Everything shows me files that no longer exist

[ajfudge]

First of all, I hope this is the right section to post about this.

Second, here's a screenshot of what I'm trying to describe:


As I understand it, those files are already deleted from my hard drive and yet they still appear in the result.
Note that my Recycle Bin is empty.
Pls. enlighten me and help me remove those from the results. Do I have to do something with my hard drive?
TIA.


EDIT: I posted the wrong screenshot on my initial post. It's been corrected now.

[salazor]

What format is the D: drive NTFS or FAT32?

I suspect that FAT32, because the format is not automatically monitored, if so, click the Folders tab "Update now" or Indexes "Force rebuild"

[ajfudge]

Hi,

The disk is NTFS. I also tried rebuilding the database (Force Rebuild) to no avail.
The disk also has "Monitor changes" checked.

[salazor]

What version Everything?

Maybe these are hidden files from within Explorer can not see them.

Check the attributes, or turn on the Explorer show hidden files.

[Stamimail]

@ajfudge
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HlJmnA2ayOQ/U ... ders02.jpg
https://sourceforge.net/projects/quickhide/

Btw, If I'm allowed to ask:
1. You have special buttons in the title/caption of the window. Where does it come from?
2. What screenshot program are you using?

Thanks

[therube]

I suspect the files are there, even though "recycle bin" may show as "empty".

Actually open $recyler$ (or whatever it is called), with a real file manager, & see if those files are not actually there, left behind from times past, & no longer recognized as "part of" recycle bin.


(On XP, a simple DIR in C:\RECYCLER\{guid}\ will show what is there. Not sure offhand if the same holds true on Win7, but I suspect so.)


See, How to include Recycle Bin in results?

[ajfudge]

salazor,
Everything versions is 1.3.4.686 (64-bit)
Hmmm. I don't think they're hidden files because their location is in the Recycle Bin.
To asnwer your question, those that appear as Folders have Read-Only attribute, whereas those that appear as Files have no attributes checked.

--------------------

Stamimail,
1) Actual Window Manager
2) FastStone Screen Capture


--------------------

@therube,
I will try what you suggested.

UPDATE: Tried opening the Recycle Bin using alternatives to Explorer. They turned up empty.

[salazor]

Try Version 1.4 Beta 713b or 716b

[therube]

Are you sure you opened the "right" subdirectory within $Recycle.Bin (there may be more then one).
And are there not (at least) desktop.ini file(s) in there.
Your file manger does show Hidden/System files, no?

[froggie]

As therube said, there can be more than one directory in the recycle bin. Each directory belongs to a different Userid or a different iteration of a Userid(from various causes).

Try this: Delete a file (any file - you can create and delete one for this test). If you look in your recycle bin you should see the one file. If you look in Everything, you should see one additional file. Look at the path for this new file - it should be different (probably just the last few numbers) from the other files you are seeing in $Recycle.bin. That is the directory for the recycle bin for your current Userid.

[ajfudge]

therube,
I'm not sure I understand what you're saying.
But here's an update:


Hidden/system files are set as unhidden.
As you can see, Recycle Bin remains empty while Everything still detects those.
How do I navigate a subdirectory in Recycle Bin if it shows up empty?

froggie,
will try what you suggested. But I already identified the three different Recycle Bins on C:/ for three Users.

[therube]

(Never really paid attention, but) in Win7 it seems that every drive has (its own) $Recycle.Bin directory.

So if you are going to "manually" look, you need to check each drive.
And if you're going to manually look, you need to have a program that "sees".

I don't know Windows Explorer, don't use it.
But if I check Windows Explorer ("Recycle Bin"), it shows a sum total of 1 file (for all my drives).
I see that it shows it to be in E:, & looking at E:\$Recycle.Bin, I see that there are physically 36 items (including 3 subdirectories).

The particular item that "Recycle Bin" shows happens to be the item, "$RKJ138A.URL".

And lets see what happens once I delete that from "Recycle Bin"...


https://s25.postimg.cc/wvldr9c71/Recycl ... _Empty.png

1. Recycle Bin, 1 file is shown
2. Whoa, look'y here, more then 1 file physically exists, file in red is the 1 file that "Recycle Bin" shows
3. What Everything shows for '$Recycle.Bin E:' (with Path enabled)
4. Look, I've now "cleared" the "Recycle Bin", Recycle Bin is "empty"
5. Well, not quite, everything that was there, is still there, except for the 1 file that actually got deleted


So... most likely, what Everything shows is correct. You just need to look "correctly".
Altap Salamander (pay) can see correctly.
I'm sure you can find other free* & pay file managers that will too.

