How to accelerate deleting of files / folder?

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  1. Posts : 175
    Windows 10 Version 6.2 (Build 9200) Home, 64bit
       #1

    How to accelerate deleting of files / folder?


    Removing files / folder from an external drive, USB 3.0 and USB 2.0, and internal drive (to the recycle bin and permanently) lasts extremely long. About 1 million files take about 20, 30 hours or longer using USB 3.0, removing them from an external USB 3 hdd, WD 4 TB.

    How could I make deleting faster?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 19,518
    W11+W11 Developer Insider + Linux
       #2

    Holding Shift when deleting files deletes them without using recycle bin but that doesn't help much the speed.
    External disks are slower than internal disks and connection to computer, even USB3 doesn't help much either. Fast formatting a partition is fastest way I know of. Keeping disposable files all in one partition/disk is how I do it.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 175
    Windows 10 Version 6.2 (Build 9200) Home, 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Many thanks, CountMike.

    Yes, I would have formatted but there are files I have to keep.

    So the speed I mentioned is common? It sounds absurd, to just delete (to the bin or "forever") about 1, 2 millions of files takes 20, 30 hours or even longer. Unbelievable.

    So it appears, there is nothing I could do.

    Many thanks again
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 22,740
    Windows 10 Home x64
       #4

    Have you tried using the erase command in the command prompt?? That might be much fast.. try it out.

    Jeff
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 175
    Windows 10 Version 6.2 (Build 9200) Home, 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Have you tried using the erase command in the command prompt?
    No, I didn't. How could I do it?

    I have tried FastCopy, TeraCopy, etc.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 19,518
    W11+W11 Developer Insider + Linux
       #6

    Unfortunately it's all determined by interface and device speeds. What's even worse is that data in those files is not completely erased even with formatting and not even when deleting whole partition and is still recoverable with appropriate SW. It's lost only when other data is written over it.
    An SSD with eSATA interface will of course speed up things immensely but expense is still to high, in few years it may be possible though. If possible, you may even connect that drive internally at least when you have need to delete those files as it would bypass relatively slow USB interface.
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 22,740
    Windows 10 Home x64
       #7

    Bingus said:
    No, I didn't. How could I do it?

    I have tried FastCopy, TeraCopy, etc.
    Never mind.. Mike has this covered.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 175
    Windows 10 Version 6.2 (Build 9200) Home, 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Unfortunately it's all determined by interface and device speeds. What's even worse is that data in those files is not completely erased even with formatting and not even when deleting whole partition and is still recoverable with appropriate SW. It's lost only when other data is written over it.
    Yes, to shredder (overwriting them one time) all files of an external 4 TB drive lasts about 2,5 days with me. And deleting just the entries (of the MFT or what it is) lasts about half that time, that is ridiculous.

    An SSD with eSATA interface will of course speed up things immensely but expense is still to high, in few years it may be possible though. If possible, you may even connect that drive internally at least when you have need to delete those files as it would bypass relatively slow USB interface.
    I have an internal 256 GB SSD, but it is not that much faster (as I had assumed it).

    Many thanks again
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 19,518
    W11+W11 Developer Insider + Linux
       #9

    Just a thought, an AV, specially 3rd party may also slow things down even when deleting files although it's none of it's bee's wax to interfere in that case.
      My Computers


  10. Posts : 175
    Windows 10 Version 6.2 (Build 9200) Home, 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #10

    AV is anti virus? I use the one of Win, Defender.
      My Computer


 

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