Deleting Files from a memory stick (thumb drive)

[Primejimbo]

I am still "new" to the Mac world and I have a question about memory sticks/thumb drives and deleting info.
I deleted some stuff from a thumb drive and it shows up in the trash can, but when I eject the thumb drive the trash can is empty of the stuff I deleted from the thumb drive. So I figured nothing to delete from the trash can.
So today when I plugged in the thumb drive the stuff that I deleted shows back up in the trash can. So for fun I ejected the thumb drive and the trash was empty. Is this normal?
I am now deleting the stuff in the trash can with the thumb drive attached and I can see it "in use" light flashing on the thumb drive.

 

[flatfoot]

Yes, that's perfectly normal.
In OSX the stuff you put into the trash is not copied there and then the old entry is deleted from the drive (like it is in Windows, I believe...), but the trash is actually a folder into which the files are moved. Every volume has a trash folder of its own and thus the files from your thumb drive you put into the trash (i. e. into the trash folder) only show up in the trash when the thumb drive is mounted.

 

[jodelli]

That's normal.
I also find sometimes when switching thumb drives between different formats that odd files pop up now and again when I thought they were deleted.

 

[Primejimbo]

Thanks for the info and fast replies!!! It was a big help.

 

[flatfoot]

You're welcome.

 

[Ashka]

If you want the files to be deleted permanently from the Flash Drive..
Send to trash then Empty the Trash on your Mac while the flash Drive is still connected..
S.