How do I change the hard drive location of deleted Recycle Bin items?

Freeman · 7 May 2011 at 17:17

I currently have a spare hard drive in my PC so I thought I'd make the best of it and make it my recycle bin location for deleted items. However I'm unsure how to change the location?

Any help please?

Thanks.

marc2003 · 7 May 2011 at 17:20

recycled items are stored on a per drive letter basis so what you're asking for isn't possible.

Krislord · 7 May 2011 at 18:18

This would also be slower as it would have to copy the entire file to the new drive, whereas with it staying on the same partition it only has to update the file location in the master file table.

Do you have a good backup solution? could it be used for that?

Freeman · 7 May 2011 at 20:50

Yeah I have a backup solution which is why I have the spare HDD.

I don't mind about deleting speed. I like to keep my recycle bin full because on numerous occasions I have needed to get back a deleted item.

Destination · 7 May 2011 at 23:20

Adding an item to recycle bin simply flags the file as deleted, and leaves the file in place, then empty the bin removes the flag meaning the file is deleted.
At no stage is a file actually moved anywhere.
Constraints on size are set per drive, and simply related to housekeeping actions.

You can't tell the OS to copy the file elsewhere when it 'deletes' it.
For this you've be best dragging (moving rather than copy) all files to a big folder marked deleted on your empty drive, and leaving them there. It would have the effect you want, but isn't a simple right click.

Makhaira · 7 May 2011 at 23:22

Freeman said:
I like to keep my recycle bin full because on numerous occasions I have needed to get back a deleted item.

Then don't delete them. Absolutely DO NOT use your recycle bin as a temporary storage measure, it will only lead to tears.

Freeman · 8 May 2011 at 11:50

Hikari Kisugi said:
Adding an item to recycle bin simply flags the file as deleted, and leaves the file in place, then empty the bin removes the flag meaning the file is deleted.
At no stage is a file actually moved anywhere.
Constraints on size are set per drive, and simply related to housekeeping actions.

You can't tell the OS to copy the file elsewhere when it 'deletes' it.
For this you've be best dragging (moving rather than copy) all files to a big folder marked deleted on your empty drive, and leaving them there. It would have the effect you want, but isn't a simple right click.

Thanks for the explanation. Seems it's not possible ,I'll just have to use the extra hdd as my public hard drive.

Makhaira said:
Then don't delete them. Absolutely DO NOT use your recycle bin as a temporary storage measure, it will only lead to tears.

I'm not thank you. I have my own solutions for backup that have worked for decades.

Destination · 8 May 2011 at 14:52

Freeman said:
I'm not thank you. I have my own solutions for backup that have worked for decades.

What working backup solutions have you used for decades?

Freeman · 8 May 2011 at 17:33

Hikari Kisugi said:
What working backup solutions have you used for decades?

You want me to go through all my backup solutions since the 80's? Why? Lol >.<

Alasdairhurst · 8 May 2011 at 21:42

Hikari Kisugi said:
It would have the effect you want, but isn't a simple right click.

Actually, it may be as simple as a right click.
a bit of adding an item to the registry, and a bat file/vbscript.

you would get the script to get the location of the file selected, and copy it to a specified location, then you would add the file to a right click menu in the registry.

you should be a ble to do that simply with a bit of research

blackn3r · 9 May 2011 at 02:31

Or just simply download Send To Toys and then it is just a matter of right clicking

AbsenceJam · 9 May 2011 at 02:41

Freeman said:
I'm not thank you. I have my own solutions for backup that have worked for decades.

If you have a great backup solution then this shouldn't be important, and it shouldn't matter if you delete something you don't mean to.

I'd recommend that you look at realtime continuous backup software. You say you wouldn't mind file being copied about when deleting, well this will be similar. It keeps track of file changes so you can recover anything you delete or change. Acronis's nonstop backup is one I've used myself.

Freeman · 10 May 2011 at 17:00

AbsenceJam said:
If you have a great backup solution then this shouldn't be important, and it shouldn't matter if you delete something you don't mean to.

I'd recommend that you look at realtime continuous backup software. You say you wouldn't mind file being copied about when deleting, well this will be similar. It keeps track of file changes so you can recover anything you delete or change. Acronis's nonstop backup is one I've used myself.

I get a lot of files on my pc that I may need to keep but I don't mind losing if my hard drive were to go. a lot of them are big files and take up space that I need for other projects so sending an item to a spare hard drive would be my best solution.

I have it just sitting here so I may as well put it to some use.

As I said though, my backup solutions are fine.

Thanks blacken, I'll have a look at that proggy, looks like the thing I need.