Basically The Recycle Bin does not appear on the desktop in Windows Vista or in Windows XP. Therefore, you cannot use the Recycle Bin to do such tasks as restoring a file that was deleted. Hopfully we can help you make the Recycle Bin work again.

Several issues could cause this problem:

• A third-party program was used to hide the Recycle Bin.
• The TweakUI program was used to hide the Recycle Bin.
• The registry information for the Recycle Bin was deleted.
• A Group Policy setting was used to hide the Recycle Bin.

You can automatically fix the problem by downloading this file from Microsoft.

Or if you prefer the manual method -

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
3. Locate the following registry key:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace
4. Right-click the registry key that you located in step 3, point to New, and then click Key.
5. Type {645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}, and then press ENTER.
6. Click the new {645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E} key that you created in step 5.
7. In the right pane, double-click the (Default) entry.
8. In the Edit String dialog box, type Recycle Bin in the Value data box, and then click OK.
9. Close Registry Editor.

If you cannot restore the Recycle Bin by using the resolutions that are listed above, you can work around this issue by creating a shortcut to the Recycle Bin:

Note: This doesnt restore full functionality but will restore most

1. Click Start, and then click My Computer.
2. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.
3. Click the View tab, and then click to clear the Hide protected operating system files (Recommended) check box.
4. Click Yes when you receive the warning message, and then click OK to close the Folder Options dialog box.
5. Click Folders on the toolbar.
6. Note If Folders is not visible on the toolbar, point to Toolbars on the View menu, and then click Standard Buttons.
7. In the left navigation pane, under Folders, locate the Recycle Bin folder, and then drag the Recycle Bin folder to the desktop.
8. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.
9. Click the View tab, and then click to select the Hide protected operating system files (Recommended) check box. Click OK.