Copying and deleting

Messages
7,321
Name
Graham
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi All,
A stupid question.
If I copy and paste photos from one drive (C) to another (D) or (J) then delete the original photos (C), does this also delete the photos that I copied to the other drive (D) or (J)?
J drive being a separate drive not a partition.
 
No.
 
No, you have created a COPY ... so now you have two.
Whichever you delete of the two, you will still have the remaining one available. :)
 
In windows try the shortcuts Control+c to copy item(s) - Control+v to paste - and Control+x to copy and delete the original (essentially move the file)
Also you can open two windows and use the drag technique.
 
Last edited:
Thanks,
That`s what I thought, copy, paste and delete and still have a copy.
It`s just I am sure I copied files over and now, about 1000 photos are GONE, and I also deleted the BIN box, That`ll teach me to be more careful in the future :banghead::banghead::banghead:
 
There’s a program I use called Beyond Compare that can run comparisons on folders on different drives and show differences. Might help avoid your issue next time you go to delete any files. It’s free for 31 days (literally 31 days usage, not 31 calendar days) and it’s not expensive, should you find it useful and want to keep it.
 
Thanks,
That`s what I thought, copy, paste and delete and still have a copy.
It`s just I am sure I copied files over and now, about 1000 photos are GONE, and I also deleted the BIN box, That`ll teach me to be more careful in the future :banghead::banghead::banghead:
Sounds like you may have used cut, paste & delete (ie moved them then deleted the moved files).

For RAW storage I use Lightroom so don’t move them myself. I also have automatic backups running to external drives. The ‘onsite backup’ has a safety net feature that saved the deleted files for a period of time (I’ve set it to 3 months) before it permanently deletes them. Useful just in case something like this occurs.
 
If they were recently deleted they will still be in recycle bin unless it was also emptied
 
Which version of windows are you running?

If a pro version right click on the folder they were in and see if says anything about previous versions.
 
Get an external HD, back up to it then mess about on the PC. If you screw up at least you have the backup on an external drive! I would also make a backup of the backup lol
 
Hi All,
A stupid question.
If I copy and paste photos from one drive (C) to another (D) or (J) then delete the original photos (C), does this also delete the photos that I copied to the other drive (D) or (J)?
J drive being a separate drive not a partition.

Don't worry about this one. Always remember that regardless of being a partition of same machine (whether it is a HDD or a SDD) or is another machine (again HDD or SSD). The drive letter is always treated as if it is a separate drive anyway.

For example...

If X:\ is on one drive while Z:\ is on another drive. When you copy from X to Z, you will have the files on X and another set of same files on Z. So if you were to delete from X, then the files on Z will be still there.

If X:\ and Z:\ are on the same drive (a partition of the same drive). When you copy from X to Z, you will have files on X and another set of same files on Z. So if you were to delete from X, then the files on Z will be still there anyway. It may be the same hard drive but the system acts as if it were two separate drives.

But when it comes to a partitioned hard drive. You do have to be careful with it. Any damage to the hard drive itself will affect both X: and Z: It would be a lot safer to copy to a separate drive like what you are doing, is better way.
 
Thanks, I have no idea where these shots have gone too, thats all my Hawaii shots gone :banghead::banghead::banghead::oops: :$ except for the ones I have PP`ed
Feckin baffled I am..
 
Stop and don't do any other file operations!

Files can often be undeleted (google for undelete tools) as long as they have not yet been overwritten so get an undelete tool, you may get most of them back.
 
Stop and don't do any other file operations!

Files can often be undeleted (google for undelete tools) as long as they have not yet been overwritten so get an undelete tool, you may get most of them back.
I have looked i the BIN, I dont see them so no idea where they have gone.
Guess I`ll have to go back to Oahu (Hawaii) (what a bummer) lol
 
I have looked i the BIN, I dont see them so no idea where they have gone.

Yes but even if they have gone from the recycle bin they are still on disk. What happens when you "delete" a file is that the header for the file is marked as deleted, it is still on disk, Windows then uses the space when it needs to. So there are apps out there that go off and find the files that are marked as deleted and let you restore them. This is different to the recycle bin.
 
Back
Top