DOCUMENT:Q229041  10-AUG-2001  [winnt]
TITLE   :Files Are Not Deleted From Recycler Folder
PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows NT
PROD/VER:winnt:4.0
OPER/SYS:
KEYWORDS:kbenv kbtool diskmem kbDiskMemory

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The information in this article applies to:

 - Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
 - Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0 
 - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you empty the Recycle Bin in Windows, the files may not be deleted from
your hard disk.

NOTE: You cannot view these files using Windows Explorer, My Computer, or the
Recycle Bin.

CAUSE
=====

This issue can occur if a third-party filter driver is using the files you try
to delete.

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this issue, delete the files from an MS-DOS prompt. To do this,
follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type "cmd.exe" (without the quotation marks) in the
   Open box, and then click OK.

2. Change to the drive and folder where you deleted the files.

For example if you deleted a file from the C:\Windows folder, type "cd\windows"
(without the quotation marks) at the C: prompt, and then press ENTER.
3. From that folder type "cd recycler" (without the quotation marks), and then
   press ENTER.

4. From the Recycler folder type "dir" (without the quotation marks), and then
   press ENTER. You may see some User<SID> folders where <SID> is
   the security ID for each user who deleted files in that folder.

5. Type "cd user<SID>" (without the quotation marks), and then press
   ENTER.

6. Type "del *.*" (without the quotation marks), and then press ENTER. If you
   receive an error message that indicates some files are open, quit all the
   programs running on your computer.

7. Type "cd.." (without the quotation marks), press ENTER, and then repeat steps
   5-7 for each folder in the Recycler folder.

8. Type "exit" (without the quotation marks), and then press ENTER.

MORE INFORMATION
================

For information about the Recycle Bin, please see the following articles in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   Q165126 Cannot Delete File Using Windows NT Explorer

   Q171051 How To Bypass The Recycle Bin When Deleting Files

   Q171694 Differences Between The Recycle Bin and the Recycler Folder

Additional query words:

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Keywords          : kbenv kbtool diskmem kbDiskMemory 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTSEntSearch kbWinNTSEnt400 kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400
Version           : winnt:4.0
Issue type        : kbprb

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Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2001.