Recycle Bin

markp · 9th June 2003

Help, my recycle bin is full but shows empty when opened or navigated. I have checked in Dos mode and the expected (deleted) files are in the recycled directory. Any tips on how to resolve this?

Newt · 10th June 2003

First step is to find out if it is just the desktop icon piece that is having a problem or if the recycler is corrupt.

Look in your recycler folder (you have to be set to show all files & folders) and see if the contents you expect is there. Post back.

markp · 11th June 2003

Okay, done that. Look inside and it says there are no files, yet when you check properties you can see how much memory is being used. Also when you look in dos mode you can list the files.
Very odd.

Newt · 11th June 2003

May be a problem with permissions on the recycled folder or possibly a corrupt recycle bin.

Easiest things first.
- log on as administrator
- take ownership of the recycled folder
- set permissions to the default settings

If that doesn't work, we'll have to look at deleting the recycle bin and creating a new one. Instructions from Microsoft are Here. It is a little confusing at first read since they describe the process for several operating systems and 2000 has a seperate section dealing with Internet Explorer with a note that the NT instructions won't work on 2K. That only applies to IE and you can use the NT instructions for 2K's recycle bin icon.

If both the above fail to fix the problem you may have a bad recycled folder. In that case, post back for more how-to stuff - but slightly more heroic for the recycled folder.

markp · 19th June 2003

Hello again, sorry for not posting back sooner but I went down a different route in solving this problem. Being of a paranoid nature I was quite suspicious that this problem was connected with an installed spying software package. I had deleted some odd .exe files weeks ago which had been using inordinate amounts of memory and the recycle problems started at the same time as their install. A couple of days ago I dowlnoaded Spybot - Search and Destroy which rilfed through my PC to find a few problems. It fixed several odd problems and after using this the recycler is now working.

I can't prove malicious (sic) damage done by a former business partner but at least the problem is repaired.

Thanks for you help and if you want the web link for Spybot (freeware but I owe them a donation), let me know.

Newt · 20th June 2003

Thanks for posting back.

And spybot - got it, use it, love it, sent em $$. Same with Ad-aware and if you don't got it, get it. Use both.