*salam152.zip, free, ancient, but but is "enough" to let you see correctly. (You have to enable display of System files in its options. And I'm not sure I'd actually "trust" it on current OS, but at least it can see correctly. [And you can come up with current freeware file managers too.])

[froggie]

froggie,
will try what you suggested. But I already identified the three different Recycle Bins on C:/ for three Users.

So Everything is telling the truth - these files exist on the disk. If your want to clean them up, first try to delete them from Everything (may not work depending on security rights), or by signing on as each of the users and emptying their Recycle bins. I can give you other ways to delete them if you have administrative rights on the computer.

[ajfudge]

froggie,
I have admin rights. I did try deleting those via Everything but it didn't work.
I now have found a solution, though, following therube's instructions.

therube,
I couldn't believe that the default Windows Explorer couldn't show me those files inside the Recycle Bin.
Even the other Explorer alternatives failed in that regard. Not every Explorer is created equal, it appears.
The one software that finally allowed me to "see" and remove those files is SE-Explorer.

So thank you very much for your help and patience, both of you.

But to satisfy my curiosity, why did those files "hid" from me?
Are they files that haven't been completely processed when I deleted them? Corrupt files? They aren't even hidden files.

[froggie]

froggie,
But to satisfy my curiosity, why did those files "hid" from me?
Are they files that haven't been completely processed when I deleted them? Corrupt files? They aren't even hidden files.

Basic explaination: Say there are two userids - U1 and U2. Windows gives U1 different security credentials from U2. If you are signed on as U1, you can not read, write or delete U2's files, so Windows explorer will not even show them to you.

Everything runs with Administrative credentials, so it is able to list, well, everything. As far as deleting files, Everything seems to have been designed to honor the security credentials assigned to the signed on userid. So U1 can not delete U2's files.

SE- Explorer just ignores most security and can delete almost any file. This has its uses, but can also get you in trouble.

The trend in Windows design is towards increased security - which makes it harder for viruses & spyware to infest your computer, among other advantages.

[therube]

why did those files "hid" from me?
Are they files that haven't been completely processed when I deleted them? Corrupt files? They aren't even hidden files.

They didn't hide from you.
They "hide" themselves from the Windows Explorer mechanism that keeps tracks of files that it indexes. IOW Windows Explorer didn't know that they existed, so it showed you what it did know, nothing, & so saying (Recycle Bin) was "empty".
Most likely the files were simply leftover from time in the distant past, for whatever reasons - OS change/update or something like that.

[Stamimail]

Same problem here. When I'm searching for:
*:\$RECYCLE.BIN\*
I get some results that are not listed in the regular Recycle Bin folder.
I don't know how to properly handle these files.

[raccoon]

This is a thread-necro from 5 years ago.

Everything is going to show raw contents of your physical $RECYCLE.BIN folders, that Microsoft Windows normally would not show to you. Especially if you have some copies of old $RECYCLE.BIN folders located in old copies and backups of disks and old computer systems. Your Windows Recycling Bin will only explore the contents of the $RECYCLE.BIN folders located in the root directory of your disk volumes.

You should not "handle" these files. You should add "$RECYCLE.BIN" and "System Volume Information" to your list of Exclude folders under Options > Indexes > Exclude, so the contents of these folders never show up in Everything.

[void]

Everything is designed to show files as they are on disk.


There are two files for each file moved to the recycle bin.

1: $Rxxxxxx for file data.
2: $Ixxxxxx for index data (includes original filename).

Use Right click -> Properties on the $Rxxxxxx files to view the original filename.

Use Right click -> Delete on the $Rxxxxxx or $Ixxxxxx files to delete them (you will need to delete both separately).
You can leave the small $Ixxxxxx files if you wish.

Use Right click -> Restore on the $Rxxxxxx files to restore them.



A Display Name property is in development to show the original filename.

[Stamimail]

@raccoon
Thank you for your reply. What I meant by "handle these files" is to check those files for keep/delete them, making room for storage.

@void
Thank you very much for the explanation, essential to understand.

