C:\RECYCLER - over 50 MB, after emptying TRASH

Windows XP Pro ... in the folder C:\RECYCLER, I now have over 4,000 files, 39 folders, even after emptying the recycling bin. :confused


Should I just delete C:\RECYCLER, the whole top level folder? If so, how can that be accomplished?

When I boldly tried doing that, the result was:

Cannot delete Dc12: Access is denied.

Make sure that the disk is not full or write-protected
and that the file is not currently in use.

Tried re-booting, same result.

What can I do to get my disc space back?

Windows Explorer won't even let me see the folders and files in C:\RECYCLER, even though I have configured Folder Options to Display the contents of system folders, and show hidden files and folders! TreeSize can show me what's in there. (See below.)

My physical drive is partitioned into C: and D: drives (7 and 70 GB respectively, on an 80GB drive.)

I am using the C: drive for Windows XP Pro and the D: drive for my user files, mostly, but configured the C drive at 7GB and now I am getting into problems with less than 1GB free space.

Some apps seem to sneak their stuff onto the C drive, so there are a few GB of space that was absorbed inadvertently... for example: Microsoft Office, Google Picasa, Apple iTunes, Java, INTEL Pro100, Quicken, Yahoo Messenger, and other apps seem to make it very, very difficult to keep their stuff off the C: drive -- some of that can't even be configured onto the D: drive, it seems.... :confused

Sure wish I had chosen at least 10GB for my C: drive to provide some cushion! :cry I am down to about 400 MB of free space... and 500 MB is the danger zone! :cry:cry:cry

TreeSize is showing me this, for example:

52,874 kb RECYCLER
48,570 kb S-1-5-21-1343024091-1409082233-725345543-1008
4,302 kb S-1-5-21-1343024091-1409082233-725345543-1007
2,774 kb Dc8

etc...

How can I (safely) get rid of that stuff?

HELP?

 

Mystery solved... there were several other logins... after emptying the Recycle Bin for each user, the C:\RECYCLER\ is now empty.

 

Maybe back up both partitions, wipe your hard drive and re-partition again?

I know your agony about stuff installing in C:\Program Files, whether you want them to, or not. I have 3 Folders for installing programs. C:|testing, where I test programs. C:\Keepers, where I keep my programs I use and /or am happy with. C:\program Files where some installs insist on installing programs because of programmers self-delusion, lack of foresight, or just plain bloodymindness.

How much RAM have you by the way. The VM (swapfile), by default, takes up a huge amount of disk space. Not needed, if you have plenty of RAM.

Restore point allocates another big chunk of hard disk space, and the Recycle Bin allocation can be trimmed as well. Bazza