# How do I delete copies of stuff on my memory stick? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 29, 2009, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542 "2009-01-29T14:04:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542/1 "2009-01-29T14:04:47Z")
Someone copied files to demo the thing. How can I dispose of the files, not knowing where they were copied from? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542/2 "2009-01-29T14:07:29Z")
Assuming you’re using a PC, it’s a hard drive. If you’re using Vista, Click on Start, My Computer. If you’re using XP, double-click on the My Computer icon on your desktop. You should see icons for each of the drives. Look for one not C: or D: that also isn’t a CD or DVD drive and double click on it. Search around for the files you don’t want on it, and delete them. Bear in mind that it won’t have a recycle bin, so this is a non-recoverable delete, without access to some fairly arcane technology. If you’re using a Mac, I dunno. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542/3 "2009-01-29T14:12:02Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Assuming you’re using a PC, it’s a hard drive. If you’re using Vista, Click on Start, My Computer. If you’re using XP, double-click on the My Computer icon on your desktop. You should see icons for each of the drives. Look for one not C: or D: that also isn’t a CD or DVD drive and double click on it. Search around for the files you don’t want on it, and delete them. Bear in mind that it won’t have a recycle bin, so this is a non-recoverable delete, without access to some fairly arcane technology. > > If you’re using a Mac, I dunno. Okay. TY. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542/4 "2009-01-29T14:51:03Z")
Ethilrist, will a simple delete on a flash drive make the files unrecoverable? Or does it simply set a flag in the directory entry as with regular hard drives, and not go overwrite the data locations? If BarnOwl is concerned that his data be strictly not recoverable even against people who may be motivated to take extra steps, he should be concerned about that. And by the way, for anyone who would like to keep private data on a portable flash drive, I strongly recommend TrueCrypt. It will create a single large container file on any drive, which TrueCrypt will make it look like it’s another disk drive on your system. But the data on that virtual drive is strongly encrypted and you have to supply TrueCrypt with your password to access it. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542/5 "2009-01-29T15:55:21Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Assuming you’re using a PC, it’s a hard drive. If you’re using Vista, Click on Start, My Computer. If you’re using XP, double-click on the My Computer icon on your desktop. You should see icons for each of the drives. Look for one not C: or D: that also isn’t a CD or DVD drive and double click on it. Search around for the files you don’t want on it, and delete them. Bear in mind that it won’t have a recycle bin, so this is a non-recoverable delete, without access to some fairly arcane technology. > > If you’re using a Mac, I dunno. See, this is why I hate PCs. With a Mac, you just drag the files into the desktop wastebasket and select ‘empty trash’. Done. ---
**Author:** ![arseNal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@arseNal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arseNal)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542/6 "2009-01-29T16:15:52Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > See, this is why I hate PCs. With a Mac, you just drag the files into the desktop wastebasket and select ‘empty trash’. Done. To be fair, the “complicated” part of **Ethilrist’s** explanation is identifying the USB drive on the PC; “drag the files into the desktop wastebasket” presupposes that you’ve already done that part. While there is truth to the notion that many things are more complicated in Windows than on a Mac, deleting files isn’t generally one of them. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542/7 "2009-01-29T16:36:49Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > See, this is why I hate PCs. With a Mac, you just drag the files into the desktop wastebasket and select ‘empty trash’. Done. You can do exactly the same thing on a PC. Drag the file to the recycle Bin and empty the recycle bin. It is just that normal people once they have the file selected press the delete key because it is a whole lot easier. I strongly suspect that most mac people would press the delete key instead of dragging it to the trash can for the same reason. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542/8 "2009-01-29T17:33:10Z")
> [@gazpacho](#): > > You can do exactly the same thing on a PC. Drag the file to the recycle Bin and empty the recycle bin. It is just that normal people once they have the file selected press the delete key because it is a whole lot easier. I strongly suspect that most mac people would press the delete key instead of dragging it to the trash can for the same reason. Pressing “Delete” doesn’t work on a Mac. You _have to_ drag the file to the trash can. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542/9 "2009-01-29T17:35:49Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > Pressing “Delete” doesn’t work on a Mac. You _have to_ drag the file to the trash can. sounds complicated. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542/10 "2009-01-29T17:37:44Z")
