fat32 cf card - can't delete folders/files

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Level 1

4 points

fat32 cf card - can't delete folders/files

I have a fat32 formatted compact flash card I am using in my vehicle for mp3 playback.

When I delete folders off of this through Finder, Finder shows as if they were deleted, but when you read the card on a Windows machine, or in my vehicle, the folder was not really deleted and remains.

I have found that it seems like you can only WRITE to the compact flash. You can't erase.

I had to reformat the entire card to fat32 and then rewrite everything just to change the contents of it.

Is there a workaround to this?

Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Sep 15, 2010 6:26 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 15, 2010 7:43 AM in response to acribb

Simple question first; How did you delete the files? By moving them to trash? And if so, did you empty the trash before unmounting the card?

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Answer 2

acribb Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 15, 2010 7:50 AM in response to noondaywitch

I deleted the folder by Command + Delete (trashing them?).

I believe I then just pulled the CF card out of the attached reader this particular time, without ejecting it.

I then noticed this same folder was still on the card when I put it in my vehicle.

From what I am reading, it seems that trashing the file leaves a .Trash folder on the CF card. I did not see this, I saw the full folder name, as if it had not ever been touched.

I will test tonight if emptying the trash truly removes the folder.

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Answer 3

Sep 15, 2010 9:12 AM in response to acribb

Simply trashing the files is not sufficient; you must empty the trash before unmounting the card.

Removing media without ejecting it first can also cause file corruption and possible difficulties remounting it later.

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