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Asked: 2026-05-11T02:49:46+00:00

On my Mac and any other Unix machine, when I delete a file by

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On my Mac and any other Unix machine, when I delete a file by any of the several available methods (rm on the command line, drag to trash, press delete key) it usually happens instantly. Occasionally it takes a few seconds if it’s a huge file.

On Windows, when I try to delete something a dialog comes up with a progress bar. On my machine the deletion can take 10 to 20 seconds or even more in some cases.

Is there a way to perform a delete operation on Windows XP with no wait period?

Also, is there a way to not have to click those ‘are you sure…’ dialogs?

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1 Answer

  1. Have you tried on the command line?

    del /q filename

    Optionally you could also install MinGW or Cygwin to get the same commands available in Windows as in Linux/Unix.

    Please note that file deletion might be slow if you keep many files in your Recycle Bin. Emptying the bin will solve the problem.

    You can permanently bypass the Recycle Bin by changing the configuration of the Recycle Bin. And you can also configure Windows XP to skip the confirmation message. For details check Microsoft’s Knowledge Base:

    HOW TO: Bypass the Recycle Bin When You Delete Files and Folders in Windows XP

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