Odd deletion/recycle bin issue on fresh Win2K install

[Xylob the Destroyer]

Just bought a 'pre-furb' PC for the mother-in-law and installed Windows 2000 on it.
Getting stuff like Office etc installed and noticed that whenever any file is deleted, it's really deleted. Nothing is going to the Recycle Bin!!
Can anybody gimme a clue as to what the problem is here?
The mother-in-law is very technologically challenged -- I don't want her accidentally deleting important stuff and not being able to restore it.

Any help would be appreciated.

TIA!!!

[holistic]

right click recycle bin
select properties
select global
deselect Do Not Move Deleted Files to the Recycle Bin

[Xylob the Destroyer]

nope, that's not it.
I checked it and the option to "Do not move files to the Recycle Bin." is not checked.
I even marked it, applied the setting, and then un-marked it and applied the setting to really make sure that the option was not set.
Stuff is still getting deleted without going to Recycle.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

in fact, even if I drag a desktop item to the recycle bin and drop it on there, it asks if I want to delete the item (as opposed to sending to recycle) and once I choose yes, it's gone.
dragging stuff to the recycle bin and then exploring the recycle bin, I find an empty recycler.

[ViRaL1]

What kind of importan stuff are you worried about her deleting? Docs? System Files?

[Xylob the Destroyer]

Yes and yes.
Like I said, she's VERY technologically challenged.
In her 50's and this will be her first computer since the days of the Apple IIe.

[ViRaL1]

Your best bet will probably be to create a basic user account for her and lock it down in User Management so she can't do much other than run apps.