Thread: XP Recycle Bin Issues...

I've been getting an error message when I empty the recycle bin.

Error Deleting File Or Folder, Cannot Delete File: Cannot read from the source file or disk.

It gives me two of the same error messages like the one above each time I ask the computer to empty the recycle bin. It doesn't matter where the file was located or what kind of file it was. It seems to delete the file, but I don't know for sure.

I restored the computer to a point back before I could remember first getting these error messages. For a time, I didn't get them. But now they're back after the computer updates itself.

Does anyone know if a recent Windows update could be causing this issue? If so, which one? Or is it something else? I've tried searching the XP knowledge base, but I'm not getting anything.

You can try running chkdsk on the drive it's not deleting from. It may find a bad sector which could cause the problem. You can try this program to delete invalid files which will cause that error. Maybe restore them from your bin and delete that way. Then see if it still happens.

http://www.purgeie.com/delinv/index.htm

The problem isn't that it's not deleting them. As far as I know, the files are getting deleted (since they are no longer in the location from which they're deleted, and they're not in the recycle bin)...well at least as much as XP actually deletes files.

The error message is more of a nuisance than anything else. The error messages happen no matter what kind of file is being deleted or where it is located on the system.

Are you doing this from the administrator account? In other words, do you have administrator's privileges?

I recommend running a good registry cleaner tool, like Tuneup Utilities. Best program ever. Checking the disc might work, too, yeah.

I ran Tuneup and it didn't change a thing. I still get the nuisance error message.

I guess I'll have to revert to an old restore point and install one Windows Update at a time until I find out which one is causing the problem.

Try this..

Open My Computer
Right-click on the C:\ drive and select properties. Go to the security tab.
Make sure the Users group is listed with Full Control.
Click the Advanced button.
Put a checkmark next to Replace Permission Entries on all child objects.
Click OK and this should take a minute to repermission. Click OK again and restart the computer and see if that makes a difference.

If not try this...

Run Windows Update - Update everything
Run CHKDSK - Right-click on C:\ drive and select Tools>Check Now... Put a checkmark next to Automatically Fix File System Errors.

If all else fails, Restart your computer. Press F8 before Windows starts up, and select Command Prompt from the Safe Mode options. Go to the command prompt and type in..

attrib -r -s -h c:\recycled

Then type in...

deltree c:\recycled

Restart and see if that works. If not, Im stumped. Re-install time!

Yeah, it looked like a permission problem or something that chkdsk might fix to me, too. That's why I asked about the adminstrator account, I had a similar problem long time ago, if I used a nonAdministrator account. But permissions might get screwed up even when you are using Administrator account, I had that case, too. Windows installer wasn't working well, because it claimed I didn't have administrator permissions. How did I fix that one? I have no idea. A couple of months later it was all fixed.

I don't use recycle bin for a long time now, I don't need it. In last 5 years I probably deleted something I didn't want to delete... twice, I think. Both times I ran Tuneup Utilities and recovered the deleted files. Recycle bin is completely useless.

Two great tools which could help you troubleshoot the problem:
Process Explorer and Filemon by Sysinternals (hopefully still free)

With these two you could see what is going on with particular file/handle/process/whatever at the time you try to delete it. Don't know if it is worth it though...

Originally Posted by Creeping Death

Try this..

Open My Computer
Right-click on the C: drive and select properties. Go to the security tab.
Make sure the Users group is listed with Full Control.
Click the Advanced button.
Put a checkmark next to Replace Permission Entries on all child objects.
Click OK and this should take a minute to repermission. Click OK again and restart the computer and see if that makes a difference.

If not try this...

Run Windows Update - Update everything
Run CHKDSK - Right-click on C: drive and select Tools>Check Now... Put a checkmark next to Automatically Fix File System Errors.

If all else fails, Restart your computer. Press F8 before Windows starts up, and select Command Prompt from the Safe Mode options. Go to the command prompt and type in..

attrib -r -s -h c:recycled

Then type in...

deltree c:recycled

Restart and see if that works. If not, Im stumped. Re-install time!

I don't have a "SECURITIES" tab when I right-click/properties the C: drive.

This is still an issue, btw. Can't seem to make it go away.