Can't empty recycle bin

When I try to empty the recycle bin I get a message saying:

Do you really want to delete (a certain file). I say yes and then get
the message

Can't delete Dc30. Access refused.

I don't know what Dc30 is. When I open the recycle bin there isn't
anything in it however its icon on the desktop indicates that
something is in it.

What's going on?

The Recycle Bin is probably corrupt. Try deleting the recycler
folder(s), Windows will recreate it when you reboot. From a
command prompt issue the following command:

rd /s /q c:\recycler

If you have more than one drive you will have to issue the command for
each drive, changing the c: with the appropriate drive letter. If you
have more than one user on the machine all recycle bins will be emptied.

The file Dc30. means the 30th file deleted on drive c, the Recycle Bin
uses this information to keep track of deleted files and to restore them.

Thanks very much for your very prompt help John. But when I try what
you suggest I get the response

c:\ recycler\ S-1-5-~1\Dc30.mkr _ Access refused.

What do I do now?

It sounds like the file might be in another user's Recycle Bin. Are you
logged on as an administrator? Did you try it in Safe Mode?

At the Command Prompt try:

cacls c:\recycler /t /e /g Administrators:f

then try again to delete the Recycler folder.

Despite the response I got, I think your suggestion worked. At any
rate the problem seems to have disappeared.

[GrouchoBarx]

Some times recycle bin can not be emptied the messessage is "the file could not be deleted acess denied"
how to delete it.
start xp in safe mode,
then go to the partiton, set folder options to view hidden and system files
try to delete the "recycled" it may be deleted or if it could not be deleted then rename it . It can be renamed in safe mode.
then restart windows in normal mode and new empty recycle bin will be created by windows of its own.
The already renamed folder will be there with the said name.
Then you can again start windows in safe mode and delete the said folder. It works.

I am now encountering this issue.

I followed the advice here and booted into safe mode.
Logged on as Administrator.
Set Folder Options to Show Hidden Files and Folders.
I do *not* see "recycled" or "Recycler"...

[juvado]

Hi everyone,

Had the same problem as you Norman, in my case the file was called Dc60. Tried everything John John said but wasn't working in safe mode for me as well, even with the cacls syntax.

But then I tried it in regular windows mode and completely suprised it worked and deleted the Dc60 file, and the recycle bin icon changed to empty!

So just start windows in normal mode, open the command prompt:
Type cacls c:\recycler /t /e /g Administrators:f
Type rd /s /q/ c:\recycler

Then nothing really happens in the command prompt, you don't get any confirmation message, only thing is that the acces denied message is gone.

Then take a look at your recycle bin and you will see in a couple of seconds that the file is gone and the icon is changed!

Thanks John John for the syntax, was a really persistent file!

[mbunds]

I tried all of these methods with no success, but the it occurred to me to try a little freeware program called "unlocker" which can be used to kill or release processes that may be attached to undeletable or unmovable files, folders, and allows releasing external drives that Windows refuses to release for disconnection.

Normally I use it when Windows reports things like:

Cannot delete file: Access is denied
There has been a sharing violation.
The source or destination file may be in use.
The file is in use by another program or user.
Make sure the disk is not full or write-protected and that the file is not currently in use.

and I know for a fact that the file/folder/device is NOT being accessed, and I want it GONE or MOVED.

Use this utility with caution, however, because many times a process will be attached to a file or folder for a valid reason; if you delete it's file or folder while it's not finished, you may corrupt your system.

Having said that, the "unlocker" did it's job, deleted the "Recycler" folder in C:\, and, in addition, reported that "your recycle bin is corrupt, would you like to rebuild it?" I responded "Yes", and the problem went away.

BTW, "unlocker" works on XP but did NOT work on my Win7 x64 machine.

[CodGuru]

Go to the folder properties which is located in the control panel and there on the view seeks to show hidden files and folders" and enable it. Then enable the file system view (just below) and go to C: (root) folder must be recycled.I just did what you had and said, and the folder that is inside C: \ RECYCLER-one with a lot of numbers, can not be deleted because it is in use continuously. You tried to clean the registry.

[Bindegal]

I resolved my problem using the Unlocker.. But in a diffrent way:

In the recycle bin there was two folders (hidden) called DC17 and DC20 (in my case).
HERE IS WHAT I DID:

1. First open UnlockerAssistent.
2. Then try to empty the bin (that wont delete) and after that comes Unlocker and ask what you want to do..
3. Choose MOVE the locked folders to your desk..
(Now is the hidden folder on your desk but they are not hidden anymore!)
4. Take something else (an document or whatever) and put it in the bin and empty it like normal.
(Now should the bin look normal again) :)
5. Now rename those Dc folder/s on your desk and turn off write protection on them.
6. Then throw them in the bin and delete them as normal.

Problem solved (in my case, hope it work in yours).
Regards
Bindegal from nettipsforum.dk

[Amma-Watson]

I too suggest you to make use of the unlocker software. it is a free version of software which you can easily download from the official site. There is no doubt about this software. I have been using this from the past 3 years. This tool will run in the Windows background. You see the icon on the taskbar when it is running. It will unlock any file or folder which is running then offers you some options like delete, kill, kill all or delete all according to the situation. You can choose the option as you need.

[dave53717]

I tried all the steps described in this forum. I kept getting 'access denied' in both normal mode and safe mode. I finally gave up and booted from a Linux CD. Then deleted both 'recycled' and 'recycler' on all drives where they were found...problem solved!

[thugxxx]

Originally Posted by Bindegal

I resolved my problem using the Unlocker.. But in a diffrent way:

In the recycle bin there was two folders (hidden) called DC17 and DC20 (in my case).
HERE IS WHAT I DID:

1. First open UnlockerAssistent.
2. Then try to empty the bin (that wont delete) and after that comes Unlocker and ask what you want to do..
3. Choose MOVE the locked folders to your desk..
(Now is the hidden folder on your desk but they are not hidden anymore!)
4. Take something else (an document or whatever) and put it in the bin and empty it like normal.
(Now should the bin look normal again) :)
5. Now rename those Dc folder/s on your desk and turn off write protection on them.
6. Then throw them in the bin and delete them as normal.

Problem solved (in my case, hope it work in yours).
Regards
Bindegal from nettipsforum.dk

Had the same problem,this solution worked perfectly for me.Many thanx.Dan