Problems deleting large number of files - painfully slow....

I run a software tool that often generates 75,000 - 100,000 small files that need to be deleted after the software exits. Right now, it can take 8 - 10 minutes to permanently delete all these files from a single run, and I usually have 4 - 8 runs to deal with, so do the math...

I have tried shift-del to permanently delete but it doesn't work - Windows still copies everything to the recycle bin. (I thought shift-del was supposed to bypass the recycle bin...)

Also, while moving the files to the recycle bin, I often get an error message: "Error 0x80070050: The file exists."

Bottom line is that it takes a *really* long time just to delete these files and I need a quicker way to do it.

What's the solution?

Thanks in advance,

rgames

rgames, mine does the same thing, and you have to realize 75 thousand is a lot of files! ...but I've always noticed 7 takes a lot longer to delete files than XP did, and btw, when you hold down shift-delete notice the prompt that comes up does not really say it's going to the recycle bin, look again, it's a different prompt, but anyway yes you're right it still takes as long, Especially on 75000 files!

I don't have an answer for you either, but I care about it.

In Windows Explorer, shift-rightclick a drive or folder, then from context menu, click "open in new process." Go to the new window, and it will behave normally for copying and deleting large and many files.

CMD prompt (batch file) will be faster than the GUI

Code:

rd C:\lots-of-files /q/s

lehnerus2000 said:

How about saving the files to their own partition and "Quick Formatting" it, when you want to kill them?

That should be quick.

That is a great idea - lets hope that the OP stops back by after all these months

Reply to my own post:
Actually, in Windows Explorer, you can go to Folder Options and checkoff "Launch folder window in a separate process," then copy and delete will act normally.

pecarillo said:

In Windows Explorer, shift-rightclick a drive or folder, then from context menu, click "open in new process." Go to the new window, and it will behave normally for copying and deleting large and many files.