# Recycle bin, "System Resources" folder, Fixed and Removable hard drives - remedial education needed

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recycle-bin-system-resources-folder-fixed-and-removable-hard-drives-remedial-education-needed/553766>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 14, 2010, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recycle-bin-system-resources-folder-fixed-and-removable-hard-drives-remedial-education-needed/553766 "2010-09-14T20:01:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recycle-bin-system-resources-folder-fixed-and-removable-hard-drives-remedial-education-needed/553766/1 "2010-09-14T20:01:52Z")

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Help me understand how Windows XP treats storage devices as fixed or removeable, and what dictates whether they get Recycle Bins and other features.

I use removeable devices such as PCMCIA memory cards, CompactFlash cards in PCMCIA adapters, and the like. I use them with instruments like data loggers, that run simple file systems like FAT or FAT16 (not FAT32 or NTFS). I move them back and forth to a Windows XP laptop to get programs and data where I need them.

The problem is that sometimes Windows does several things that seem wrong. It will put a Recycle Bin on the card, and a grayed out folder called “System Resources”, and trying to delete these gives an error. Windows also lists them as “Hard Drives” and not “Drives with Removable Storage”. I don’t understand these distinctions or why things work as they do. The cards seem to accomplish what I need them to, so I’m not actually stuck, but I wish I felt like I knew what I was doing. Plus, perhaps there is something bad going on here, or will be.

Anybody feel like enlightening me a little? Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recycle-bin-system-resources-folder-fixed-and-removable-hard-drives-remedial-education-needed/553766/2 "2010-09-14T20:15:47Z")

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Whoops, the grayed out folder is named “System Volume Information”. Sorry.