USB flash drive - MAC to PC

I use my USB flash drive between my MAC and my work computer (Windows laptop). I am somewhat familiar with the files and folders, such as .Trashes that are created on the flash drive when working on my MAC. Sometime ago, I downloaded and installed a freeware program (USBDriveFresher) that runs automatically on my laptop and cleans (deletes) all of those *.** files when I insert the flash drive in my USB port on my laptop.
I noticed just in the last two days, Friday and today, that this program not only doesn't run automatically and clean up these files, but even if I run the program manually, I can't "see" the flash drive. Also, I cannot go in and manually delete these files and folders, even when logging in as Administrator.
Additionally, the files that I work on, mainly Excel and Word files open in "read-only" mode on my laptop.
I am puzzled at this point and was hoping someone has some ideas as to what is going on all of a sudden.
Dave

I use a USB stick on Macs and PCs. On a Mac when you delete stuff you have to empty the Trash to get the space back on the stick. On a PC you don't have to do that so I shouldn't worry about those "hidden" files.

If you want to see and delete them on the PC, in a "Finder" window(don't know the PC equivalent name) go to Tools>Folder Options>View, then select "Show Hidden Files and Folders". You can then delete them, but AFAIK there is no need to.

I use a USB stick on Macs and PCs. On a Mac when you delete stuff you have to empty the Trash to get the space back on the stick. On a PC you don't have to do that so I shouldn't worry about those "hidden" files.

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Not true about the PC. To regain space on a flash drive or USB drive the Trash has to be emptied while the drive is mounted on your Mac. It works the same way on a PC, the only difference is that it's called the "Recycled Bin". The drive must be mounted on the PC and the "Bin" emptied in order to regain the space.

To the OP:

It's best to use separate flash drives or USB external drives for your Mac and PC. Less confusion and no problems with permissions.

chscag said:

Not true about the PC. To regain space on a flash drive or USB drive the Trash has to be emptied while the drive is mounted on your Mac. It works the same way on a PC, the only difference is that it's called the "Recycled Bin". The drive must be mounted on the PC and the "Bin" emptied in order to regain the space.

To the OP:

It's best to use separate flash drives or USB external drives for your Mac and PC. Less confusion and no problems with permissions.

Click to expand...

I am aware of the little quirks on the MAC end. However, to alleviate this, aside from un-mounting, or ejecting the flash drive the correct way, AND having to delete files all of the time, I am using a freeware program called USBDriveFresher, found here: USBDriveFresher - Download

When this utility program is installed on the Windows computer, it can be set to run automatically, as soon as the USB flash drive is detected. It then "cleans" or deletes all of those files and folders created on the MAC...everything preceded with a . (period). This usually works like a champ.

What I was experiencing yesterday though was really weird in that the program was not even recognizing (or "seeing") the flash drive! And, when I tried deleting the files and folders manually in Windows Explorer, I was denied access, even logged in as Administrator!

I went home last night, plugged the USB flash drive into my MAC, worked on at least one file with no problems at all, ejected the flash drive (properly), and today, here on my laptop, everything is fine again. Perhaps I had just removed the flash drive improperly over the weekend??

It works the same way on a PC, the only difference is that it's called the "Recycled Bin". The drive must be mounted on the PC and the "Bin" emptied in order to regain the space.

Click to expand...

Perhaps, but not on the PC(Windows XP) that I use at work. If I select items on the stick and delete either by right-clicking and selecting Delete, or selecting Delete from the "Sidebar", the items are deleted direct from the stick, don't appear in the Recycle Bin, and free space on the stick is regained immediately. That was also my experience using Windows 2000NT as well.

Perhaps, but not on the PC(Windows XP) that I use at work. If I select items on the stick and delete either by right-clicking and selecting Delete, or selecting Delete from the "Sidebar", the items are deleted direct from the stick, don't appear in the Recycle Bin, and free space on the stick is regained immediately. That was also my experience using Windows 2000NT as well.

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I should have mentioned above that there is a setting in Windows (NT, 2K, XP, Vista and Win7) that allows items to be directly deleted without being sent to the Recycle Bin first.

Perhaps I had just removed the flash drive improperly over the weekend??

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My experience with flash drives is it "varies". I have several where it doesn't matter if they're properly ejected or not, I will still get an improper removal alert. Anyway, glad to hear you have it working again.

I should have mentioned above that there is a setting in Windows (NT, 2K, XP, Vista and Win7) that allows items to be directly deleted without being sent to the Recycle Bin first.

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Ahh...didn't know that, although in this case it seems to only apply to USB sticks, as files deleted from the computer and external drives end up in the Recycle Bin.