External HDD's weird $RECYCLE.BIN folder behavior

Windows 11 User · Oct 29, 2023

Does anyone know why does an external HDD's hidden $RECYCLE.BIN folder sometimes stores GBs of deleted files even after emptying the internal HDD's Recycle Bin?

Bree · Oct 29, 2023

Windows 11 User said:
Does anyone know why does an external HDD's hidden $RECYCLE.BIN folder sometimes stores GBs of deleted files even after emptying the internal HDD's Recycle Bin?

Yes. Each user has their own personal Recycle Bin folder in $RECYCLE.BIN. The user that is currently signed in can only see, restore from, or clear their own Recycle Bin. An external HDD may have been plugged into many PCs, and different users on each may have deleted files. Those remaining 'GBs of deleted files' would be the ones deleted by other users.

The simplest way to clear the whole lot is to delete $RECYCLE.BIN, Windows will recreate a new one next time the disk is accessed.

Windows 11 User · Oct 29, 2023

Bree said:
Yes. Each user has their own personal Recycle Bin folder in $RECYCLE.BIN. The user that is currently signed in can only see, restore from, or clear their own Recycle Bin. An external HDD may have been plugged into many PCs, and different users on each may have deleted files. Those remaining 'GBs of deleted files' would be the ones deleted by other users.

The simplest way to clear the whole lot is to delete $RECYCLE.BIN, Windows will recreate a new one next time the disk is accessed.

I don't get it why sometimes files go to the external HDD's $RECYCLE.BIN folder and other times they don't. I always delete them from the same user.

It's a nuisance having to do the latter.

Bree · Oct 29, 2023

Windows 11 User said:
I always delete them from the same user.

If you have two PCs, then even with the same account name they are two quite different accounts, each with its own unique Security ID (SID). Each SID has its own recycle bin.

Spunk · Oct 29, 2023

Doing a Disk Cleanup, or in System/System/Storage/Storage Sense/Cleanup Recommendations and deleting all temp files should empty it.

Windows 11 User · Oct 29, 2023

Bree said:
If you have two PCs, then even with the same account name they are two quite different accounts, each with its own unique Security ID (SID). Each SID has its own recycle bin.

I only have one.

Spunk said:
Doing a Disk Cleanup, or in System/System/Storage/Storage Sense/Cleanup Recommendations and deleting all temp files should empty it.

But the goal is for deleted files to not be stored in the external HDD's $RECYCLE.BIN folder.

JAM83 · Oct 29, 2023

My external doesn't have that folder

Bree · Oct 29, 2023

Windows 11 User said:
the goal is for deleted files to not be stored in the external HDD's $RECYCLE.BIN folder.

Turn off the Recycle Bin on the HDD then.

In navigation pane on the left of File File Explorer, right click on Recycle Bin and select Properties. You can also right click on the Rcycle Bin on your desktop, if you have it. Here you can select the external HDD and select 'Don't move files to the Recycle Bin'. You should also tick 'Display delete confirmation dialogue' so you don't accidentally delete something you need to keep.

Enable or Disable Permanently Delete instead of Recycle Bin in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable Don't move files to the Recycle Bin. Remove files immediately when deleted for your account in Windows 10 and Windows 11. The Recycle Bin provides a safety net when deleting files or folders. When you delete any of these items from a drive...

www.elevenforum.com

Bree · Oct 29, 2023

JAM83 said:
My external doesn't have that folder

If it's a USB flash drive it won't have a $RECYCLE.BIN by default. All external HDDs/SSDs will by default. It's a hidden folder, so you won't see it if 'show hidden folders' is turned off.

Windows 11 User · Oct 29, 2023

Bree said:
Turn off the Recycle Bin on the HDD then.

In navigation pane on the left of File File Explorer, right click on Recycle Bin and select Properties. You can also right click on the Rcycle Bin on your desktop, if you have it. Here you can select the external HDD and select 'Don't move files to the Recycle Bin'. You should also tick 'Display delete confirmation dialogue' so you don't accidentally delete something you need to keep.

View attachment 75809

Enable or Disable Permanently Delete instead of Recycle Bin in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable Don't move files to the Recycle Bin. Remove files immediately when deleted for your account in Windows 10 and Windows 11. The Recycle Bin provides a safety net when deleting files or folders. When you delete any of these items from a drive...

www.elevenforum.com

But I want them to go to the Recycled Bin, but not the external HDD's. Also, some deleted files go to the external HDD's Recycle Bin and others don't.

Rollback_Jockey · Oct 29, 2023

Windows 11 User said:
But I want them to go to the Recycled Bin, but not the external HDD's. Also, some deleted files go to the external HDD's Recycle Bin and others don't.

Deleted files only go to the recycle bin of the logical drive they were deleted from, I have 3 drives so effectively 3 recycle bin's but Windows manages them transparently as one. If you set explorer to show hidden system files you'l see a $RecyleBin folder in each drive and if you were to delete a files from each drive and look in the desktop Recycle bin you'll see the paths of the drive they were recycled from.

Windows 11 User · Oct 29, 2023

Rollback_Jockey said:
Deleted files only go to the recycle bin of the logical drive they were deleted from, I have 3 drives so effectively 3 recycle bin's but Windows manages them transparently as one. If you set explorer to show hidden system files you'l see a $RecyleBin folder in each drive and if you were to delete a files from each drive and look in the desktop Recycle bin you'll see the paths of the drive they were recycled from.

But in my case most deleted files from the external HDD go to the SSD's Recycle Bin. It wouldn't make sense always having to unhide protected operating system files to delete already deleted external HDD files for good.

Rollback_Jockey · Oct 29, 2023

Windows 11 User said:
But in my case most deleted files from the external HDD go to the SSD's Recycle Bin. It wouldn't make sense always having to unhide protected operating system files to delete already deleted external HDD files for good.

I'm not suggesting you unhide files, i was merely trying to explain the structure. Its odd deleted files are crossing boundaries.

Windows 11 User · Oct 29, 2023

Rollback_Jockey said:
I'm not suggesting you unhide files, i was merely trying to explain the structure. Its odd deleted files are crossing boundaries.

In my case I have to do it since some of the deleted files instead of going to the SSD's Recycle Bin are kept in the external HDD's.

antspants · Oct 29, 2023

Rollback_Jockey said:
Its odd deleted files are crossing boundaries.

I’d like to know how that is even possible.

JAM83 · Oct 29, 2023

Bree said:
If it's a USB flash drive it won't have a $RECYCLE.BIN by default. All external HDDs/SSDs will by default. It's a hidden folder, so you won't see it if 'show hidden folders' is turned off.

Windows 11 User · Oct 29, 2023

antspants said:
I’d like to know how that is even possible.

Me too.

Rollback_Jockey · Oct 29, 2023

You could try this, for each drive you have change the drive letter .

How do I fix a corrupt Recycle Bin?

Method 1. Run CMD to fix corrupted Windows 10 recycle bin

Go to Start > Click All Programs > Accessories;
Right-click Command Prompt > Select "run cmd as administrator".
Type: rd /s /q C:\$Recycle. bin and hit Enter.
Reboot the computer and then you can reuse the Recycle Bin again.

Windows 11 User · Oct 29, 2023

Rollback_Jockey said:
You could try this, for each drive you have change the drive letter .

How do I fix a corrupt Recycle Bin?

Method 1. Run CMD to fix corrupted Windows 10 recycle bin

Go to Start > Click All Programs > Accessories;

Right-click Command Prompt > Select "run cmd as administrator".

Type: rd /s /q C:\$Recycle. bin and hit Enter.

Reboot the computer and then you can reuse the Recycle Bin again.