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The Windows garbage bin or "Recycle Bin" holds all deleted files you remove from your system. When you delete any file including a Windows system file, it is moved to the Recycle Bin. When you install a second operating system on the computer and delete the old folder on your system, it is placed in the Recycle Bin. Purpose · In the old MS-DOS operating system, a deleted file was removed from the system immediately. The Windows Recycle Bin is a method that protects you from accidentally deleting the wrong file. The file is actually left on the system, so you can restore it if you decide you want to keep the file in the future. The file is stored in its entirety until you decide to permanently delete it. Content · The content of the Recycle Bin is all the files you deleted on the system. If you install a new operating system on the system, your original Windows installation is stored in its folder. When you boot to the new operating system, the Windows folder is seen on the system. If you no longer need the folder, you can delete it. The files and folders for the Windows installation are transferred to the Recycle Bin. Recovery · First open the "Appearance and Personalization" utility in the Control Panel. Check the box to display the Recycle Bin and click "OK." After you set up the configurations, you can see the Recycle Bin on your desktop. Double-click it to view the content. Right-click a file and select "Restore." You can also click "Restore All" to recover all files in the Recycle Bin. Considerations The Recycle Bin can take up several gigabytes of data on your hard drive. If you need to free up hard drive space, you can empty the Recycle Bin. Right-click the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop and select "Empty Recycle Bin." The files are permanently removed from your system to clear up hard drive space.