Strange file in Recycle Bin

  • Thread starter Thread starter Alan Cameron
  • Start date Start date
A

Alan Cameron

I have encountered a strange file in the recycle bin of my WindowsXPSP3
fully patched system.
The file does not display in the right pane when the Recycle bin is opened.
When Empty the Recycle Bin is clicked it says

Are you sure you want to delete 'WINDOWS'?

I have responded No but am very puzzled.
What is this file and what to do about it.
 
I have encountered a strange file in the recycle bin of my WindowsXPSP3
fully patched system.
The file does not display in the right pane when the Recycle bin is opened.
When Empty the Recycle Bin is clicked it says

Are you sure you want to delete 'WINDOWS'?

I have responded No but am very puzzled.
What is this file and what to do about it.
Click to expand...

Do you run virus and malware checks regularly?
 
Alan Cameron said:
I have encountered a strange file in the recycle bin of my
WindowsXPSP3 fully patched system.
The file does not display in the right pane when the Recycle bin is
opened. When Empty the Recycle Bin is clicked it says

Are you sure you want to delete 'WINDOWS'?

I have responded No but am very puzzled.
What is this file and what to do about it.
Click to expand...

Not sure what it is, but since it can't be in use while in the recycle bin,
and Windows appears to be running, I'd probably just empty it.
 
I have encountered a strange file in the recycle bin of my WindowsXPSP3
fully patched system.
The file does not display in the right pane when the Recycle bin is opened.
When Empty the Recycle Bin is clicked it says

Are you sure you want to delete 'WINDOWS'?

I have responded No but am very puzzled.
What is this file and what to do about it.
Click to expand...

Did you try a Google search for your message: Are you sure you want
to delete 'WINDOWS'

You will bet some hits with both strange and weird problems resembling
yours. They usually end up resolved somehow, like this one:

http://forums.techguy.org/windows-nt-2000-xp/468286-wierd-recycle-bin-problem-you.html

I am not in a position to experiment, so when you figure it out,
please let us know what works for you.
 
Alan said:
I have encountered a strange file in the recycle bin of my WindowsXPSP3
fully patched system.
The file does not display in the right pane when the Recycle bin is opened.
When Empty the Recycle Bin is clicked it says

Are you sure you want to delete 'WINDOWS'?

I have responded No but am very puzzled.
What is this file and what to do about it.
Click to expand...

Have you got Windows Explorer set to show hidden files?

M
 
M said:
Have you got Windows Explorer set to show hidden files?

M
Click to expand...

In answer to the questions above

Emptying it could be dangerous if it delete the WINDOWS folder from the C:
drive could it not.
Searching being done as you read thisd will advise results if any
Windows explorer is set to show hidden files.

Just to elaborate on the report herewith steps taken.

1. Observe Reycle Bin on desktop shows to have content.
2. Double click the Recycle Bin icon.
3. Note there is no files in the right hand pane.
4. Click the 'Empty the Recycle Bin' icon in the navigation pane.
5. Message appears "Are you sure you want to delete 'WINDOWS'?"
6. Click the No button.
7. Observe the 'Empty Recycle Bin' option is not greyed out.
8. Get confused and close window completely.
9. Delete another 1 file.
10. Double click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop.
11. Note there is now one file in the right hand pane - the one just
deleted.
12. Click the 'Empty Recycle Bin' option icon.
13. Observe the message "Do you want to delete these two items?"
14. Click the No button.
15. Right click the last file deleted and select Delete.
16. Message appears "Do you want to delete *last file*?"
17. Select Yes.
18. File disappears from right pane.
18. Click the 'Empty Recycle Bin' option icon.
19. Message appears "Do you want to delete *last file*?".
20 Close window and PANIC.

Hel pappreciated to solve the puzzle.
 
Instead of deleting just try clicking restore.
Alan Cameron said:
In answer to the questions above

Emptying it could be dangerous if it delete the WINDOWS folder from the C:
drive could it not.
Searching being done as you read thisd will advise results if any
Windows explorer is set to show hidden files.

