Cant view deleted files in Windows 10 Recycle bin

If you aren't interested in what is in the recycle bin on a particular drive you can just delete $RECYCLE.BIN. This will remove all recycle bin files for all (existing and old) users. Windows will then make a new clean one.

windows 7 - How to delete $RECYCLE.BIN folder on external hard disk? - Super User

You don't need to boot into another OS just show system files (see link above), take ownership (tutorial below), give yourself authority (tutorial below) and delete it.

Like this from elevated command prompt (tutorial below) enter the commands in red (changing D to whatever drive)

Code:

D:\>takeown /F "D:\$RECYCLE.BIN"

SUCCESS: The file (or folder): "D:\$RECYCLE.BIN" now owned by user "X201\Hali".

D:\>icacls  "D:\$RECYCLE.BIN" /grant "%USERDOMAIN%\%USERNAME%":(F) /t
processed file: D:\$RECYCLE.BIN
processed file: D:\$RECYCLE.BIN\S-1-5-18
processed file: D:\$RECYCLE.BIN\S-1-5-21-2455005471-2045745958-4013020612-1001
processed file: D:\$RECYCLE.BIN\S-1-5-21-2455005471-2045745958-4013020612-1003
processed file: D:\$RECYCLE.BIN\S-1-5-21-2455005471-2045745958-4013020612-1004
processed file: D:\$RECYCLE.BIN\S-1-5-21-2455005471-2045745958-4013020612-1007
processed file: D:\$RECYCLE.BIN\S-1-5-21-2455005471-2045745958-4013020612-1009
processed file: D:\$RECYCLE.BIN\S-1-5-21-2455005471-2045745958-4013020612-500
processed file: D:\$RECYCLE.BIN\S-1-5-21-4288374429-3730424798-2125923970-1002
processed file: D:\$RECYCLE.BIN\S-1-5-21-4288374429-3730424798-2125923970-1003
processed file: D:\$RECYCLE.BIN\S-1-5-18\desktop.ini
processed file: D:\$RECYCLE.BIN\S-1-5-21-2455005471-2045745958-4013020612-1001\desktop.ini
processed file: D:\$RECYCLE.BIN\S-1-5-21-2455005471-2045745958-4013020612-1003\desktop.ini
processed file: D:\$RECYCLE.BIN\S-1-5-21-2455005471-2045745958-4013020612-1004\desktop.ini
processed file: D:\$RECYCLE.BIN\S-1-5-21-2455005471-2045745958-4013020612-1007\desktop.ini
processed file: D:\$RECYCLE.BIN\S-1-5-21-2455005471-2045745958-4013020612-1009\desktop.ini
processed file: D:\$RECYCLE.BIN\S-1-5-21-2455005471-2045745958-4013020612-500\desktop.ini
processed file: D:\$RECYCLE.BIN\S-1-5-21-4288374429-3730424798-2125923970-1002\desktop.ini
processed file: D:\$RECYCLE.BIN\S-1-5-21-4288374429-3730424798-2125923970-1003\desktop.ini
Successfully processed 19 files; Failed processing 0 files

D:\>rmdir "D:\$RECYCLE.BIN" /S /Q

D:\>

Open Elevated Command Prompt in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials
Change Owner of File, Folder, Drive, or Registry Key in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials
Change Permissions of Objects for Users and Groups in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

If you then look you'll see Windows makes a new one (empty, zero bytes) automatically for only the current user and without all the other stuff that was there before:

Code:

D:\>dir /a "D:\$RECYCLE.BIN"
 Volume in drive D has no label.
 Volume Serial Number is 646D-8050

 Directory of D:\$RECYCLE.BIN

11/07/2018  10:45    <DIR>          .
11/07/2018  10:45    <DIR>          ..
11/07/2018  10:45    <DIR>          S-1-5-21-4288374429-3730424798-2125923970-1002
               0 File(s)              0 bytes
               3 Dir(s)  17,272,504,320 bytes free

D:\>

Hi Ztruker, Berton : I looked at the Linux Mint option but didn't have the confidence to proceed, however, I followed Ztrukers advice and made a copy of the Kyhi's rescue ISO and booted in to it and it opened up a new desktop. My next question, I can see the drive I want to remove to format, do I now right click on this and take the format option to totally remove all files including the old operating system.

Hi Ztruker, the problem is now resolved, I successfully removed all the partitions and reformated the hard drive using the KYHI's rescue ISO disk. Thanks for all your help also to the other people who offered advice.