recycler not emptying

  • Thread starter Thread starter C.M.G.
  • Start date Start date
C

C.M.G.

windows xp sp2

After emptying the trash can (and disabling system restore), I notice that
TrendMicro is still spending a long time scanning various (large) files in
the "recycler." Why is it still full of files?

Thanks,

Clem.
 
Don said:
Just a guess on my part.

When a file is deleted, it isn't, it is identified as available space
on the hard drive. Maybe TrendMicro is scanning the data that is
marked as available space.
Click to expand...

That's interesting; I wonder if TM actually does that. Never thought
about it, but never heard of that either. AIUI, the file's location on
disk is no longer mapped in the disk table/s, so how would anything ever
find a file to scan it?
I think it might be something else up here but I don't know what.

Regards,

Twayne
 
C.M.G. said:
windows xp sp2

After emptying the trash can (and disabling system restore), I notice
that TrendMicro is still spending a long time scanning various
(large) files in the "recycler." Why is it still full of files?

Thanks,

Clem.
Click to expand...

Interesting:
Are you saying that after you empty the Recycle Bin, it still contains
files?

"Deleting" a file doesn't actually remove it from the disk; it is simply
moved to a special kind of folder, the Recycle Bin. Recycle Bin is just
a specialized folder on the disk to temporarily hold deleted files in
case the user wants them back for any reason; sort of a safety bin.
So until you empty the Recycle Bin, Recycler etc. will still hold
maps to the files you have asked to delete and which were moved to the
Recycle Bin.
So here, it would seem normal for TM to still be seeing and scanning
them, especially when you consider that you might ask to "undelete" or
put back, any file still living in the Recycle Bin.

If you empty the Recycle Bin, THEN the files are actually marked as
deleted and no longer exist to the operating system and are no longer
mapped to by the system table/s. NOW TM shouldn't be scanning them.
Their code still remains on the disk, but nothing knows it's there and
nothing can find it short of a specialized deleted file locator and
enough time to spend looking for them. Here, TM wouldn't be able to
find them to scan them or even be aware that they partially exist..

So, is this a case of scanning files still living in the Recycle Bin?
Which would be normal. Or is it a case of scanning them even after the
Recycle Bin has been emptied?

Synopsis:
Delete = Move to Recycle Bin. Protect the file from
being overwrwrittrn unless the disk becomes so full the space is needed.
Empty Recycle Bin = actually deletes the files.
Ovewrite them at will.

It is possible to tell the OS to not use the Recycle Bin and files will
be instantly deleted, without the safety level of using the Recycle Bin.
Also, pressing SHIFT=DEL bypasses the Recycle Bin. Files are
instantly deleted.
In either case, make certain you'll never delete a file you might
want back. The recycler has saved my butt a couple times. With SP3,
should OE foul up doing a Compact, you'll even find your lost mail
folders stored in the Recycle Bin. Don't know if SP2 had a hotfix for
that or not; I use SP3.

HTH,

Twayne
 
Twayne,

Thanks for the comments.

Well, as somebody who has used Norton's undelete in win 95 and win 3.1, I'm
well aware of how to recover files, even after they've been removed from the
FAT.

This is different: system restore disabled, recycle bin (trash can) emptied,
and TM still spends oodles of time scanning the "recycler."

(BTW, I tried sp3, but didn't like it -- cannot quite remember any more
why.)

So: any more ideas where the phantom recycler comes from?

Thanks,

Clem.
 
C.M.G. said:
Twayne,

Thanks for the comments.

Well, as somebody who has used Norton's undelete in win 95 and win 3.1, I'm
well aware of how to recover files, even after they've been removed from the
FAT.

This is different: system restore disabled, recycle bin (trash can) emptied,
and TM still spends oodles of time scanning the "recycler."

(BTW, I tried sp3, but didn't like it -- cannot quite remember any more
why.)

So: any more ideas where the phantom recycler comes from?

Thanks,

Clem.
Click to expand...

Jumping in with a couple of comments if I may:

- the mention of Norton reminded me of its own handling of deleted files.
IIRC it (some or other version of one or other of its products) can install
a further barrier between the Recycle Bin and full deletedness, or something
that acts as its own version of the Recycle Bin to assist file recovery.
Could it be that you have that installed and it's files *there* that are
being scanned?

- could TrendMicro be scanning files in the non-empty Recycle Bin of
*another partition*?

I'm sure the answers are "No" to both, as it sounds like you'd have picked
up on either of those, but worth mentioning!
 
C.M.G. said:
Twayne,

Thanks for the comments.

Well, as somebody who has used Norton's undelete in win 95 and win
3.1, I'm well aware of how to recover files, even after they've been
removed from the FAT.

This is different: system restore disabled, recycle bin (trash can)
emptied, and TM still spends oodles of time scanning the "recycler."

(BTW, I tried sp3, but didn't like it -- cannot quite remember any
more why.)

So: any more ideas where the phantom recycler comes from?
Click to expand...

Hmm, no, not likely very useful ones anyway. . I don't think this
issue is an SP3/SP2 issue either and wouldn't worry bout it from that
direction.
Have you actually looked at the Recycler to see what's in it with win
Explorer? That should tell you whether it's really been emptied.
Depending on settings, the Recyclers on other drives are not necessarily
that on drive C either, so check the Recycler on each drive it appears
on. Each drive can have different settings and I -think- different
displays.
You mentioned FAT: Whether it matters or not I don't know but all my
comment s are based on the NTFS structure.

If you're still using Norton product, which I am BTW, there is a
difference in the Recycle Bin though. There is the standard Recycle Bin
and not much changes there for the user.
But you also get the Norton Protected Files collection. Norton keeps
some of what it considers to be possible candidates for later fixes in
case they're needed in that bin. It maxes out at about 1500 files and
IIRC can be set to fewer in Properties.
Any chance you have that, or a leftover of it, from a previous
Norton removal? If you don't have a Norton app installed that makes use
of it, you -shouldn't- have the Protected Files, but those can be famous
last words! I do know it's possible to have the feature and not have
the Norton Recycle Bin icon or right-click choice to empty the Norton
Protected Files. If one wishes they can let it filo along forever
without ever touching it. Or you can completely turn the feature off
and the user might never realize it's there, or forget it's there.

If I were you, I think I'd temporarily make the Recycle Bin as small as
possible and see if all that time is still spend scanning "recycler".
----------------------
To change the *storage capacity of the Recycle Bin*
On the desktop, right-click Recycle Bin, and then click Properties.
Move the slider to increase or decrease the amount of disk space that is
reserved for storing deleted items.
Important
A deleted item that is larger than the storage capacity of the Recycle
Bin will not be saved. It will be permanently deleted.
Notes
If you want to use different Recycle Bin settings for different drives,
click Configure drives independently, and then click the appropriate
drive tab to change the Recycle Bin settings for that drive.
If you want to use the same Recycle Bin settings for all drives, click
Use one setting for all drives.
-------------------------
It loks like you can set it all the way down to 0%.

If it still spends a lot of time on recycler, then perhaps the
"recycler" it's spending all the time on is NOT from the recycle bin,
but from some other application on your computer. Don't forget to put
the settings back to where they were in Properties<g>.
Also be sure to consider the "Notes" above, especially abotu setting
it for each drive.

I'm kind of grabbing at straws here, but ... they can't hurt anything if
I'm wrong at least. Any help there? Or gray matter triggers? Please
keep the group posted on your activities, successful or not.

Regards,

Twayne
 
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