Just to elaborate on the report herewith steps taken.

1. Observe Reycle Bin on desktop shows to have content.
2. Double click the Recycle Bin icon.
3. Note there is no files in the right hand pane.
4. Click the 'Empty the Recycle Bin' icon in the navigation pane.
5. Message appears "Are you sure you want to delete 'WINDOWS'?"
6. Click the No button.
7. Observe the 'Empty Recycle Bin' option is not greyed out.
8. Get confused and close window completely.
9. Delete another 1 file.
10. Double click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop.
11. Note there is now one file in the right hand pane - the one just
deleted.
12. Click the 'Empty Recycle Bin' option icon.
13. Observe the message "Do you want to delete these two items?"
14. Click the No button.
15. Right click the last file deleted and select Delete.
16. Message appears "Do you want to delete *last file*?"
17. Select Yes.
18. File disappears from right pane.
18. Click the 'Empty Recycle Bin' option icon.
19. Message appears "Do you want to delete *last file*?".
20 Close window and PANIC.

Hel pappreciated to solve the puzzle.
Click to expand...
 
In answer to the questions above

Emptying it could be dangerous if it delete the WINDOWS folder from the C:
drive could it not.
Searching being done as you read thisd will advise results if any
Windows explorer is set to show hidden files.

Just to elaborate on the report herewith steps taken.

1. Observe Reycle Bin on desktop shows to have content.
2. Double click the Recycle Bin icon.
3. Note there is no files in the right hand pane.
4. Click the 'Empty the Recycle Bin' icon in the navigation pane.
5. Message appears "Are you sure you want to delete 'WINDOWS'?"
6. Click the No button.
7. Observe the 'Empty Recycle Bin' option is not greyed out.
8. Get confused and close window completely.
9. Delete another 1 file.
10. Double click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop.
11. Note there is now one file in the right hand pane - the one just
deleted.
12. Click the 'Empty Recycle Bin' option icon.
13. Observe the message "Do you want to delete these two items?"
14. Click the No button.
15. Right click the last file deleted and select Delete.
16. Message appears "Do you want to delete *last file*?"
17. Select Yes.
18. File disappears from right pane.
18. Click the 'Empty Recycle Bin' option icon.
19. Message appears "Do you want to delete *last file*?".
20 Close window and PANIC.

Hel pappreciated to solve the puzzle.
Click to expand...

Everything you mentioned/tried (good effort) is in that link I sent
you - with the same results and additional attempts that ultimately
result in a satisfactory resolution for the exact same problem.

Have you read that post and tried those options? Those people in the
link have already had the problem and tried all this stuff - 3+ pages
worth. It tells you what works and what does not. Plus, some of them
even answer Yes to the prompt for deleting WINDOWS.

Personally, I would not just sit around and wait for suggestions that
"might" work or "try this". The ideas are good ideas, but the
solution is not far away. You can scan, you can look for hidden
files, you can turn things on and off, you can create a file and
delete it (like you did), you can restore a deleted file and you are
going to still have the same problem - all of this these other people
have done. What you have tried so far does not fix it, obviously.

Try the link, read the post, try what it says and please report what
happens :).
 
"Jose" <[email protected]> a écrit dans le message de (e-mail address removed)...
In answer to the questions above

Emptying it could be dangerous if it delete the WINDOWS folder from the C:
drive could it not.
Searching being done as you read thisd will advise results if any
Windows explorer is set to show hidden files.

Just to elaborate on the report herewith steps taken.

1. Observe Reycle Bin on desktop shows to have content.
2. Double click the Recycle Bin icon.
3. Note there is no files in the right hand pane.
4. Click the 'Empty the Recycle Bin' icon in the navigation pane.
5. Message appears "Are you sure you want to delete 'WINDOWS'?"
6. Click the No button.
7. Observe the 'Empty Recycle Bin' option is not greyed out.
8. Get confused and close window completely.
9. Delete another 1 file.
10. Double click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop.
11. Note there is now one file in the right hand pane - the one just
deleted.
12. Click the 'Empty Recycle Bin' option icon.
13. Observe the message "Do you want to delete these two items?"
14. Click the No button.
15. Right click the last file deleted and select Delete.
16. Message appears "Do you want to delete *last file*?"
17. Select Yes.
18. File disappears from right pane.
18. Click the 'Empty Recycle Bin' option icon.
19. Message appears "Do you want to delete *last file*?".
20 Close window and PANIC.

