Vista Registry - Deleted Recycle Bin Problem

Vista Registry - Vista Registry - Deleting the Recycle Bin Problem

If you are facing Vista's Deleted Recycle Bin problem, then you are not alone. It is a common mistake to lose the recycle bin, fortunately there is a quick solution, 'Personalize' the desktop. I also have a more permanent solution, which is to remove 'Delete' from the Recycle Bin's properties; however, this requires a registry tweak.


Why People Delete the Recycle Bin Vista Deleting the Recycle Bin Problem

An understanding of why people delete their recycle bin will help us prevent further occurrences of this problem.

It seems to me that Microsoft have tried to provide extra features for Vista in general, and for the Recycle Bin in particular. Unfortunately, in the case of the Recycle Bin they underestimated users' ability to read and understand the menus.

Confusion is caused by the two options, 'Delete' or 'Empty Recycle Bin'. When people decide to empty their rubbish, their brain is already thinking 'delete'. So when they see the word 'Delete' on the bin's shortcut menu, they click on that instead of looking for the option to 'Empty Recycle Bin'.

As a result of making the wrong choice, the user is surprised when the Recycle Bin disappears from the desktop! Incidentally, the reason this deleted recycle bin problem has suddenly surfaced, is that in XP you cannot delete the Recycle Bin in the manner described above. The overall message is: more features mean more chances of making a mistake.
Quick Instructions to Find the Lost Recycle Bin

1) Right click the Vista Desktop
2) Click on Personalize
3) Select: 'Change desktop icons'
4) At the Desktop Icon Settings, place a tick next to: 'Recycle Bin'.

Incidentally, my friend 'Mad' Mick has a novel suggestion. Instead of worrying about the deleted bin, just delete the User! If only life were this simple.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Find a Deleted Vista Recycle Bin
Registry Tweak to Effect a Permanent Cure
Example 1: Remove Delete from the Recycle Bin Properties

Here is an ideal solution for when you have an incompetent user, who keep on deleting their Recycle Bin, and then pesters you to cure their clumsiness. My mission is to edit the registry and re-program the Recycle Bin's short cut menu.

Registry Tweak - Remove Delete from the Recycle Bin Properties1) Launch regedit (See more details on starting regedit)

2) In Regedit, navigate to the following key:
HKCR\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}

3) To create a new registry Key called 'Shell', click on the Edit Menu, New, select: Key and name it 'Shell'. You should now have:
HKCR\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\Shell

3) Under Shell create a new (Sub) Key called 'Delete'. Click on the Edit Menu, New, select: Key. You should now have:
HKCR\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\Shell\Delete

4) Edit the 'Default' REG_SZ, as this is just a string value for display you could set to anything you like, for example 'YourName's Indestructible Bin'.

Conclusion

What you have done is replace a working function called 'Delete', with a cosmetic label called Xyz's Indestructible Bin. The sole purpose is to prevent users pressing 'Delete' and thus losing their Recycle Bin.