A question about USB drives


  1. Posts : 94
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
       #1

    A question about USB drives


    Hey,

    Don't know if this a dumb question or not but I'm asking just because I'm curious.
    Deleted data still stays on a drive, right? At least until it's overwritten by another thing? When I plug a flash drive or even a phone via USB in a PC and delete a file from there, is the left data on the flash drives or on the PC's HDD/SSD?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 8,057
    windows 10
       #2

    It's left on the USB
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 13,896
    Win10 Version 22H2 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home
       #3

    But you can't usually see it. The way it has been done since back in DOS days is only the first character of the file name is deleted and the space that file occupied is marked as available when needed for other files which will then over-write the deleted file. Frequently a recovery program can get the deleted file back if the first letter of the file name is remembered by the user but it relies on that file not being over-written. Or in other words, if a file is accidentally deleted it's best to try to get it back right away, that's why the Recycle Bin is important but that doesn't always work with External drives.
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 4,752
    Windows 11 Pro 64 Bit 22H2
       #4

    Yes, when you delete files from any computer media, (ie) phone, flash drive, HDD etc Most people cannot access these files,they are not "seen" but The data is still accessible if you use the right kind of recovery software. Unless it has been overwritten or the drive has been Wiped.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 216
    Windows 10 Home 64-bit
       #5

    BicycleRow said:
    Hey,

    Don't know if this a dumb question or not but I'm asking just because I'm curious.
    Deleted data still stays on a drive, right? At least until it's overwritten by another thing? When I plug a flash drive or even a phone via USB in a PC and delete a file from there, is the left data on the flash drives or on the PC's HDD/SSD?
    Yep the USB. Data Recovery as Fast as Possible has a good rundown of how this overwritten process works.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 32
    Windows 10
       #6

    it will be stays in the external devices, not the computer hard drive. If you delete a file from computer hard drive, you can find it in recycle, but if you delete a file from the external device, you cannot find it from recycle.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 4,752
    Windows 11 Pro 64 Bit 22H2
       #7

    if you delete a file from the external device, you cannot find it from recycle.
    This is not true. When you delete a file from an External USB HDD or Flash Drive it goes to the Recycle Bin on your C: Drive accessible from the icon on the desktop. As long as you don't unplug the drive before you try to restore the files back to the external, it will be accessible. If you unplug the External or restart your computer, the file will not be accessible to restore, but will still be taking up space in the Recycle Bin. To clean out the Recycle Bin, you must run Disk Cleanup
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 32
    Windows 10
       #8

    Hi spunk,

    You can try it again. I used a USB 2.0 Drive and USB 3.0 Drive to try, I can find no files in the desktop recycle. For internal HDD, delete the files is the computer makes a delete mark, it will store the file to recycle, because the HDD is internal device, but for USB Drive, an external device, delete the file means clean the file, the computer will not make a delete mark.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 1,463
    Windows 10 Pro 22H2 64 bit
       #9

    My external 3.0 drive has it's on Recycle folder as does all my internal drives.
    All of these will show in the Desktop recycle bin.
    If I remove the external drive it still has the file but it no longer shows in the Desktop recycle bin.
    When I plug the drive back it the deleted file will reappear in the Desktop recycle bin.

    Jim
      My Computer


 

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