Hel pappreciated to solve the puzzle.
Click to expand...

Everything you mentioned/tried (good effort) is in that link I sent
you - with the same results and additional attempts that ultimately
result in a satisfactory resolution for the exact same problem.

Have you read that post and tried those options? Those people in the
link have already had the problem and tried all this stuff - 3+ pages
worth. It tells you what works and what does not. Plus, some of them
even answer Yes to the prompt for deleting WINDOWS.

==================

It happened to me I answered Yes , no problem it worked.
 
Unknown said:
Instead of deleting just try clicking restore.
Click to expand...

Tried that but it has no file to restore.

However another suggestion seems to have been successful.
chkdsk /f has cured the problem.
 
paca said:
"Jose" <[email protected]> a écrit dans le message de (e-mail address removed)...


Everything you mentioned/tried (good effort) is in that link I sent
you - with the same results and additional attempts that ultimately
result in a satisfactory resolution for the exact same problem.

Have you read that post and tried those options? Those people in the
link have already had the problem and tried all this stuff - 3+ pages
worth. It tells you what works and what does not. Plus, some of them
even answer Yes to the prompt for deleting WINDOWS.

==================

It happened to me I answered Yes , no problem it worked.
Click to expand...

The solution to this appears to be chkdsk /f
it has worked for me.
 
Did you try a Google search for your message:  Are you sure you want
to delete 'WINDOWS'
Click to expand...
You will bet some hits with both strange and weird problems resembling
yours.  They usually end up resolved somehow, like this one:
Click to expand...
http://forums.techguy.org/windows-nt-2000-xp/468286-wierd-recycle-bin...
Click to expand...

I read that article and it ended without a clear resolution. None of the
suggestions worked for the OP. The last message by the OP was "the problem
worked itself out a while back."

But there were solutions suggested that worked for those who suggested
them. Perhaps one of them will work for Alan
     ____          _
  | __\_\_o____/_|
  <[___\_\_-----<------------------<No Spam Please><
  |  o'
Click to expand...

I never read it to the end or followed the OP, but started seeing
stuff in there working for other people.

In the post, CHKDSK /f worked for one person on the first page, but
the OP tried it and it did not work for him, but has now worked for
Mr. Cameron.

The same symptom - the error message, was fixed different ways by
different people so could all have had different causes. I just
wanted somebody to read the post and try the things that were fixing
the same problem for other people.

Soooo, if I was Mr. Cameron and had to run CHKDSK /f to fix a problem,
I would be wondering about a hard disk problem - maybe. Such CHKDSK
issues can be brought about by improper shutdown, power failures, a
number of reasons besides a legitimate hard disk media failure.

It would have been interesting to see what just a plain CHKDSK said.

Oh well, maybe next time, or maybe Mr. Cameron remembers a few
details.

Nice plane.

Yippee!
 
Thank you for the feedback.
Alan Cameron said:
Tried that but it has no file to restore.

However another suggestion seems to have been successful.
chkdsk /f has cured the problem.
Click to expand...
 
I had this the other day and, I don't know what was the cause, I can grantee
that 'Windows' was NOT in the recycle bin after going to the Command Prompt
and typing:

dir /a /p /s C:\RECYCLER

....after checking this, I then deleted the Recycle Bin with

del /a /s /f /q C:\RECYCLER

....and after logging off/on the Recycle Bin was back [emptied] as normal.
I have no idea how the name Windows worked it's way into the Recycle Bin's
INFO2 file but no corresponding deleted item was present. It has nothing to
do with a virus as I hadn't bee connected at the time, for some time. No,
it was generated by Windows OS all by itself.
 
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