Emptying Recycle Bin freezes desktop

[Rumandolin]

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]

This may help, run the steps outlined in this tutorial, Option Two, and reboot the system:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html#post14392
If that doesn't correct the issue, run it two or more times with a reboot between.
You may get this result:

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]

No violations reported

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]

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]

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]

I've asked for other gurus to help.

 

[AddRAM]

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]

You could try an http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/49819-icon-cache-rebuild.html

If your unwilling to do a system restore the only other option would be a http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html, but you will still lose at least 1/5 of your quotas, read the tips :tip:, and warnings :warn:.

 

[gigagiggles]

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]

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

 

[Britton30]

Welcome to Seven Forums maluus.
Since we haven't solved this yet for the OP, try everything that has been suggested.

 

[Rumandolin]

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.

Hi, thanks for replying. There are external hard-drives, but it makes no differences if they're connected or not. Nothing I can see that suggests a problem in Device Manager. I haven't tried (or heard of tbh!) Event Viewer: I'll try that.

I'm wondering now if it might be connected to some software plugins I installed (IK Multimedia Total Studio 3). The authorisation manager I downloaded to do this asked if I wanted to install as system administrator, to which I clicked 'yes' (as I was supposed to). However, for some reason it seems they weren't authorised properly, as I can't currently use the plugins without being asked for authorisation again (IK Multimedia have said I'll need to reinstall). Now I think about it, the problem started after I tried after this to put the download folder (NB: not installed files!) for the authorisation software in the recycle bin. A window popped up saying I didn't have the authorisation to do this, and the system got itself in a loop where the window kept appearing, which I could only get out of by restarting.

 

[Rumandolin]

Okay, I've tried a system restore: the system won't restore. It seems there's a (now removed) plugin that's preventing the system from completing the restore. Tried it three times from different places. I can't restore from any later because that will be after the problem started. I might try an Icon Cache Rebuild if I don't get any where any other way. Scared about a Repair install, especially as I have a feeling it might be overkill if this is just a simple corruption of the recycle bin.

I've been reading around some more, and tried something recommended on Windows 7: How to Reset the Recycle Bin | a Tech-Recipes Tutorial - namely deleting $Recycle.Bin, whichapparently should be on the root of the C: . Problem is, I can't find it - even if I search the whole C: (yes, I have enabled viewing of hidden files).

Anyone have any suggestions? Am I looking in the wrong place?

 

[Britton30]

You'll have to enable View System files to see it.
option One, step Four.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/394-hidden-files-folders-show-hide.html

 

[maluus]

Welcome to Seven Forums maluus.
Since we haven't solved this yet for the OP, try everything that has been suggested.

Well I have tried everything so far. SFC, icon rebuild, disabling recycle bin deleting all the folders then enabling it again. but to no avail.

 

[maluus]

Solved

Well problem for me was very stupid (of me clearly because never gave it a thought) you know when you right click and choese the empty trash a confirmation dialog pops up and you choose yes. I use a dual screen setup and my dialog box appears other screen which happen to be my LCD TV and not actively on PC. so I am not aware of dialog box. It just came to my mind if it shows any dialog on any of the display and when I check the TV screen voila

but until now I wasn't aware of that normally it freezes the desktop uıntil you confirm the empty operation. apperantly I m too quick to click yes that never noticed desktop is out of focus

well people learn everyday. thanks for your help. I hope OP's problem is also this simple

 

[Britton30]

LOL, we all do silly things at times. that's good to hear you figured it out.

 

[Layback Bear]

Glad you figured it out. It would help if you filled in your system specs completely. That would give those who try to help a better idea of what they are working with.

 

[Anak]

Nice deduction maluus!

I wonder if the Original Poster (OP) has a dual screen setup that we don't know about?

 

[Layback Bear]

Would be nice to hear back from Rumandolin.