Removing Recycle Bin Option During Unattended Setup

ID: Q167006

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

The Windows NT 4.0 Recycle Bin is installed and configured by default during setup. There is no option to remove the Recycle Bin with the Unattend.txt script. The following information shows how to remove the Recycle Bin from the desktop and how to disable the ability to use the Recycle Bin on any drive. Evaluate this option carefully. Disabling the Recycle Bin disables all functions of restoring files that would normally be placed in the Recycle Bin. It is not possible to remove only the icon from the desktop and leave the Recycle Bin functions in tact.

Depending on the security requirements of your environment, this option may be desirable.


MORE INFORMATION

By using the INF format supported by Windows NT 4.0, you can remove the Name Space for the Recycle Bin during Windows NT installation/deployment. You can copy and save the following INF file to save time and to prevent syntax errors.

  1. Copy the information starting with the line first line [Version] to the last line [UpdateInis]. 
    
   [Version]
   Signature = "$Windows NT$"

   [DefaultInstall]
   AddReg = AddReg
   DelReg = DelReg
   UpdateInis = UpdateInis

   [AddReg]
   [DelReg]

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
      \Desktop\NameSpace\ 
   {645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}"
   [UpdateInis]

    NOTE: The above registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for readability.


  2. Save the information to a file called Remcycl.inf.


To take advantage of the INF file during the Windows NT automated installation process, configure the following information:
  1. Configure an Unattend.txt file that is configured to install Windows NT 4.0.


  2. Add the option OEMPreInstall = Yes to the [UNATTENDED] section in the answer file.


  3. Create an I386 folder on a server. Copy the files from the I386 folder of the Windows NT 4.0 compact disc to the I386 folder on the server.


  4. Create a folder called $OEM$ in the I386 folder on the server.


  5. Copy the Remcycl.inf file to the $OEM$.


  6. Using a text editor, create or modify the Cmdlines.txt file, and then save it to the $OEM$.


To save time, copy the following two lines of information to create the required Cmdlines.txt: 

   [Commands]
   "rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 128 .\REMCYCL.INF"

NOTE: If you have an existing Cmdlines.txt file, do not copy the [Commands] line because an existing Cmdlines.txt file has this line.

You can remove the Recycle Bin using the preceding method because of the new INF file format that Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 95 use. Consult the Windows NT 4.0 DDK and the Windows NT 4.0 SDK for detailed information on the new INF format and options.

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE ID: Q162170
TITLE : How to Remove Default Desktop Icons
For additional information on Windows NT 4.0 deployment/unattended installation consult the Microsoft Knowledge Base at the following Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/kb.
Download the Windows NT 4.0 Deployment Guide from the following Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/ntworkstation.
NOTE: The deployment guide is valid for Windows NT Workstation and for Windows NT Server. 


Keywords          : kbsetup ntsetup ntreskit NTSrvWkst 
Version           : WinNT:4.0
Platform          : winnt 
Issue type        : kbinfo

Last Reviewed: February 13, 1999