not getting credit for deleting files

Paul Black · 20 Feb 2023

Hello @Citizen Snips,

When I want to quickly empty the Recycle Bin for a drive, I use the following. Copy & Paste the following commands into a CMD Prompt and press Enter. I have used C and D as an example, but you get the idea . . .

Code:


PowerShell Clear-RecycleBin -DriveLetter C -Force -ErrorAction:Ignore
PowerShell Clear-RecycleBin -DriveLetter D -Force -ErrorAction:Ignore

I hope this helps.

Citizen Snips · 21 Feb 2023

pepanee said:

Technically yes. The Recycle Bin on your Desktop is pretty much a "location" which combines all the "$RECYCLE BIN" folders from every drive, together into one folder. So it should show all the items in your C: drive's Recycle Bin & your D: drive's Recycle Bin (& other drives' Recycle Bins, if you have more drives).

So according to this information, it does seem like your Windows is having a little bit of corruption behind the whole Recycle Bin concept. Check out the commands in the link that I provided above, to try to repair your Recycle Bins so they can show the correct deelted items all-in-one on your Desktop's Recycle Bin.
Use the commands to repair all your drives' Recycle Bins.

Hopefully that would fix the problem.

I followed the instructions and all it did was delete everything out of the $RECYCLE.BIN directory. I suspected that would happen given that the command being executed is "rd". The "without losing data" text in the article seems to just refer to the fact that you can in theory use their "Data Recovery Wizard" to recover any files deleted from running this command. It did free up all of the disk space associated with the files/folders I deleted, which is what I originally wanted.

pepanee said:

Or as a different measure, delete all the files in your D:'s Recycle Bin folder (you will get your free space back), and then, create a new empty Notepad (text) file, on your D: drive, specifically on that drive! Then delete that file (so it goes to the Recycle Bin), and double click your Desktop Recycle Bin. Hopefully it shows up in there. If it does, then your D drive's Recycle Bin should be fixed.

As I mentioned above, the "rd" command mentioned in the article seems to have exactly the same effect as manually deleting all the files from the $RECYCLE.BIN directory. I created and then deleted test files on both the C and D drives and both ended up in the recycle bin. I was not prompted for admin rights when I deleted these test files. The problem seems to occur when I am prompted for admin rights in order to delete files/folders - those end up in $RECYCLE.BIN but not the "Recycle Bin" for some unknown reason.

pepanee said:

EDIT (~3:56 PM my local time):
I apologize I completely forgot about mentioning what I had to mention about when it asks you for permission about certain files. (I forget so much so quickly). lol sorry about that.

Regarding the Permissions, if you delete files that are files that you didn't create, that the Windows operating system created, or other apps created, the likeliness of having that question asked for those files, when getting deleted, is highly likely. Reason why is because you're not the ones who made those files. Some apps, and Windows OS, put that little "addition" as more of a security measure, so for you to double check and make sure you actually do want to delete those files. This happens on my end, when I delete some files from the Windows folder.

I delete random stuff, randomly, at random times, ...just for some random fun. And I get asked that ......... random question (why not), about Permissions.

What's strange is I am asked this question on some files/folders I manually downloaded. Also when you are asked that question and confirm deletion of the files, do they show up in the "Recycle Bin", or just the $RECYCLE.BIN directory (but not the "Recycle Bin")? Is there a property on these types of files/folders I can look for and/or change such that I don't get prompted for admin rights when I try to delete them?

pepanee said:

Also, there are specific folders that if I try to access them, I get a question stating that I need permission to access the folder. I give myself every single permission possible. I use God-Mode when I use my computer. I grant myself every permission possible, because I now claim ownership of this computer.

This is a perfect replica of me when I use my computer:
YOU ARE MINE NOW! YOU BELONG TO ME! - Arnold Schwarzenegger - YouTube

Are you saying there is a way to give my account permissions such that I am never asked for admin rights in order to delete a file/folder (meaning I will never have this "Recycle Bin"/$RECYCLE.BIN discrepancy ever again?

pepanee · 21 Feb 2023

Hello, regarding the Permissions. Does it ask you when you delete your files?

I barely recall getting that question asked when sending something to the Recycle Bin; happened maybe like once or twice a long time ago.
Tell you what, open File Explorer, open your C: drive, and open the Windows folder.
Then scroll down and look for the folder called Prefetch. Double click it.

This is what happens when I do that:

not getting credit for deleting files-image.png

If I give myself permission, then I can browse that folder, and if I close off the folder and try to access it, within this same session of Window, then I won't get asked for permissions again. If I restart the computer, and try to access that folder again, then I will get asked that same question like in the picture. (which technically isn't "permanent" like written in that statement [smh/facepalm])
Is that the same question you're asked? Which files does your permissions question show up for? Are they your files that you physically created? Or are they Windows files or some app's files?