C:\Recycle.Bin


  1. Posts : 195
    Windows 7 Pro x64
       #1

    C:\Recycle.Bin


    I deleted 4 large programs off my computer last night and while running Malwarebytes and Auslogic defrag it is showing C:\Recycle.Bin with all the files I deleted last night. How can I get rid of them?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 2,497
    Windows 7 Pro 64 bit
       #2

    That is to be expected. The recycle bin holds a copy of recently deleted files allowing them to be restored if necessary.

    To delete these files you should open the recycle bin on the desktop, right click on the file in question and select "Delete" from the context menu. After this you will not be able to restore the files. Do not attempt to directly modify the contents of the recycle bin folder.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 72,043
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #3

    Hello Maccman,

    When you delete a file on a hard drive, it's dumped into the Recycle Bin until you empty the Recycle Bin to permanently delete them.

    When you permanently delete a file even from in the Recycle Bin, it's actually only marked as being deleted, and doesn't actually get deleted until it is overwritten by another file when it get's saved to the same sector on the hard drive. That's how a lot of the file recovery programs are able to recover deleted files. If they haven't been overwritten yet, they may be able to get marked as no longer deleted to be restored.

    If you permanently deleted these files, and you have not regained the space they used on the hard drive in "Computer", then you could use the tutorial below to fix a corrupted Recycle Bin to regain the space from the deleted files.

    Recycle Bin Corrupted - Cannot Delete File or Folder

    Hope this helps, :)
    Shawn
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 195
    Windows 7 Pro x64
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Brink said:
    Hello Maccman,

    When you delete a file on a hard drive, it's dumped into the Recycle Bin until you empty the Recycle Bin to permanently delete them.

    When you permanently delete a file even from in the Recycle Bin, it's actually only marked as being deleted, and doesn't actually get deleted until it is overwritten by another file when it get's saved to the same sector on the hard drive. That's how a lot of the file recovery programs are able to recover deleted files. If they haven't been overwritten yet, they may be able to get marked as no longer deleted to be restored.

    If you permanently deleted these files, and you have not regained the space they used on the hard drive in "Computer", then you could use the tutorial below to fix a corrupted Recycle Bin to regain the space from the deleted files.

    Recycle Bin Corrupted - Cannot Delete File or Folder

    Hope this helps, :)
    Shawn
    Shawn
    When I used your tutorial Method 2 there is no $Recycle.Bin in the files. Any more advice please?
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 72,043
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #5

    Double check to make sure that you did step 1 in METHOD TWO to be able to see the $RECYCLE.BIN folder. :)
      My Computer


 

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