Suggestions:
1. Add to "Add Columns..." "Select Property":
Original Location
https://images.tips.net/S15/Figs/T10863F1.png

2. For $Ixxxxxx consider to make the Preview Pane works in text mode.

3. Is there a way how to display the Result list in corresponding pairs?
$Ixxxxxx
$Rxxxxxx
$Ixxxxxy
$Rxxxxxy
$Ixxxxxz
$Rxxxxxz

[void]

Thank you for the suggestions Stamimail,

Suggestions: 1. Add to "Add Columns..." "Select Property": Original Location

This property already exists as Add Columns... -> Windows Property System (on left) -> Original Location

2. For $Ixxxxxx consider to make the Preview Pane works in text mode.

$Ixxxxxx files use a binary format.
Text would look like gibberish.

Previews for $Rxxxxxx files are already supported.
However, it's up to the preview handler to support recycle bin paths.

3. Is there a way how to display the Result list in corresponding pairs?

Short answer, no.

Long answer:
Search for:
\$recycle.bin regex:^\$.(.{6})
and sort by Regular Expression Match 1.

[Stamimail]

This property already exists as Add Columns... -> Windows Property System (on left) -> Original Location

I've already searched for Original Location and didn't find it. It appears that there are 2 problems:
a. Search for All Properties is expected. Consider add "All Properties" at left above "Everything Properties".
b. Still I didn't get it:


I finally found it in the "local" name:


As already mentioned in the distant past regarding keyboard shortcut search:
It is important that searching for command names in English will retrieve results of both English and "local" names.

$Ixxxxxx files use a binary format.
Text would look like gibberish.

From my test, opening the $Ixxxxxx file in Notepad can give me a clear idea what is this file.
What you can do is to add a button in the preview pane, which will force the preview to work on text mode.

Search for:
\$recycle.bin regex:^\$.(.{6})
and sort by Regular Expression Match 1.

It took me a while to find it under:
View > Sort By > Search > Regular Expression Match 1
Works well.

I tried first to find this "sort by" option in: columns header context menu.
Consider move "sort by" to Result Pane view options. (Separate "View" options of Everything and Result Pane view options. Each pane will have its menu/commands/buttons)

[Stamimail]

There are two files for each file moved to the recycle bin.

1: $Rxxxxxx for file data.
2: $Ixxxxxx for index data (includes original filename).

I want to keep the files I have in the regular Recycle Bin, and delete all other files that are not listed in the regular Recycle Bin.
IS THERE A WAY in Everything to get only the files listed in the regular Recycle Bin? (their $Rxxxxxx and $Ixxxxxx)
Later I will be able to exclude them from the mixed results list I have now.

[void]

a. Search for All Properties is expected. Consider add "All Properties" at left above "Everything Properties".

I initially had an All properties tab on the left.
It was removed because I would like to avoid the Windows Property System.
There would be a lot of duplicated properties which would confuse a new user.
The Windows Property System also doesn't support a lot of common files without third party shell extensions.

It is important that searching for command names in English will retrieve results of both English and "local" names.

Everything will search for the localized name and the canonical name.
I should have mentioned to search for system.recycle.deletefrom

What you can do is to add a button in the preview pane, which will force the preview to work on text mode.

I will consider a button to show the preview as text.
Thank you for the suggestion.

I tried first to find this "sort by" option in: columns header context menu.
Consider move "sort by" to Result Pane view options. (Separate "View" options of Everything and Result Pane view options. Each pane will have its menu/commands/buttons)

I will consider this.
For now, please try right clicking on a blank area in the result list and clicking Sort By -> Other -> Select Property.
I usually add the column to show the property and then click the column header to sort.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I want to keep the files I have in the regular Recycle Bin, and delete all other files that are not listed in the regular Recycle Bin.
IS THERE A WAY in Everything to get only the files listed in the regular Recycle Bin? (their $Rxxxxxx and $Ixxxxxx)

If you have added the Recycle Bin to your folder indexes, search for:
startwith:"recycle bin\"

Searching for just "recycle bin\" might be enough, but may return paths like: "c:\temp\recycle bin\"

Or, to exclude the recycle bin as it is on disk from your results, search for:
!?:\$recycle.bin\


To exclude the $recycle.bin folders from your index:

• In Everything, from the Tools menu, click Options.
• Click the Exclude tab on the left.
• Click Add filter....
• Set the filter to:
  !?:\$recycle.bin
• Click OK.
• Click OK.

(this will cause Everything to miss some changes to undeleted files.)

[Stamimail]

If you have added the Recycle Bin to your folder indexes, search for:
startwith:"recycle bin\"

Well, that does not seem to be a solution.
Let's take an example of one item.

