[SOLVED] Massive storage size discrepancy on USB flash drive

Gregg Bell · 11-05-2019, 09:13 PM

I was using this 16 GB Patriot USB thumbdrive with FreeFile Sync. Well, the USB was getting pretty close to full, so I changed things around massively, so that there was only what I have in my Dropox folder, which is roughly 1.1 GB. So I should have 14.9 GB available,right? But when I click "properties" (the first screenshot) it shows 13.2 GB used and only 2.4 GB free, which is probably what I started with. Well, I checked Gparted and it showed the 13.2 GB used and 2.4 GB free, too. But on Free File Snyc it shows it only has 1.1 GB used, which is what's on there. It's like one of those deals with browsers where the cache hasn't been cleared and you're getting the old information. But of course that's not what's happening. But what is?

RandomTroll · 11-05-2019, 10:19 PM

What does

Code:

 du -BM

return?

Mill J · 11-05-2019, 10:21 PM

Is there a hidden "trash" folder? I've had that mess me up before.

Rickkkk · 11-06-2019, 10:56 AM

Hi Gregg_Bell,

I'm unfamiliar with the tool "FreeFile Sync" but it sounds simply like whatever "massive changes" you made didn't free up the space on the thumb drive.

If these changes involved, for example, pruning down your list of directories and files to sync / backup to the thumb drive, verify if FreeFile Sync has some kind of "delete" function to erase files you no longer want to back up (similar to the "--delete" option in rsync).

Worst case, you could always just format the USB drive and start fresh.

Cheers.

Gregg Bell · 11-06-2019, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandomTroll

What does

Code:

 du -BM

return?

Thanks, RandomTroll, but I glanced ahead to Mill's hidden trash folder and that was the culprit.

Gregg Bell · 11-06-2019, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mill J

Is there a hidden "trash" folder? I've had that mess me up before.

Thanks Mill! That did it. Man, I would've never found that in a million years. I really like Free File Sync and the Patriot USB drive. I figured since I deleted so much data that the drive was corrupt or at the very least wonky (it was taking 20 seconds to mount). Now everything works fine. Thanks again.

Gregg Bell · 11-06-2019, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rickkkk

Hi Gregg_Bell,

I'm unfamiliar with the tool "FreeFile Sync" but it sounds simply like whatever "massive changes" you made didn't free up the space on the thumb drive.

If these changes involved, for example, pruning down your list of directories and files to sync / backup to the thumb drive, verify if FreeFile Sync has some kind of "delete" function to erase files you no longer want to back up (similar to the "--delete" option in rsync).

Worst case, you could always just format the USB drive and start fresh.

Cheers.

Hi Rickkkk. Thanks a lot, but Mill's advice about the hidden trash folder was the problem. I'll check out Free File Sync for that delete function anyway. Appreciate it.

Rickkkk · 11-06-2019, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

Hi Rickkkk. Thanks a lot, but Mill's advice about the hidden trash folder was the problem. I'll check out Free File Sync for that delete function anyway. Appreciate it.

Hey Gregg - glad to hear you're all sorted - Cheers.

Gregg Bell · 11-06-2019, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rickkkk

Hey Gregg - glad to hear you're all sorted - Cheers.

Thanks Rickkkk.

RandomTroll · 11-06-2019, 05:13 PM

If it's solved, you can mark this thread as solved.