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Northeast Missouri | Besides what NVDave told you, another possibility comes to mind.
File deletion time depends partly on whether you are Deleting or Recycling the file. Which one you are doing depends on several factors. By default, most Windows systems are set up to Recycle a file when you "delete" it. In other words, the file is moved to the Recycle bin, which really means that the file isn't truly deleted but rather is moved to a different location. This often takes considerably longer than deleting the file's directory entries (as NVDave described).
Even if your system is set up to send files to the Recycle bin when you delete them, you have the option of physically deleting the file instead--or at least that's true in most standard windows dialogs and in Windows Explorer. I'll use the example of what happens in Windows Explorer, where you can experiment with it yourself to see the speed difference.
Open Windows Explorer, insert a new folder--call it a Junk for instance--and copy a file into the Junk folder. Any file will do, but to see the speed differences it would be best if you use a file that's a megabyte or so in size (1,xxx,xxx bytes or larger. By making a copy of a file from some other folder into the Junk folder you are creating a file which you can freely delete or recycle without causing repercussions elsewhere in Windows.
Note: to copy a file, go to some other folder, highlight a file, and use the Edit|Copy command. Then return to the Junk folder and use the Edit|Paste command.
Now, use the Edit|Paste command again. Thus you will end up with two copies of the same file in the Junk folder, "some file" and "Copy of some file".
To test the speed difference, right-click on one of the files, then choose Delete from the pop-up menu. At this point Windows should normally ask if you really what to send the file to the Recycle bin. Answer yes and note how long the deletion takes.
Now highlight the remaining file copy by simply clicking on it. But this time after it is highlighted, while holding down the Shift key on your keyboard, press the Delete key. And when Windows asks if you really want to delete the file, answer Yes. Note how long the deletion takes.
Sometimes the difference will be extreme (much longer for recycling and deleting) and sometimes it won't be. In the test I've just described the speed difference won't always be great, partly because it isn't a real-world test: the two file copies you create may not be as fragmented as a real-world file can be--again, as NVDave explained.
Mark in NEMO
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Why do File Deletions sometimes take so long?
