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undeletable files on USB flash drive
Thread poster: Heike Behl, Ph.D.
Heike Behl, Ph.D.
Heike Behl, Ph.D.  Identity Verified
Ireland
Local time: 19:20
Member (2003)
English to German
+ ...
May 23, 2007

I'm using a USB flash drive with 128 MB as backup device for my daily work.

I tried to copy some files and got the message that there is not enough space. According to the files stored on it at the moment, there should be at least 70 MB left.

I unhid the protected operating files, which revealed a folder Recycled. This folder apparently contains previously saved files from a while ago, not the most recenlty deleted ones. However, these files are not visible when I open ... See more
I'm using a USB flash drive with 128 MB as backup device for my daily work.

I tried to copy some files and got the message that there is not enough space. According to the files stored on it at the moment, there should be at least 70 MB left.

I unhid the protected operating files, which revealed a folder Recycled. This folder apparently contains previously saved files from a while ago, not the most recenlty deleted ones. However, these files are not visible when I open the Recycled folder. This folder has an Empty Recycle Bin option, which at first was active but didn't have any effect, and is now grayed-out. The folder and its content are set to Read only, which I attempted to change, but although it seems to be applying the new attribute to all files inside and the process takes a while, the Read only checkbox remains marked.

How do I get rid of these ghost files to get full use of the 128 MB back? Is there a way to reformat this device?

TIA! ▲ Collapse
 
Jerzy Czopik
Jerzy Czopik  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 20:20
Member (2003)
Polish to German
+ ...
Format the USB stick May 23, 2007

This should remove everything. And this should work regardles of the file structure.

Regards
Jerzy

PS
Buy a new USB stick - for 15 US $ you should get one with 1 GB capacity.

[Edited at 2007-05-23 18:00]
 
Heike Behl, Ph.D.
Heike Behl, Ph.D.  Identity Verified
Ireland
Local time: 19:20
Member (2003)
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks May 23, 2007

Jerzy Czopik wrote:

PS
Buy a new USB stick - for 15 US $ you should get one with 1 GB capacity.




Thanks for your quick reply.
Do you have any idea why these files got stored? Does that mean I have to reformat the drive at regular intervals?
 
Jerzy Czopik
Jerzy Czopik  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 20:20
Member (2003)
Polish to German
+ ...
Sorry, I'm afraid I don't know May 23, 2007

Maybe you have used it with a Win98 system and did not safely remove it (I mean from OS side "Safely remove hardware"). Or you have detracted the stick while file operations where still performed?

Really, I don't know.
Best regards
Jerzy
 
Henrik Pipoyan
Henrik Pipoyan  Identity Verified
Local time: 22:20
Member (2004)
English to Armenian
Hi Heike May 23, 2007

Do you often empty the main recycle bin, which is on your desktop? If yes, is the flash drive usually connected when you do this? Usually, if you empty your recycle bin and the flash drive is connected, it should clean also the files on the Flash drive.
 


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undeletable files on USB flash drive






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