively making javaws clobber @ Fri Oct 20 09:15:44 PDT 2006 ...
> gnumake[2]: Entering directory `C:/otto/jdk7/nightlies/ws/deploy/make/javaws'
> gnumake -f Makefile.deploy.jar clobber
> gnumake[3]: Entering directory `C:/otto/jdk7/nightlies/ws/deploy/make/javaws'
> # The next group of directories should really have their own target so
> # that the common Deployment files can be cleaded up separately.
> rm -f -r C:/otto/jdk7/NIGHTL~1/ws/control/build/WINDOW~1/tmp/deploy/deployClasse
> s \
>
> C:/otto/jdk7/NIGHTL~1/ws/control/build/WINDOW~1/tmp/deploy/common/lib/d
> eploy.jar  \
>
> C:/otto/jdk7/NIGHTL~1/ws/control/build/WINDOW~1/tmp/deploy/deployObj
>     \
>
> C:/otto/jdk7/NIGHTL~1/ws/control/build/WINDOW~1/tmp/deploy/common/bin/d
> eploy.dll
> # The next directory looks like it is no longer part of the build
> rm -f -r
> Usage: rm [-firRv] [-d|-s] file ...
> gnumake[3]: *** [clean] Error 2
> gnumake[3]: Leaving directory `C:/otto/jdk7/nightlies/ws/deploy/make/javaws'
> gnumake[2]: *** [clobber] Error 2
> gnumake[2]: Leaving directory `C:/otto/jdk7/nightlies/ws/deploy/make/javaws'
> gnumake[1]: *** [clobber] Error 1
> gnumake[1]: Leaving directory `C:/otto/jdk7/nightlies/ws/deploy/make'
> gnumake: *** [deploy-clobber] Error 2
>
> Strange,

Workaround is to rm -rf build/windows-i586.