"Invisible" file in Recycle Bin - please help....

[Guest]

Hi there - I appear to have an invisible file in my recycle bin. By
invisible, I mean that when I open the recycle bin the file/folder is not
showing, but when I click "empty recycle bin" I get asked if I'm sure I want
to delete it!

The file is called "WINDOWS", and I am a bit worried about deleting it, as
I've no idea what it is or how it got there.

If I try to restore the item (by clicking on "Restore all items") nothing
happens...

Please can someone help or advise how I can get rid of this.....

Thanks
Alison, Swindon, UK

 

[Wesley Vogel]

[[Are you sure you want to delete WINDOWS?]]

Makes you stop and think when you see that message, doesn't it? ;-)

You probably have a damaged/corrupted file in the Recycle Bin.

Run Error Checking | Reboot | Try to empty the Recycle Bin again.

1. In My Computer or Windows Explorer, right-click the volume you want to
check, and then click Properties.
2. On the Tools tab, click Check Now.
3. Do one of the following:

o To run Chkdsk by using the /f parameter, select the Automatically fix file
system errors check box, and then click Start.
[[Specifies whether Windows repairs file-system errors found during disk
checking. All files must be closed for this program to run. If the drive is
currently in use, a message asks if you want to reschedule
the disk checking for the next time you restart your computer. Your drive is
not available to run other tasks while the disk is being checked.]]

o To run Chkdsk by using the /r parameter, select the Scan for and attempt
recovery of bad sectors check box, and then click Start.
[[Specifies whether Windows repairs file-system errors found during disk
checking, locates bad sectors, and recovers readable information. All files
must be closed for this program to run. If the drive is currently in use, a
message asks if you want to reschedule the disk checking for the next time
you restart your computer. Your drive is not available to run other tasks
while the disk is being checked. If you select this option, you do not need
to select Automatically fix file system errors. Windows fixes any errors on
the disk.]]

You have to reboot for Error-checking to run.

For a peek at the chkdisk log.
Start | Run | Type: eventvwr | OK
Look in Application | Listed as Information
under Winlogon, Event 1001

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Guest]

Hi Wesley

Thanks for your very quick response. I followed your instructions to the
letter, but unfortunately, the "WINDOWS" file is still in my recycle bin as
an "invisible" file.

I had a look at the chkdisk log, but to be honest, I'm not sure what I'm
looking at or what I should do with this info.

Any suggestions...??

Thanks
Alison

[[Are you sure you want to delete WINDOWS?]]

Makes you stop and think when you see that message, doesn't it? ;-)

You probably have a damaged/corrupted file in the Recycle Bin.

Run Error Checking | Reboot | Try to empty the Recycle Bin again.

1. In My Computer or Windows Explorer, right-click the volume you want to
check, and then click Properties.
2. On the Tools tab, click Check Now.
3. Do one of the following:

o To run Chkdsk by using the /f parameter, select the Automatically fix file
system errors check box, and then click Start.
[[Specifies whether Windows repairs file-system errors found during disk
checking. All files must be closed for this program to run. If the drive is
currently in use, a message asks if you want to reschedule
the disk checking for the next time you restart your computer. Your drive is
not available to run other tasks while the disk is being checked.]]

o To run Chkdsk by using the /r parameter, select the Scan for and attempt
recovery of bad sectors check box, and then click Start.
[[Specifies whether Windows repairs file-system errors found during disk
checking, locates bad sectors, and recovers readable information. All files
must be closed for this program to run. If the drive is currently in use, a
message asks if you want to reschedule the disk checking for the next time
you restart your computer. Your drive is not available to run other tasks
while the disk is being checked. If you select this option, you do not need
to select Automatically fix file system errors. Windows fixes any errors on
the disk.]]

You have to reboot for Error-checking to run.

For a peek at the chkdisk log.
Start | Run | Type: eventvwr | OK
Look in Application | Listed as Information
under Winlogon, Event 1001

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Hi there - I appear to have an invisible file in my recycle bin. By
invisible, I mean that when I open the recycle bin the file/folder is not
showing, but when I click "empty recycle bin" I get asked if I'm sure I
want to delete it!

The file is called "WINDOWS", and I am a bit worried about deleting it, as
I've no idea what it is or how it got there.

If I try to restore the item (by clicking on "Restore all items") nothing
happens...

Please can someone help or advise how I can get rid of this.....

Thanks
Alison, Swindon, UK

 

[Marc]

Hi there - I appear to have an invisible file in my recycle bin. By
invisible, I mean that when I open the recycle bin the file/folder is not
showing, but when I click "empty recycle bin" I get asked if I'm sure I want
to delete it!

