Windows – Is it safe to manually manipulate contents of $RECYCLE.BIN

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I was wondering if anybody knows whether it is safe to manually delete or move files found in LETTER:\$RECYCLE.BIN folders?

If a file is placed into the recycle bin and then I manually move it from the $RECYCLE.BIN folder does Windows notice that and update the recycle bin interface automatically?

To summarize what I've understood from the links kindly provided by DarkGhostHunter. The recycle bin's metadata is stored within the $RECYCLE.BIN/{user-guid}/ folder within a file entitled INFO or INFO2.

So to manipulate the content of the recycle bin one can do whatever you like with the files and then adjust the metadata manually to account for that. Alternatively if all you wanted to do was delete the contents you are safe to just delete the {user-guid} folders (or even the whole $RECYCLE.BIN folder) because the metadata is contained within it.

Best Answer

Yes. I did it some time ago and Windows 8.1 just created another one when I deleted the entire folder.

You usually do this before reinstalling Windows, or formatting the system drive, to free the disk from these dead files. Windows creates another folder inside of $RECYCLE.BIN to handle the data and separate their visibility between users. Either way, its safe to delete them all.

As stated in another answer, Windows creates metadata to know its properties and location, thus, manual manipulation of the file will disrupt in some way the relationship and Windows won't update the recycle bin interface automatically.

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