Empty recycling bin from command line

Question

How to empty recycling bin from command line in Windows XP?

Answer 1

As I posted elsewhere, I use rmdir /q /s C:\Recycler to empty the Recycle Bin. If you have multiple drives, then replace C: with that drive letter.

Answer 2

Instructions are here

First, you need to create file called something like EmptyBin.reg like so:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Recycle Bin]
"StateFlags0001"=dword:00000002

Now, you create a batch (*.bat) file with the following:

regedit /s EmptyBin.reg
cleanmgr /sagerun:1

Run that batch file from the command line to empty your bin.

Answer 3

while

rd /s /q %systemdrive%\$RECYCLE.BIN

will delete the $RECYCLE.BIN folder from the system drive, which is usually c:, one should consider deleting it from any other available partitions since there's an hidden $RECYCLE.BIN folder in any partition in local and external drives (but not in removable drives, like USB flash drive, which don't have a $RECYCLE.BIN folder). For example, I installed a program in d:, in order to delete the files it moved to the Recycle Bin I should run:

rd /s /q d:\$RECYCLE.BIN

More information available at Stack Overflow at how to empty recyclebin through command prompt?

Answer 4

The recycle bin is just another folder; you should be able to delete the files from C:\RECYCLER to achieve the same effect as emptying the recycle bin from the GUI.

Answer 5

I can use VBScript for this:

Dim objShell,objFolder,objItem,fso
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(10)
For Each objItem In objFolder.Items
  fso.DeleteFile objItem
Next