How to Empty Recycle Bin on External Hard Drive
If you have an external hard drive and find that your Recycle Bin is getting full, you might be wondering how to empty it. The Recycle Bin is a temporary storage location for deleted files on your computer, and it can be particularly useful when dealing with external drives. However, if you’re running out of space, it’s important to know how to empty the Recycle Bin on your external hard drive. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process step by step.
Step 1: Connect the External Hard Drive
First, make sure that your external hard drive is properly connected to your computer. Once it’s connected, it should appear as a new drive in File Explorer or Finder, depending on your operating system.
Step 2: Open the Recycle Bin
To access the Recycle Bin on your external hard drive, simply double-click on the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop. This will open the Recycle Bin window, where you can view all the deleted files.
Step 3: Select the Files You Want to Delete Permanently
In the Recycle Bin window, you’ll see a list of deleted files. To select all the files you want to delete permanently, click on the first file, then hold down the “Shift” key and click on the last file. This will select all the files in between, as well as the first and last files.
If you only want to delete specific files, you can click on each file individually to select it.
Step 4: Empty the Recycle Bin
Once you’ve selected the files you want to delete, click on the “Empty Recycle Bin” button at the top of the window. A confirmation dialog will appear, asking you to confirm that you want to delete the selected files permanently. Click “Yes” to proceed.
Step 5: Confirm the Deletion
After confirming the deletion, the selected files will be moved to the external hard drive’s trash, and they will be permanently deleted from the Recycle Bin. It’s important to note that once files are deleted from the Recycle Bin, they cannot be easily recovered, so make sure you’ve selected the correct files before proceeding.
Alternative Method: Using the Command Prompt
If you prefer using the Command Prompt to empty the Recycle Bin on your external hard drive, follow these steps:
1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Type the following command: `rd /s /q C:\$Recycle.Bin`
3. Replace “C:” with the drive letter of your external hard drive.
4. Press “Enter” to execute the command.
This method will delete all the files in the Recycle Bin on your external hard drive.
In conclusion, emptying the Recycle Bin on an external hard drive is a straightforward process. By following these steps, you can free up space on your drive and ensure that your deleted files are permanently removed. Remember to double-check your selections before confirming the deletion to avoid accidentally deleting important files.
