Recover deleted files from Recycle Bin using Command Prompt

Hi DougieHY -

I'm Kevin B. Independent advisor and a Windows user like you. I do apologize for the inconvenience that you experiencing right now, let me help you sort things out.

Are you trying to restore the deleted items that might cause the issue on your computer?

If so, you can open the recycle bin using command prompt to restore any deleted files on your computer.

Please follow the steps below and check if it will resolve the issue.

On the Command Prompt using the WinRE, type the below command and press enter

Start Shell:RecycleBinFolder

Normally, recycle bin folder will pop-up containing all the deleted files wherein you can just right click on those files and select restore.

If the above method did not resolve the issue by restoring the deleted files, you can perform system restore to reverse any changes made on the computer.

Perform system restore

-This process will take your computer settings back to an earlier point in time where computer is working fine. If there's any changes made on your computer that removes the service, system restore should be able to fix the issue for you. To perform system restore please follow the steps below:

1. Using the command prompt on WinRE, type rstrui.exe and press enter
2. Once system restore windows open, normally it will suggest a restore point (sometimes it doesn't) if it does, select the 2nd option and hit next
3. Select your desired restore point date and time and hit next and finish.

Windows will going to restart your computer to initiate system restore. System restore might take several minutes to complete depending on the current speed of your computer and the changes it will made. Applications and updates that was installed on the computer prior to the date selected will be removed. It is important that when system restore starts, process must not be interrupted.

DISCLAIMER:

System Restore is a recovery tool for Windows that allows you to reverse certain kinds of changes made to the operating system. System Restore is used to return important Windows files and settings—like drivers, registry keys, system files, installed programs, and more—back to previous versions and settings. Being said all applications and changes made prior to the date selected will be removed and needs to be re-installed if its needed.

Hope this will help and have a bless day!

Thanks.

Kevin B.

Independent advisor

Hi Kevin, I've been struggling with fixing the computer in my spare time these days but without luck. Here's my work log.

1. Hard reboot into Advanced Options, bring up Command Prompt, run SFC for 7 times. 
   X:\windows\system32>sfc /scannow /offbootdir=D:\ /offwindir=D:\windows

Results: Always report "...found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them...". Problems described before persist (e.g. Enter "start she'll:recyclebinfolder" or "start shell:desktop" will trigger "file not associated with an app" error).

2. Restart in Safe Mode
   Results: End up with the same "black screen". Boot from installation disc or USB drive will cause the "continue with upgrade or perform clean install" warning.
3. Run System Restore from Advanced Options
   Results: "System restore didn't complete successfully...The restore point was damaged or was deleted during the restore."
4. Run SFC /scannow
   Results: "Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation."
5. Run chkdsk /r /v
   Results: "An unspecified error occurred (75736e6a726e6c2e 4fa)"
6. Repeat SFC /scannow for 3 times
   Results: "...found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them..."
7. Restart in Safe Mode
   Results: "Scanning and repairing drive (C:)  0% complete...". Eventually end up with black screen.
8. Run "DISM /image:D:\ /ScratchDir:D:\Scratch /cleanup-image /checkhealth"
   Results: "The component store is repairable. The operation completed successfully."
9. Run "DISM /image:D:\ /ScratchDir:D:\Scratch /cleanup-image /scanhealth"
   Results: 56.3% completed, "Error 1392. The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable."
10. Run "DISM /image:D:\ /ScratchDir:D:\Scratch /cleanup-image /restorehealth /source:F:\Sources\Install.esd"
    Results: 41.4% completed, "Error 1392. The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable."
11. Run chkdsk /r /f
    Results: "An unspecified error occurred (75736e6a726e6c2e 4fa)"
12. Run SFC /scannow
    Results: "...found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them..."
13. Run "DISM /image:D:\ /ScratchDir:D:\Scratch /cleanup-image /checkhealth"
    Results: "The component store is repairable. The operation completed successfully."
14. Run "DISM /image:D:\ /ScratchDir:D:\Scratch /cleanup-image /scanhealth"
    Results: 100% completed, "The component store is repairable. The operation completed successfully."
15. Run "DISM /image:D:\ /ScratchDir:D:\Scratch /cleanup-image /restorehealth /source:F:\Sources\Install.esd"
    Results: 89.9% completed, "Error 0x800f081f. The source files could not be found. Use the Source Option to specify the location of the files that are required to restore the feature."
16. Run "DISM /image:D:\ /ScratchDir:D:\Scratch /cleanup-image /StartComponentCleanup".
    Results: hangs after 9.7% complete. Hard reboot after 5 hours of waiting.
17. Regular boot from hard drive
    Results: "Scanning and repairing drive (C:)   100% Completed", "Preparing Automatic Repair", auto-pop up the "Advanced Options" window.
18. Run "DISM /image:D:\ /ScratchDir:D:\Scratch /cleanup-image /checkhealth"
    Results: "The component store is repairable. The operation completed successfully."
19. Run "DISM /image:D:\ /ScratchDir:D:\Scratch /cleanup-image /scanhealth"
    Results: 100% completed, "The component store is repairable. The operation completed successfully."
20. Run "DISM /image:D:\ /ScratchDir:D:\Scratch /cleanup-image /restorehealth /Source:g:\sources\Install.esd"                  //try a different installation image
    Results: 90.0% completed, "Error 0x800f081f. The source files could not be found. Use the Source Option to specify the location of the files that are required to restore the feature."

Please kindly advise how I should proceed at this point!

Hi DougieHY -

Thanks for the response.

Did you try to perform the 2nd method when the 1st method did not work?

It appears that the file explorer does not recognize the recycle bin folder on your computer.

Using the same command prompt, kindly try to perform a system file checker on your computer to verify the windows system files on your computer. The scan will attempt to check for the system file errors and will attempt to fix it.

Run a system file checker to verify the integrity of windows system files on your computer making sure that there are no corrupted files on your windows.

Perform SFC Scan and Repair Windows Image

-This process will perform scan for any corrupted system files or integrity violation and will attempt to repair it along with the Windows Image.

1. Open command prompt with administrator access
2. Type each command below and wait until scan is completed.

SFC /scannow

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Quick note: While the command is running, it's expected to see the process stuck at 20 or 40 percent. After a few minutes, the process will complete successfully.

Once you complete the steps, the Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool will connect to the Windows Update servers to download and replace any damaged files in the local image for Windows 10 as necessary.

3. Close the command prompt.

After the scan completes, kindly try to type the command again to open the recycle bin.

If the above method did not work, you can perform custom install of windows on your computer. Custom Install of windows will re-install windows on your computer, fixing all errors and missing update components on your computer however it will reset all the settings of your computer and all application installed on your computer will be removed living only your personal files intact and will be moved to windows.old folder inside C drive after process completes. If you want to proceed with Custom Install please click on the link below and follow the steps provided on the link.

NOTE: Please make sure to follow the steps accurately as it may remove all your personal files if the partition accidently deleted.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/for...

Regards,

Kevin B.

Kevin, thank you very much for your response! I brought up WinRE and at the command prompt I typed: "C:>start shell:recyclebinfolder". Now I received the following error message: "shell:recyclebinfolderThis file does not have an app associated with it for performing this action. Please install an app or, if one is already installed, created an association in the Default Apps Setting Page."How can I overcome this problem? Are there other commands I can recover the files from Recycle Bin?

Hi Kevin, I ran SFC /scannow tonite but no luck. If I typed "start shell:recyclebinfolder" the same "no app is associated with this file" error would pop.

I'll try the rest of your suggestions tomorrow. Thank you very much!