No - on a Mac, you just hit Cmd-Delete. As a bonus, it doesn’t ask for confirmation. ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542/11 "2009-01-29T17:42:04Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > No - on a Mac, you just hit Cmd-Delete. As a bonus, it doesn’t ask for confirmation. Delete confirmation can be turned off in Windows by unchecking the option in the Recycle Bin’s properties. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542/12 "2009-01-29T17:45:16Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > No - on a Mac, you just hit Cmd-Delete. As a bonus, it doesn’t ask for confirmation. Which one is the Cmd key? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![EristicKallistic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/85e7bf/32.png) [@EristicKallistic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EristicKallistic)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542/13 "2009-01-29T19:44:10Z")
It’s the one next to the “any” key ---
**Author:** ![Amblydoper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@Amblydoper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amblydoper)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542/14 "2009-01-29T20:00:54Z")
Once you have a Finder window open on a Mac, the deleting process is the same as the PC. The uncomplicated part that **San Vito** was referring to was finding the flash drive in the first place. After you insert the drive into the USB port, an icon for the drive pops up on the desktop, with a name! Just double click that, and you have your Finder window, displaying all the files just as a Window’s Explorer window does. The drive also shows up on the edge of any open Finder windows, right under the Hard Drives. On Windows, you must navigate your way through to “My Computer,” and then guess what drive letter your flash drive was assigned. MS gives you no indication as to which letter it might be, but pops up a “WRONG!” window if you guess incorrectly. Imagine the chaos when you have 3 or more drives plugged in at once! ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542/15 "2009-01-29T20:05:28Z")
> [@CoG888](#): > > On Windows, you must navigate your way through to “My Computer,” and then guess what drive letter your flash drive was assigned. MS gives you no indication as to which letter it might be, but pops up a “WRONG!” window if you guess incorrectly. Imagine the chaos when you have 3 or more drives plugged in at once! Actually, no, unless you have this “feature” turned off, when you plug a thumb drive into a Vista PC it’ll practically wet itself in excitement asking you what you want it to do with this newfangled thing. People who turn the “feature” off without knowing how to find the drives on their computer should expect to have to do a little hunting around from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542/16 "2009-01-29T20:21:29Z")
To continue with Ethilrist’s comment. When I plug in my flash drive they appear on the windows equivalent of finder with a name that is independent of the letter assigned by windows. I can even assign a new name for my personal convenience allowing me to quickly and easily tell the various drives apart. ---
**Author:** ![flex727](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/258eb7/32.png) [@flex727](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flex727)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542/17 "2009-01-29T20:24:12Z")
> [@BarnOwl](#): > > How can I dispose of the files, not knowing where > they were copied from? I assuming the answer to your question has been given upthread, but I’m curious - what do you mean by “not knowing where they were copied from”? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542/18 "2009-01-29T20:26:25Z")
AFAIK, flash drives configured as disk drives work the same way as disk drives with regard to deleting, i.e., replacing the first letter of the directory entry as a flag. Although I confess I have never used a hex/bin editor to confirm this, I have successfully used file recovery tools to restore files on corrupted flash memory cards. I also can’t confirm that ALL flash drives work this way, but the ones I’ve tried do. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542/19 "2009-01-29T20:29:03Z")
> [@BarnOwl](#): > > How can I dispose of the files, not knowing where > they were copied from? It doesn’t matter where they were copied _from._ The standard directory entry (on a PC, at least) doesn’t store the source data and doesn’t know where ANY file came from, ever. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542/20 "2009-01-29T20:44:54Z")
> [@flex727](#): > > I assuming the answer to your question has been given upthread, but I’m curious - what do you mean by “not knowing where they were copied from”? So, my son comes over, I tell him I have a flash drive and ask how to copy something to it. He shoots the thing the USB, copies a bunch of files, “Like this,” he says, and immediately we go on to something else. It’s only after he leaves to do I ask, “WTF do I do now?” :smack: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-copies-of-stuff-on-my-memory-stick/483542.md?page=2)