Solved Can't empty Recycle Bin


fixer

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I've recently started using OneDrive and am now collecting undeletable entries in Recycle Bin. This happens because I'm using OneDrive in manual mode, i.e. no sync, I just upload individual files and folders as necessary as an offsite backup. If you upload a folder this way when it already exists in OneDrive you have to delete the old folder first but this deleted folder then also shows in your local recycle bin. Files are different as OneDrive does give you the choice as to what to do with the old one. Lord knows why deleting a folder in OneDrive would create an entry in your local Recycle Bin when sync is turned off but it does, and you cannot delete it so I have quite a collection already.

Does anyone have any idea how I might clear my Bin?
 
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  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
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    Lafite 14
    CPU
    i7
    Memory
    16Gb
    Internet Speed
    150Mbps/39Mbps
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    Firefox
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    Win 11 Pro
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    i5
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    Incompatible device, upgraded to Win 11
OK, fixed it. Need to first delete in local OneDriveTemp folder
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lafite 14
    CPU
    i7
    Memory
    16Gb
    Internet Speed
    150Mbps/39Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
  • Operating System
    Win 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    PC Specialist
    CPU
    i5
    Memory
    8Gb
    Internet Speed
    150Mbps/39Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Other Info
    Incompatible device, upgraded to Win 11
Well, that was quick!

I and a few Mil others have elected to keep our data a little bit closer to home, so One Drive is GONE!
AS for cleaning out the recycle bin(s), a simple one line command in my Cleanup.bat (batch file) program does that nicely.

PowerShell Clear-RecycleBin -force -ErrorAction:Ignore

That simple one-liner, in a batch file will empty every Recycle Bin on your PC.
I have OS's on three drives and that command empties the Recycle Bin on every one of them.
The above command assumes that you have the "PowerShell" active on your PC. Obviously, I do!

Cheers mates, and Merry Christmas,
TM :cool:
 

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System One

  • OS
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    Home Made w/Gigabyte mobo/DX-10
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    AMD FX 6350 Six Core
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    Given to me as DEAD, and irreparable.
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Hi TM. These folders, if they exist at all, which I rather doubt, really are undeletable. Your batch file is as ineffective against them as are all the other ways of deleting stuff in the recycle bin. That's probably because they weren't deleted on the computer - they were deleted in OneDrive online.

Understand your attitude to OneDrive - I wouldn't consider using it as the primary home for my files either, but I'm just pushing files to it as an offsite backup and that works fine until you delete a folder online, when this problem occurs. Oh, and btw, the fix I found that worked for my laptop doesn't on my Win 10 PC.

Here's the bin -
Capture.PNG
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lafite 14
    CPU
    i7
    Memory
    16Gb
    Internet Speed
    150Mbps/39Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
  • Operating System
    Win 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    PC Specialist
    CPU
    i5
    Memory
    8Gb
    Internet Speed
    150Mbps/39Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Other Info
    Incompatible device, upgraded to Win 11

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