When using
startwith:"recycle bin\"
the item representation is:
recycle bin\OriginalName.jpg

When using
*:\$RECYCLE.BIN\*
the item representation is:
C:\$RECYCLE.BIN\S-1-5-21-1759956420-3343019980-1941814116-1000\$IUD0APT.jpg
C:\$RECYCLE.BIN\S-1-5-21-1759956420-3343019980-1941814116-1000\$RUD0APT.jpg

So if I want to exclude
OriginalName.jpg
from
*:\$RECYCLE.BIN\*
I can't.

[therube]

I want to keep the files I have in the regular Recycle Bin, and delete all other files that are not listed in the regular Recycle Bin.
IS THERE A WAY in Everything to get only the files listed in the regular Recycle Bin? (their $Rxxxxxx and $Ixxxxxx)

If you can work on the premise that there should be corresponding $I's & $R's,
& that for any such non-corresponding files, then they would be your "not listed in the regular Recycle Bin" files,
then you could do something like:

Code: Select all

DIR /b  $recycle.bin  >  xxx
EDIT    xxx, removing the first 2-characters from each line (those presumably being the $I & $R)
SORT    xxx
UNIQ -u xxx

With that you should be left with file names that are uniq, that presumably were not paired $I $R files

Code: Select all

sed.exe -e  "s/..//"  <  xxx  |  sort.exe  | uniq.exe -u  >  not_listed.TXT

Now that does not correlate "guid" $I $R to a "pretty name", but at least it would point out "non-pairs".


sed
-bin.zip & -dep.zip

sort
the Windows SORT is sufficient for this purpose

coreutils
contains uniq (among other things)
again you'd want -bin.zip & -dep.zip

[void]

I want to keep the files I have in the regular Recycle Bin, and delete all other files that are not listed in the regular Recycle Bin.
IS THERE A WAY in Everything to get only the files listed in the regular Recycle Bin? (their $Rxxxxxx and $Ixxxxxx)
Later I will be able to exclude them from the mixed results list I have now.

I'm unsure of what you are trying to do here, could you please give an example.
I thought you might be indexing the virtual Recycle Bin folder? but this doesn't appear to be the case?

By 'regular Recycle Bin' do you mean the Recycle Bin folder on the Desktop that has nice filenames? (aka the virtual Recycle Bin)


There's a display name property in Everything to show and search the 'nice' filename.

In Everything, right click the result list column header and click add columns....
Search for display name.
Select Display Name and click OK.

Right click the Display Name column and click Search for Display Name...

The following search might be useful?:

*:\$RECYCLE.BIN\* display-name:OriginalName.jpg

or to exclude:
!<*:\$RECYCLE.BIN\* display-name:OriginalName.jpg>

[Stamimail]

What I did finally:

1. Add columns and have:
Regular Expression Match 1 | Display Name | Name | Path ...

2. Searching for:
\$recycle.bin regex:^\$.(.{6})

3. Click on "Display Name" column header to sort the column.
Now I can select easily all the nice "Display Name".
I can notice that the items selected number is the same items number as in the regular Recycle Bin ( = the Recycle Bin folder on the Desktop = the virtual Recycle Bin).
I can also notice that all items selected have a $Rxxxxxx as their filenames.

4. The magic happens here.
In order to achieve all the $Ixxxxxx files corresponding to the selected $Rxxxxxx files:
RightClick on "Regular Expression Match 1" column header ->
"Find Regular Expression Match 1 Duplicates"

https://i.snipboard.io/3eujgx.jpg
Now I can say, yes, it seems THERE IS A WAY in Everything to get only the files listed in the regular Recycle Bin? (their $Rxxxxxx and $Ixxxxxx)

[therube]

(So a file extension is in "english" even if a file name is otherwise. Never really thought about that before.)

(Now if "alternate row" highlighting matched "alternate pairs" [or duplicates] .
Then 7PA0G8 would be visually "grouped" together, & 7XO89A, &...
Even a hotkey that would iterate through existing results, highlighting "pairs", on an as wanted basis.)

[toolatetostopnow]

if not entirely following this thread, is it normal to see $ recycle bin objects or abnormal?

[void]

It's normal to see $r* or $i* files in the recycle bin.

Even after emptying the recycle bin you can see left over data ($r) or index ($i) files.

You can delete these files from Everything with Shift + Delete.
This will permanently delete the files.



If the files are still showing, please try forcing a rebuild:

• In Everything, from the Tools menu, click Options.
• Click the Indexes tab on the left.
• Click Force Rebuild.
• Click OK.