Can't empty trash on windows 2003 server

we are using the utility  cleanup,you can find it here
http://www.stevengould.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=69
also you can stop the windows update service ,then go to your Windows path and  find a folder called SoftwareDistribution you can delete it (there will be at least 700mb of old patches, it will be recreated again when you restart  the windows service ),restart the windows service
 Regards,

As to the recycle bin problem, a simple server restart might help.
If not, try creating an empty new file or folder, dragging thet to the bin, and emptying the bin afterwards.

As to the problem with disappearing disk space, check your system drive with either WinDirStat (www.windirstat.info) or Spacemonger (www.sixty-five.cc/sm/v1x.php); they visualize used space, so you will see at a glance what directories/files are abnormally large.

Thank you both I will try both suggestions. As for the recycle bin a restart did not help nor did adding a file to the trash and emptying. I get the same result as I described above. Many thanks again. I will report back.

If the tool recommended by jqpd does not help with the recycle bin, try CCleaner: www.ccleaner.com - it's one of the best free tools around for the purpose.

First-  Use caution.  
In order to see what may be stuck in your recycle bin-  Login as your local or domain admin on Server. Open My Computer or Windows Explorer--  Go to Menu-->  Tools--> Folder options.  Go to the View tab, check 'show hidden files and folders', uncheck 'Hide protected operating system files'.  

Open My Computer and C: drive.   Look for and open folder 'Recycler'.   You should see a couple recycle folders with very long folder names.   Do not try to delete these, just open them to show what is still stilling in the recycle bin.   If there is something in these folders, try to manually delete the files or folders.

When done be sure to change your folder options back to default settings.     For general server cleanup we use CCleaner.   You will need to use some caution here depending on what you are running on this server (ie.  Exchange, etc) that may rely on retaining log files.   CCleaner will give you an option of Analyzing files and folders that can be cleaned before deleting.

Try using the Treesize professional software from JAM.
It will show you the space utilization on the drive.
Regarding the file "0063006f006d002e006100700070006c0065002e00410064006400720065007300730042006f006f006b" incase it shows up in the Recycler, try to do a restore and then search for the file, rename and then try to delete the same.
Incase possible try to read the file using some application or find related application so that we know what is generating files using such long file names.

ren20atom that is the curious thing when I look at the recycle bin there is nothing showing. I have changed all view options and still nothing shows. None of the utilities for cleaning have worked to get rid of that file. I am awaiting a restart after hours tonight to check on space. I would love to hear thoughts from all you experts as to the amount of free space I should try for. I know the minimum is 1 GB but I wonder if there is a better number I should shoot for. Thank you all for your feedback up to this point. I will report back after I restart tonight. Many thanks

I think the restart don't clear nothing on your server,the file are you seeing is the space reserved by recycle bin.
please check on the  on the  recycle bin -properties -global tab , I have all my servers configured to reserve   10% space (fig1) that space reserved is 1.19gb of HD space(Fig2), if you want to delete the file  are you talking about then  move the space reserved to 0 (maximum size of recycle bin,percent of each drive)
Regards,
Jose
fig1.jpg
fig2.jpg

jgpd: My settings match those you posted. I would agree with you however none of my other servers show the icon for something being in the recycle bin and when I right click to empty the bin it asks me if I am sure I want to delete Windows. So the server thinks something is in the bin but when I open the bin it appears empty.

Unless you routinely delete large files from your server, I would reduce the recycle bin reserve to 5%.  This could easily free up 500mb.  If you delete something larger that the reserve it would not go into the recycle bin but just be deleted immediately.

Unless you routinely delete large files from your server, I would reduce the recycle bin reserve to 5%.  This could easily free up 500mb.  If you delete something larger that the reserve it would not go into the recycle bin but just be deleted immediately.

Conmax that is huge help. I wonder if I should worry about that the pesky file or whatever it is still seems to be in the recycle bin? You all have been so great and I am up to 2.3 gb of free space so I am feeling pretty happy today. Still looking for thoughts on where I should try to keep the server in terms of free space it is happier for sure and running better.

I think we are talking about two  very distinct problems here that have nothing to do with each other:

1.
The recycle bin problem is a well known oddity with Windows XP/2k3 and earlier; thousands of users report it on the internet, myself I had it, too.
The bin seems to contain something, but when you open it, it's empty; and when selecting 'Empty' from the context menu, you get asked whether you wish to delete "WINDOWS". Most users feel tempted to say "yes", but press "no" in the end. You are one of the few daring enough to try the "yes".

As I said, in the majority of cases a reboot will get rid of the phantom file in the bin; if that won't help, most other users concerned could get rid of it this way:
- make sure there is nothing in the recycle bin
- create an empty file on your desktop
- move it to the bin
- double-click to open the bin
- right-click on the empty file and select 'Delete'
- close the bin

This has got nothing to do with hidden files or such, most likely not even with existing files. None of the posters who write about this phenomenon does present a theory about it. But if there are any Macintosh or Linux computers on your network which access that server, then I might have an idea.
In any case, I don't see this as the cause of

2.
The space problem. Have you tried one of the visualization tools I suggested above? You need to find out what is eating up your hard drive. 1 GB of free space on a server is way way too little in my opinion. Try to find and remove the culprit, if impossible, add a second hard disk and outsource as many folders as possible:
- My Documents
- Temp/Tmp
- browser cache and history
- backups and log files
- pagefile
- data
- etc.

Open command line and write
rd /s /q C:\$Recycle.bin

or try use  ccleaner http://www.ccleaner.com/

rd /s /q C:\$Recycle.bin doesn't seem to work?

and ccleaner ?

abolinhas:
I already suggested CCleaner in my comment ID:26064817 above.


jrsnork:
In my last comment there was a hidden question which I now would like to repeat: Are there any Macintosh computers in the LAN that have access to the server in question?

Torimar thank you for your follow up I actually did use CCleaner and it helped with some "cleaning" but didn't solve my trash issue. Yes in fact we have Macs on the LAN. I am very curious as to where this question will take us. I have wondered if the Macs are doing something or the interaction is at least?

I still haven't had a concrete answer on how much space folks think is a good amount for the C drive. So let me know thoughts.

I am now at 2.59 gigs free and I am now not so sure if I have a problem or just an annoyance with the trash?

torimar thank you so very much. Your insights have been very helpful. I think at this point I will close this question. So far our space has remained in the 2.6 range. I still have that pesky file in the trash but it seems to be causing no harm. Thank you all for the suggestions.