@oldsysops @eshep

Shows all directories as inode but I think you're right. In root terminal there is nothing what so ever in the directory when listed but I cannot delete it either as it's not empty. Copying eitheranually (command line) or drag and drop doesn't work to this or other directories. Initial listing in disks and gparted claim it's an NTFS file system but drilling down a little further it is showing as a windows file system so I'm going to guess that it could simply be that weird old file system you mentioned.

I have a pc with a spare 2TB so am filing everything off the external drive, will do a load of house keeping to de-duplicate etc and reformat the drive and start again, keeping the files on the PC until I know the WD drive is stable.