Blacksun
Just figured it out myself, as I had the same problem...
I am not sure whether you need to be able to set the "view the operating system files" option in Windows Explorer, but I did it anyway and no harm done.
- Go into Windows Explorer (right-click Start button).
- Select "Tools","Folder Options", "View"...remove the check in the "Hide Protected Operating System Files (Recommended)" checkbox.
- Close Explorer
- Open Command Prompt as Administrator. One certain way to do that is: Click on the Start Menu, type cmd in the Search Programs and Files box. You'll see CMD.EXE show up in the list. Right click the CMD.EXE which shows up at the top of this list (listed under progams). Chose "Run as Administrator", and type in the Administrator Password. A Command Shell will open up, and you'll see the Command Prompt.
- With your mouse, right click the Start button, opening Windows Explorer. Go to-in your case-the c:\$recycle.bin folder and double-click on it. There'll be at least one folder in there that you want to delete. If there is more than one, repeat the following steps:
- Right-click the folder(s) you find within c:\$recycle.bin. (It'll be a long name starting with the letter "S" with lots of dashes in it) Chose "Rename". Right-click on the now color-inverted text of the file's name and chose "Copy".
- Now with your mouse click on the still open Command Shell-make sure you are at a c:\> prompt-and then type cd c:\$recycle.bin. You'll now see the c:\$recycle.bin> prompt.
- Staying at the c:\$recycle.bin> prompt window, type: Del /Q /S and then, using your mouse, click on the top left of the same Command Shell window and select "Edit", then select "Paste", Then hit the Enter key.
- Repeat the process for each folder contained in c:\$recycle.bin (if necessary).
- Run CCleaner to confirm that it is now able to clean the Recycle bin folder.
- Go back and put the check back in the "Hide Protected Operating System Files (Recommended)" checkbox within Windows Explorer.
- You're done!
Regards,
Eric