Last week, I posted a few Recycle Bin tricks, one was how to skip the Recycle Bin and delete a file automatically. Today, because I love Registry Hacks, I will show you how to disable the Recycle Bin and permanently delete items with no chance of recovery! </evil_laugh>
Before you mess around the System Registry, please read this warning.
How To
- Hit the Windows Key+R, type regedit into the run dialog and hit OK.
- Now that you’re in the the Registry, navigate to this key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\BitBucket - With the BitBucket key highlighted, you should see a DWORD value in the right plane called NukeOnDelete[1]
- Double-click the NukeOnDelete DWORD value and change the Value Data to 1[2]
- Exit Registry and reboot your machine!
Optional
You could export the keys and call them at will (meaning you can bypass the Recycle Bin when you want).
- While NukeOnDelete is highlighted, click File then Export and name it something descriptive like “Skip The Trash”.
- Now, change the DWORD value back, and export it with a different name: “Use The Trash”.
Now you can double-click the appropriate key when you want (you will have to restart the machine to enable the change)!
[1] If the NukeOnDelete DWORD value doesn’t exist, you can create it by right-clicking in the right plane, click New then DWORD. Name this newly created DWORD value: NukeOnDelete. Make sure the the Base is set to Hexadecimal.
[2]Setting for Value Data it 0 will use Recycle Bin, while setting it to 1 will permanently delete items.
Does this remove the recycle bin icon from the desktop? That would be cool.
Actually, no - but I’ll write an article on how to do that!
Most excellent. Of course this will keep me coming back, but do you have an idea when this may happen?
I will anyway, since I check your blog out on a daily basis.
hi
i would like to know how to enable and disable cd rom by using registry
or you could just right click on the recycle bin and goto ‘Do not move files to the recycle bin. Remove files immediately when deleted’ or you could hold shift + press the delete key
jonathans last blog post..new stuff, part two
Your post makes one think! Great article. Thanks for allowing me to comment!
This is a cool hack. I never knew about hacks on our machines. All you ever read about is hacks with software like Wordpress and stuff. Cool idea, thanks a lot for posting this.