Understanding Recycle Bin

Hi

Can anyone point me at an article that explains (reasonably simply) how the recycle bin works. I've read the Wikipedia article on it, and it helps, but not enough.

I'm trying to understand the following. I have just cleared the Recycle Bin using a Right Click on the desktop icon. The Icon changed to show an empty bin.

I have several physical disks, including an external USB disk, and as you'll see from the image, Disk cleanup says the bin is empty, the Desktop icon says its empty, but there is almost 4Gb in there according to Windows Explorer.

I'm on Vista Home Premium 32 SP2, and there is only 1 user on the PC. The External disk however has just had a copy of files with multiple users (from another PC) deleted.

I would like to better understand the workings, and the difference between "$RECYCLE BIN" & "Recycle Bin", so any articles on this would be welcome.

I also have a directory called "RECYCLER". I'd like to understand how that fits in.

Google provides so many, I thought I'd ask for help to find a decent one.

Thanks

Hi bonalymac,
Welcome to the forum.

I don't know how much you've read fromwhere, except wiki, which is quite good!
Have you read this article:-
How the Recycle Bin Stores Files

It may not be comprehwnsive enough, but worth a try.

There are many articles re: Recycle bin on this link,could be worth a visit:-
recycle bin overview - Microsoft TechNet Search

Hello!

C:\$RECYCLE.BIN is simply a hidden folder which Windows uses for storing everything to do with the Recycle Bin. $ helps with the hiding on AD and Explorer I think...

Anyway, it is hidden.

Inside that, are lots of folders with the name of each account's SID. An SID is basically a very long code which is different for each account. See more here: Security Identifier - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

So my SID is "S-1-5-21-371590239-1875341092-1470900546-1000".

This means that my Recycle Bin is at:

"C:\$Recycle.Bin\S-1-5-21-371590239-1875341092-1470900546-1000\"

You will also notice that a Recycle Bin is a bit more than just a folder with an icon. The way explorer looks are behaves completely changes. This is because of desktop.ini.

A desktop.ini inside a folder with the correct data will change the way Windows Explorer works and behaves. The Recycle bin's desktop.ini is shown below:


Each file stored in the Recycle Bin is stored as two parts, the file, and data about the file, such as where it came from. For output.txt which I deleted, it is stored as two parts:

$R8HPM2N.txt:


$I8HPM2N.txt:


You can explorer this structure using a tool such as 7-zip which ignores desktop.ini files. 7-Zip

Use 7-zip to look in your Recycle Bins. See if you can find these phantom files. And then delete a file, and explore the Recycle Bin's structure.

Richard

Wow! niemiro,

That's what I call an overview!!!

Brilliant.

Thanks for that feedbcak. I haven't had a chance to read it yet as I want to concentrate on it

But your input is much appreciated.


Colin

At last, I've hada a chance to look at thjis properly

You can explorer this structure using a tool such as 7-zip which ignores desktop.ini files. 7-Zip

Use 7-zip to look in your Recycle Bins. See if you can find these phantom files. And then delete a file, and explore the Recycle Bin's structure.

Click to expand...

I've downloaded 7-zip and had a look as suggested. That's very helpful, I did not know about the dual file issue.

However, it still does not answer some of the specifics I weas interested in

I would like to better understand the workings, and the difference between "$RECYCLE BIN" & "Recycle Bin", so any articles on this would be welcome.

I also have a directory called "RECYCLER". I'd like to understand how that fits in. /QUOTE]

The image in the original post shows Multiple Recycle bins. As there is only 1 user, how does this happen

Click to expand...