The file is called "WINDOWS", and I am a bit worried about deleting it, as
I've no idea what it is or how it got there.

If I try to restore the item (by clicking on "Restore all items") nothing
happens...

Please can someone help or advise how I can get rid of this.....

Thanks
Alison, Swindon, UK

I had that and I just restarted it went away. It's not actually Windows
thank goodness!

 

[djs0302]

Hi there - I appear to have an invisible file in my recycle bin. By
invisible, I mean that when I open the recycle bin the file/folder is not
showing, but when I click "empty recycle bin" I get asked if I'm sure I want
to delete it!

The file is called "WINDOWS", and I am a bit worried about deleting it, as
I've no idea what it is or how it got there.

If I try to restore the item (by clicking on "Restore all items") nothing
happens...

Please can someone help or advise how I can get rid of this.....

Thanks
Alison, Swindon, UK

That happened to me one time. I fixed it by using System Restore. It
may work for you too. Just pick a restore point that is dated before
the recycle bin became corrupted.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Alison,

Visit here...
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_qr.htm

Scroll down to:
Recycle Bin - Deleting Problems

Look over and try anything that might apply. It's a long list.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Hi Wesley

Thanks for your very quick response. I followed your instructions to the
letter, but unfortunately, the "WINDOWS" file is still in my recycle bin
as an "invisible" file.

I had a look at the chkdisk log, but to be honest, I'm not sure what I'm
looking at or what I should do with this info.

Any suggestions...??

Thanks
Alison

[[Are you sure you want to delete WINDOWS?]]

Makes you stop and think when you see that message, doesn't it? ;-)

You probably have a damaged/corrupted file in the Recycle Bin.

Run Error Checking | Reboot | Try to empty the Recycle Bin again.

1. In My Computer or Windows Explorer, right-click the volume you want to
check, and then click Properties.
2. On the Tools tab, click Check Now.
3. Do one of the following:

o To run Chkdsk by using the /f parameter, select the Automatically fix
file system errors check box, and then click Start.
[[Specifies whether Windows repairs file-system errors found during disk
checking. All files must be closed for this program to run. If the drive
is currently in use, a message asks if you want to reschedule
the disk checking for the next time you restart your computer. Your
drive is not available to run other tasks while the disk is being
checked.]]

o To run Chkdsk by using the /r parameter, select the Scan for and
attempt recovery of bad sectors check box, and then click Start.
[[Specifies whether Windows repairs file-system errors found during disk
checking, locates bad sectors, and recovers readable information. All
files must be closed for this program to run. If the drive is currently
in use, a message asks if you want to reschedule the disk checking for
the next time you restart your computer. Your drive is not available to
run other tasks while the disk is being checked. If you select this
option, you do not need to select Automatically fix file system errors.
Windows fixes any errors on the disk.]]

You have to reboot for Error-checking to run.

For a peek at the chkdisk log.
Start | Run | Type: eventvwr | OK
Look in Application | Listed as Information
under Winlogon, Event 1001

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Hi there - I appear to have an invisible file in my recycle bin. By
invisible, I mean that when I open the recycle bin the file/folder is
not showing, but when I click "empty recycle bin" I get asked if I'm
sure I want to delete it!

The file is called "WINDOWS", and I am a bit worried about deleting it,
as I've no idea what it is or how it got there.

If I try to restore the item (by clicking on "Restore all items")
nothing happens...

Please can someone help or advise how I can get rid of this.....

Thanks
Alison, Swindon, UK

 

[Unk]

Hi there - I appear to have an invisible file in my recycle bin. By
invisible, I mean that when I open the recycle bin the file/folder is not
showing, but when I click "empty recycle bin" I get asked if I'm sure I want
to delete it!

The file is called "WINDOWS", and I am a bit worried about deleting it, as
I've no idea what it is or how it got there.

If I try to restore the item (by clicking on "Restore all items") nothing
happens...

Please can someone help or advise how I can get rid of this.....

Thanks
Alison, Swindon, UK

First, just shutdown and restart Windows to see if that fixed it.

If not, try this: http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm
See line 64 (Right side) "Repair the Recycle Bin in Windows XP"

Lastly, you probably have a corrupted recycle bin (or file within it).
Open a DOS (Start-> Run-> CMD) box and type:

( If your file system is FAT32 )
cd \RECYCLED
attrib -R -A -S -H /S /D
chkdsk /F /R /X


( If your file system is NTFS )
cd \RECYCLER
attrib -R -A -S -H /S /D
chkdsk /F /R /X


Empty the bin again, if necessary.