When
you delete files on your computer, in most cases they are not totally
removed. They are sent to the Recycle Bin. This is a great plus. From
time to time you will find that you have mistakenly deleted a file. A
trip to the recycle bin will allow youto restore it to its original place on your computer. There are
cases in which deleted items are not sent to the bin, but the majority
of files that you delete will wind up there.
If
you remove a program using its uninstall feature or the Windows
Add/Remove Program feature they are not sent to the recycle bin. They
are deleted forever. You will need the original installation disk to
restore these programs. That said, these are still the best ways to
remove a program.
As
time goes by the recycle bin will become cluttered. This reduces your
valuable disk space. It is a good idea to periodically open the Recycle
Bin and do some housekeeping.
Deleting
Items From the Recycle Bin
It
is not a good idea to delete all the items in the Recycle Bin. It seems
that the day you permanently delete a file is the day you need it. You
should choose a cut off period. Some people keep items until they have
been deleted for one month, some three months. Pick a time frame that you
are comfortable with.
Action
Comment
Double
Click the Recycle Bin Icon on the desktop
This
will open the Recycle Bin
Click
View (on the menu bar)
A
menu will drop down offering different view choice
Click
Details
The
contents of the bin will be shown in detail
Click
View (again)
Click
Arrange Icons By
A
list of choices will be given
Click
Date Deleted
The
list is sorted by the date you deleted the file. This makes it
easier to select files by the delete date.
Select
the items you want to delete
Hold
the Ctrl Key (control key) down while clicking on the file names.
This will allow you to select more than one file.
Click
File (on the menu bar)
A
list of choices will be given
Click
Delete
A
dialog box will open, asking if you are sure you want to delete
the items
Click
Yes or Ok in the box
The
items will be deleted.
X
out (close) the Recycle Bin
Having
deleted the items you will now have more space on your hard drive.
Restoring
or Undeleting An Item From The Recycle Bin
Who
says you don’t get a second chance! Its Tuesday morning. You just
found out that you really need a file that you deleted on Monday night.
No problem. Just go to the Recycle Bin. Using the restore feature will
not only “undelete” the file, but it will put it right back where it
always was. A lot better than having to dig thru a rubbish bin to locate
a piece of paper you threw out.
Restoring
Items From The Recycle Bin
Action
Comment
Double
Click the Recycle Bin Icon on the desktop
This
will open the Recycle Bin
Click
View (on the menu bar)
A
menu will drop down offering different view choice
Click
Details
The
contents of the bin will be shown in detail
Click
View (again)
Click
Arrange Icons By
A
list of choices will be given. If you know the name of the file
click “name”. If you know the date the file was deleted Click
“delete date”. Or use which ever choice that will make it
easier to locate the file.
Click
either delete date, name or your preferred choice.
The
file list will be sorted in order of your choice
Click
the file you want to restore
It
will be highlighted
Click
File (on the menu bar)
Click
Restore
The
file will be restored
In
a Nutshell
In
most cases when you delete a file it is sent to the recycle bin.
If
you discover that you need a deleted file you can recover it from
the recycle bin.
You
should periodically delete unneeded files from the recycle bin
When
deleting files from the recycle bin make sure that your computer has
been able to run well without the file.
If
running short of disk space consider deleting some of the files in
your recycle bin
