This post will help you fix a problem with your Windows based PC, where the recycle bin icon stays stuck & does not refresh according to it’s current state, i.e. empty or full. You might face this problem in Windows Vista or XP & by following the instructions below you can easily fix this issue.
Method 1 : Microsoft Fix-IT
click on the Microsoft Fix it icon above to download the fix
Method 2 : Do-it-Yourself
This method involves editing of registry. It is highly recommended that you make a backup by following this guide : Click here
Windows Vista
- Go to Windows Desktop
- Right Click
- Click on New
- Text Document
- Copy & paste the following code into the new text document
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\DefaultIcon] @=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\ 00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,69,00,6d,00,\ 61,00,67,00,65,00,72,00,65,00,73,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,35,\ 00,34,00,00,00 “Full”=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,\ 00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,69,00,\ 6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,72,00,65,00,73,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,\ 00,35,00,34,00,00,00 “Empty”=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,\ 00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,69,00,\ 6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,72,00,65,00,73,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,\ 00,35,00,35,00,00,00
- Go to file
- Click on save as
- Under Save as type
- Select All files
- give the name recycle.reg
- Click on save
- You will now see a registry icon
with the name you entered “recycle.reg” - Double-Click the file
- You will receive a security prompt. Press yes, & press yes again to enter the information to your registry.
- Restart your computer & check
Windows XP
Follow the Registry Backup guide above to backup your Windows Registry & then follow the instructions below:
- Go to Windows Desktop
- Right Click
- Click on New
- Text Document
- Copy & paste the following code into the new text document
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}] [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\DefaultIcon] @=”C:\WINDOWS\system32\shell32.dll,32″ “Full”=”C:\WINDOWS\system32\shell32.dll,32” “Empty”=”C:\WINDOWS\system32\shell32.dll,31”
- Go to file
- Click on save as
- Under Save as type
- Select All files
- give the name recycle.reg
- Click on save
- Now,
- Double-Click the registry key you just made
- It will ask you whether you want to add information to the registry
- Press Yes
- Restart your computer and check
