Recycle Bins on an XP pc with a C-drive (33 GB) and an external E-drive (460 GB)

[wdc]

If I right click the desktop Recycle Bin icon and click Properties, I see that I have a Recycle Bin space on my E:drive as well as my C:drive, something I had not realized.

1. Just how does that E:drive Bin work? If I reduce the size of the C:drive Recycle Bin to zero, will deleted items be automatically sent to the E:drive Bin before they are permanently deleted?

2. My C-drive Bin is set at 2% (660MB) and my C:drive free space is shown as 1.88 GB. If I reduce the size of the Bin to 1%, shouldn’t I then see the free space increase by 0.330 MB (to 2.21 GB)? It doesn’t seem to do that. Am I misunderstanding how the space allocated to the Recycle Bins works?


I’d appreciate some clarification here. ....wdc

[SpywareDr]

Support.Microsoft.com > How the Recycle Bin Stores Files

[wdc]

Doc: Thanks for the reference to the Recycle Bin document. I have read it but am still puzzled by this apparent contradiction.

a. I right click the Recycle Bin icon on this XP pc and click Properies; and I see that the C:drive is 33.8 Gb and that 13% (3.99 Gb) has been allocated to theRecycle Bin

When I then click Start/My Computer and place the cursor over the Cdrive icon I also see that the Cdrive is 33.8 Gb of which 1.86 Gb is free.

b. I then change the Recycle Bin allocaation to 5% (1.69 Gb), click Apply and OK, thereby reducing the allocation by (3.99 -1.69 = 2.30 Gb);.

d. But when I place the cursor over the Cdrive icon again, I see that the free space is still 1.86 Gb --- rather than the higher value ( 1.86 + 2.30 = 4.16 Gb) that I expected.

Can someone spot where I have gone wrong? Thanks.

[SpywareDr]

Reboot and check again.

[wdc]

Doc: The odd behavior continues.
Following your instructions:

1. I rebooted.
Found the Recycle Bin set at 13% (3.99 gB) and (by putting cursor over the Cdrive icon that appears when clicking MyComputer) that Cdrive Free Space = 1.81 gB.

2. I reset the Recycle Bin allocation to 5% ( 1.69 gB; or 2.3 gB less than in step 1 ). But Free Space was still 1.81 gB!

3. I rebooted yet again.
Found the Recycle Bin allocation to be 5% (1.69 gB) and the Free space to be 1.81 gB.

4. Reset the RB allocation to 13% (3.99 gB). But still the Free space remains at 1.81 gB!

Whatever can be going on? Why don’t I see the changes in RB allocation reflected in my Free Space? .... wdc

[Midknyte]

You're merely changing the max allowable size of the Recycle Bin. That won't free up space if the Recycle Bin is already empty.

[Train]

Time to get stufff backed up and make room on that hdd.

[wdc]

Midknyte: Aha. So the Maximum Allowable space for the Recycle Bin is NOT actually set aside and subtracted from free space whether or not there are any files in the RB? Had no idea that was so. Clarifies it all. Thanks. ...wdc

[wdc]

Train: You are so right and I am trying to move files from the Cdrive to the Edrive. But I am doing so moving individual files, almost certainly not the right way to recover GBs of space.

Is there a safe and better way to recover all that space? I have tons of free space on my Edrive.

Thanks. ... wdc

[wdc]

Per Train's advice I am trying to understand how to "backup" my files. I tried to use the XP Help facility but I got nothing useful when I typed "backup" into the Search window. Can someone please point me to a help screen on making a backup? Thanks. ...wdc

[Midknyte]

Did you run Ccleaner and TFC like we mentioned in your other threads?
http://discussions.virtualdr.com/sho...59#post1461559

I mentioned before that you should move your DATA files to the E: drive. Only you would know what your data is and where you saved it. Most programs would default to your My Documents folder.

XP backup is horrible. You should use something like Acronis True Image if you want to backup and restore to another hard drive. XP has hit End-of-life, so you should really be looking to migrate/upgrade to at least Windows 7 anyway.

[SpywareDr]

And, you'd save yourself a whole lot of grief with a bigger hard drive.

[Midknyte]

Agreed. Get a bigger INTERNAL drive.

Oops!! Sorry, I hit the wrong button and edited the wrong post. I thought I hit quote. Still haven't had my coffee yet.

[Train]

Backup
Whether you make image files, clones or simply use copy/paste is your choice.

Burning to data disk is another form of backing up.
SyncBack is just one tool I also use.