Empty Recycle Bin Script

joeglessner4251 · 2009-10-02T11:42:28.000Z

Description

Read the script header for details.

Source Code

'#==============================================================================
'#==============================================================================
'#  SCRIPT.........:  emptyRecycleBin.vbs
'#  AUTHOR.........:  Joe Glessner
'#  EMAIL..........: 
'#  VERSION........:  1.0
'#  DATE...........:  02OCT09
'#  COPYRIGHT......:  2009, laoae.com
'#  LICENSE........:  Freeware
'#  REQUIREMENTS...:  
'#
'#  DESCRIPTION....:  Empties the Recycle Bin on the local computer.
'#
'#  NOTES..........:  This has only been tested on Windows 7, though it should 
'#                    work on all Windows versions, 2000 or later.
'#
'#                    This script will empty the Recycle bin, but will not 
'#                    change the icon to show it has been emptied, until the 
'#                    recycle bin has been opened by a user.
'# 
'#  CUSTOMIZE......:  
'#==============================================================================
'#  REVISED BY.....:  
'#  EMAIL..........:  
'#  REVISION DATE..:  
'#  REVISION NOTES.:
'#
'#==============================================================================
'#==============================================================================
'**Start Encode**

'#==============================================================================
'#  START OF SCRIPT
'#==============================================================================
'Option Explicit
'On Error Resume Next

    '#--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    '#  Declare Constants
    '#--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Const RECYCLE_BIN = &Ha&
    Const FILE_SIZE = 3
    
    '#--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    '#  Declare Variables
    '#--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Dim objShell, objFolder, objFSO, colItems
    Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
    Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(RECYCLE_BIN)
    Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
    Set colItems = objFolder.Items
    
    '#--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    '#  Delete everything in the Recycle Bin
    '#--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    For Each objItem in colItems
        If (objItem.Type = "File folder") Then
            objFSO.DeleteFolder(objItem.Path)

        Else
            objFSO.DeleteFile(objItem.Path)
        End If
    Next

'#==============================================================================
'#  SUBROUTINES/FUNCTIONS/CLASSES
'#==============================================================================

'#==============================================================================
'#  END OF FILE
'#==============================================================================

eddielopez5107 · 2009-10-02T12:12:43.000Z

Thanks, It works very nice. FYI tested in Server 2003, XP and Vista and working good.

tatum9725 · 2009-10-02T13:13:21.000Z

The Icon Stay the same as if it was full but it does delete the stuff in the recycle bin

tino · 2009-10-05T01:00:00.000Z

Cool Thanks for doing a working one Joe. If I could delete mine I would…

joeglessner4251 · 2009-10-05T10:50:05.000Z

Tino, Rather than delete it, find another script to put there, and rename it. Not the best solution, but it’ll get the job done.

kateoscar6254 · 2011-06-01T20:08:35.000Z

How could I implement this script? I don’t know where to add the script in my system. Thanks

joeglessner4251 · 2011-06-01T20:16:25.000Z

@kattieO It’s a VBScript, so you save it into a text file, then rename the file with a .vbs extension rather than .txt, and then double click it (if you have UAC turned on you may have to right click it and select Run As Administrator).

kateoscar6254 · 2011-06-01T20:27:33.000Z

Thank you @Thereal_Joe

kateoscar6254 · 2011-06-01T20:41:30.000Z

by the way, what if my files are in my file server. can i implement this script too?

jamesallen13 · 2012-07-17T13:04:19.000Z

This is a good idea. Especially for servers. I may have to try it. Thanks.

siddharthoza1338 · 2012-11-08T12:10:24.000Z

Worked like a charm. Thanks a lot mate.

jefftroop · 2013-01-23T10:21:48.000Z

“YOUR MY HERO” thanks for sharing

iainsmart · 2013-02-04T12:26:26.000Z

Works on Server 2008 if you change the file type to = “File Folder” NOTE: upper case on Folder

kannansenthamaraim · 2014-02-19T05:22:48.000Z

thanks for the script , here’s what i’m trying to do in my environment, most of the user keep files in the recycle bin which is consuming lots of space in server, so what i wanted is every time user log off his computer , all files in the bin should get delete, these are the location of recycle bin which i wanted to delete, Desktop, My Documents, Downloads, My Music, My Pictures, My Videos how to do this ??

natebrandt · 2015-06-11T18:07:23.000Z

This script works great for the most part, except that it would seem that if the items sitting in the recyle bin have their attributes set to read-only, they won’t get deleted. Has anyone else run into this issue or know of a solution for it?

laxmanrawat · 2016-06-21T03:42:05.000Z

There is another way to do it by creating the shortcut and passing the command "powershell.exe -command clear-recyclebin –Force"to it. whenever you run this shortcut recycle bin will clean up. For more info watch this video https://youtu.be/-pPiRJAx_Nk