Emptying Recycle Bin freezes desktop

Rumandolin · 08 Apr 2013

Hi - I'm having a weird problem where every time I empty my recycle bin, the desktop freezes (ie. clicking on anything on it has no effect). The taskbar and everything else seems to work fine. Also, Recycle Bin contents are not displayed in the recycle bin window. A restart is the only thing which returns things to normal, after which the bin contents are (usually) emptied.

I've scanned for viruses and malware: no sign of anything. I'm assuming something has been corrupted by a software uninstall or reinstall: I'd like to be able to use WIndows' self-repair to fix the problem, but can't find anything either relating to the recycle bin, or general enough to fix the problem that doesn't involve restore points (which I definitely don't want to do!!).

Any help much appreciated.

Thanks for looking!

Britton30 · 08 Apr 2013

This may help, run the steps outlined in this tutorial, Option Two, and reboot the system:
SFC /SCANNOW Command - System File Checker
If that doesn't correct the issue, run it two or more times with a reboot between.
You may get this result:

Code:

Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired
them. Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For
example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log
The system file repair changes will take effect after the next reboot.

Or a message that no integrity violations were found.
Or that Windows Resource Protection found errors it cannot repair, if so rerun the steps above.

Rumandolin · 09 Apr 2013

Thanks for that. I ran the scan, but SFC couldn't find any problems to repair...

I did wonder if it could be a corrupted shortcut - does anyone know if deleting then reinstating the recycle bin icon might help?

Britton30 · 09 Apr 2013

I don't know how to delete the bin icon, you can choose not to display it though.

Why are you against a system restore?

Rumandolin · 09 Apr 2013

Because I've spent several days doing installing / uninstalling work, including lots of plugin registering and installation, which is always fraught - as well as the time, I'll lose 1/5th of my authorisation quotas if I have to reinstall. Also, my experience of system restore hasn't been good - the system hasn't run right when I've tried this before. I'm running programs like Pro Tools and Photoshop which don't seem to like when this happens!

Re. the plugins though - I did notice the glitch with the Recycle Bin started happen when I dropped a folder containing one of the Pro Tools plugins in it. This shouldn't have been a problem: there's no uninstall for the plugin, and as I understand it

they should be self-contained, but for a while the after that, the system got itself in a loop saying it couldn't proceed without system Administrator authorisation (which didn't seem to make sense as I was logged in as myself, and I'm the administrator). After 2 restarts, this stopped, but ever since, the recycle bin hasn't worked properly.

Britton30 · 09 Apr 2013

I've asked for other gurus to help.

AddRAM · 09 Apr 2013

You could think about not sending things to the recycle bin, just have windows delete it right away.

I mean if you don`t want it, why send it there ? Just delete it.

Anak · 09 Apr 2013

You could try an Icon Cache - Rebuild

If your unwilling to do a system restore the only other option would be a Repair Install, but you will still lose at least 1/5 of your quotas, read the tips

, and warnings

.

gigagiggles · 09 Apr 2013

Are there external hard drives in this system? Loose cabling?

Does Device Manager indicate anything out-of-sorts?

Does Event Viewer provide any info for those times when the freeze occurs?

Maybe generate a system info report.

maluus · 11 Apr 2013

I am having the same problem for a few days now.

Emptying Recycle Bin freezes desktop

Emptying Recycle Bin freezes desktop

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