USB 512 MB thumb drive
I use a G4 Power Mac w/ OS X 3.9. Recently, I started using (PNY) USB 512 MB flash drives to carry info back and forth to work and home. When I delete info on the USB drives and then try to enter other info, I find that there is no space left. File deletion does not free up the space.
I can go into Disk Utility and 'Erase' most files on the USB drive, but there are still files and folders left although I can't see them. Disk Utility tells me: Capacity-488.1 MB; Available - 472.4 MB; Used: 15.7 MB; Number of folders - 3; Number of files - 2.
Does anyone know of a way to actually delete files on a USB flash drive without having to go to Disk Utility?
Why isn't Disk Utility able to free up ALL the space when erasing data on the flash drive?
I can go into Disk Utility and 'Erase' most files on the USB drive, but there are still files and folders left although I can't see them. Disk Utility tells me: Capacity-488.1 MB; Available - 472.4 MB; Used: 15.7 MB; Number of folders - 3; Number of files - 2.
Does anyone know of a way to actually delete files on a USB flash drive without having to go to Disk Utility?
Why isn't Disk Utility able to free up ALL the space when erasing data on the flash drive?
Comments
File deletion does not free up the space.
That shouldn't happen. What file system is on it? You're saying that when you delete a file and empty the trash that the space is still used?
Why isn't Disk Utility able to free up ALL the space when erasing data on the flash drive?
It does but those files are to do with formatting. The files will be one .DS_Store at the root directory and one in each folder. One of the folders will be a .Trashes folder, not sure what the other would be - I doubt it's Spotlight. Anyway, they are all invisible.
The space is also to do with formatting and mostly because 512MB is not 512MB computer space. It's the same way 4.7GB DVDs are actually just 4.4GiB (making sure to get the right nomenclature before I'm chastised
Yes, deleting files on the flash drive appeared to erase them because they weren't visible afterwards. The drive showed that the space/size of those files did not diminish. That wouldn't have bothered me as I'm aware that only the first letter (is that right?) is deleted. I expected that new files would overwrite the "deleted" files. When I attempted to input new files, I got an error message that there wasn't enough space.
Using Disk Utility to erase the files worked fine, but since I intend to delete the files each time I use the drive, that's a pain. I don't know what file system is on the flash drive as nothing else is visible.
Yes, deleting files on the flash drive appeared to erase them because they weren't visible afterwards. The drive showed that the space/size of those files did not diminish.
That's odd behaviour. Maybe the drive is damaged.
I would certainly try using another format. If you go into Disk Utility, on the left the flash drive should show up as two parts, one of which is indented slightly. The indented name is the partition. Select the drive itself and choose the erase tab and then pick a format. Mac OS Extended is the best format for Mac only drives and MS-DOS if you are using it with PCs.
That wouldn't have bothered me as I'm aware that only the first letter (is that right?) is deleted. I expected that new files would overwrite the "deleted" files.
When you delete a file, it's entry in the disk database/catalogue is removed but the file itself remains on the drive but the free space should still update because the file is then included in that space. The file contents will only disappear when it is overwritten as you say but that wouldn't prevent you copying files onto it.
I copied a large file into the flash drive, pressed the right mouse button and pressed ?move to trash? as I usually do. Instead of emptying the trash, I opened it. Although the file did not show in the flash drive, it wasn?t in the trash either. ?Moving it to the trash? evidently didn?t move it to the trash. New mystery!
Again, I copied a large file into the flash drive. This time I dragged it to the Trash. When I opened the Trash this time, the little rascal was in there. I used ?command I? on the flash drive and the file hadn?t been removed. Then I emptied the trash and watched the flash drive info change to indicate the file was no longer there.
I?ve tried this several times on the original flash drive and another new one. As long as I dragged the file to the Trash and then emptied it, the deletion worked. Using ?move to the trash? did not.
If you hadn?t mentioned emptying the trash, I would not have found the problem.
Thanks
+1 for Empty trash. DO IT!
Sorry, Blackwind212. I don't understand your comment. I did empty the trash.
I copied a large file into the flash drive, pressed the right mouse button and pressed ?move to trash? as I usually do. Instead of emptying the trash, I opened it. Although the file did not show in the flash drive, it wasn?t in the trash either. ?Moving it to the trash? evidently didn?t move it to the trash. New mystery!
Curious. Do you get the same problem if you use the Finder's file menu and use the Move to trash? Also if you use the view > customize toolbar option and put the red delete icon in place, check if that has the problem too.
Curious. Do you get the same problem if you use the Finder's file menu and use the Move to trash? Also if you use the view > customize toolbar option and put the red delete icon in place, check if that has the problem too.
The Finder's "Move to Trash" worked as did the red Delete icon I put in the tool bar. In both instances, the 90
MB file disappeared from the Flash Drive and appeared in the Trash. In both instances, the 'command I' dialog box did not recognize that the file was deleted from the Flash Drive until I emptied the Trash.
Why the 'right mouse click' "Move to Trash" didn't do the job is still a mystery. The mouse is a Logitech (8 button and scroll wheel) and not a Mac mouse. However, I strongly doubt that that is the problem since all the other stuff it controls seems to work. I'm just glad that you suggested emptying the trash. It was a real pain to have to use Disk Utility to do the job. Thanks again.
Why the 'right mouse click' "Move to Trash" didn't do the job is still a mystery.
Try deleting the Finder preferences in /Users/<name>/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist. Maybe check if you have any contextual menu items installed in /Library/Contextual Menu Items.
Try deleting the Finder preferences in /Users/<name>/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist. Maybe check if you have any contextual menu items installed in /Library/Contextual Menu Items.
Right on! Did as you suggested. "Right click" 'Move to Trash' sent file to Trash and emptying trash removed file from Flash Drive. Unfortunately, I eliminated both files (com.apple finder.plist and Contextual Menu Item) at the same time , so I don't know which did the trick. The Contextual Memo Item was an applet I downloaded from the Net: CopyPaste-X. I had some problems with it and stopped using it last year.
Are you a tech? Where do you find info like you sent me?
Are you a tech? Where do you find info like you sent me?
It really depends on what stuff you do with Macs that determines what you pick up. I have a computer programming education but I also do some stuff with film and 3D so I get experience of the whole system from the command line to general use. I work beside graphics designers and they've been using Macs for years like me but they hadn't even seen the terminal until I opened it.
I think there are probably some books somewhere detailing how OS X works but the best way I find is to just use OS X and when you have a problem, look online for a solution and write it down. I keep a plain text file linked from my Finder sidebar and update it with tips (actually I use it for all sorts, even bookmarks as I don't trust browsers). Macosxhints.com is a good place for tips. Soon you find that a few problems have similar solutions.