erasing files from USB flash drive

Question

erasing files from USB flash drive

I have a Lexar JumpDrive 256mb flash drive. I recently moved to Mac from Windows. In windows, if you delete files from a flash drive, the space they once occupied turns into free space on the flash drive. However with my Macbook, dragging the files from the flash drive to the trash only makes it so the files will not show up in finder; the space they occupied on the flash drive is still used up. In order to remove them, I must use the erase function in disk utility. Is there an easier way to do this?

macbook 2.16 core 2 duo 1gb ram, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Jul 7, 2007 1:07 PM

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Answer 1

yaume

Level 3

655 points

Jul 7, 2007 1:23 PM in response to irollerblade318

You need to empty the trash after you've put the files in it.

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Answer 2

Jul 7, 2007 1:49 PM in response to yaume

that didn't work.

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Answer 3

Jul 7, 2007 1:54 PM in response to yaume

ok I apologize that did work for some stuff, but after erasing with disk utility it still says there is 12.2 mb of used space on it.

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Answer 4

yaume

Level 3

655 points

Jul 7, 2007 2:21 PM in response to irollerblade318

Well, 12mb could just be the space used by whatever little os there is in there, the same way my 80gb hd only has 74gb really.
edit: my usb flash drive has only 962mb out of 1gb

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Answer 5

leelee82

Level 1

0 points

Aug 9, 2007 10:56 AM in response to irollerblade318

I had a similar issue with my USB drive after erasing files from it on my Mac.
I put the USB drive into my PC and there was a hidden file named ".Trash". I opened that up and all the files that I had "deleted" while plugged into the Mac were there!

I'm not sure how to show hidden folders/files on a Mac;
I bet that's what is happening to you too

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Answer 6

GfulDedFan

Level 4

3,315 points

Aug 9, 2007 12:05 PM in response to irollerblade318

Ben " I must use the erase function in disk utility "

I think when you're in disk utility doing the erase, there's some options to choose about the erase. The default merely removes the directory but leaves the file as "recoverable". The highest setting is like 35 passes of erase that will erase the files pretty much completely. Check to see if that's what you're looking for.
By the way; I don't advise the 35 pass option to someone erasing a large drive.

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Answer 7

Matt Ma

Level 4

1,288 points

Aug 9, 2007 1:31 PM in response to leelee82

That hidden ".Trash" file you see on the PC can also be seen on the Mac.

Empty the trash on your Mac. Then plug in the USB drive. Look at the trash on your Mac now. If there were files in ".Trash" then they will show up here in the trash bin of your Mac. If you want to delete them, you will need to empty the trash while the USB drive is connected.

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