Vista tip: Delete the Contents of a Folder Without Even Opening It

Monday you learned how to turn a folder into a "favorite" for quick and easy access. Okay, but what if you want a quick and easy way to clear out a folder while leaving the folder itself intact?

Sure, you can open the folder, tap Ctrl-A to "select all" files, and then hit the Delete key. But for fans of right-click context menus (you know who you are), there's another way. By making a simple change to the Windows Registry, you can add a function called Delete Folder Contents. It's great for those times when you want to empty a folder without trashing the folder itself--and without even opening it first.

One word of caution: Any time you monkey with the Registry, there's a risk of messing up Windows. It's a tiny risk, and I've performed this hack myself with no problems to report, but I just wanted you to be aware.

Here's the process:

1. Click Start, type regedit in the search box, and then hit Enter.

2. In Regedit, go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell

3. Right-click on shell, choose New, Key, and name it Delete Folder Contents.

4. Right-click on the new Delete Folder Contents key, choose New, Key, and name it command.

5. In the right pane, double-click on the Default string value, and then copy/paste this text: cmd /c "cd /d %1 && del /s /q *.*

6. Click OK, exit the Registry, and you're good to go.

Now you can right-click on any folder (without actually opening it first) and you should see the new Delete Folder Contents option.

PC World

Sign up for ITworld's Daily newsletter
Follow ITworld on Twitter @IT_world

• Email
• Print
• Share
  • Slashdot
  • Digg
  • Stumble
  • Reddit
  • Newsvine