Managing File Systems
Recovering Files and Folders
Purging the Recycle Bin
- A deleted file sitting in your Recycle Bin takes up as much space as it did before it was deleted. If you're deleting files to free up space for new programs and documents, transferring
them to the Recycle Bin won't help. You need to remove them permanently. The safest way to do this is to move the items to another storage medium-a different hard disk or a removable disk, for example.
- If you're sure you'll never need a particular file again, however, you can delete it in the normal
way, and then purge it from the Recycle Bin. Display the Recycle Bin, select the item, and then press Delete.
- To empty the Recycle Bin entirely, right-click the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop and choose Empty Recycle Bin from the shortcut menu. Or display the Recycle Bin and click Empty The Recycle Bin on the toolbar.