Corrupt files on USB Flash Drive... Can't Delete them!!

[MykOne]

I put 8 mp3's on a flash drive just to test out if it would work in the Explorer (MFT)
As soon as i put it in.. I got the error "corrupt files can't be played" (something of that sort).
I hit the browse and searched ALL music on the Flash Drive.

All of my 8 mp3's were there and I can choose it and it will play...
BUT.. there are 4 files that I did not put on the Flash Drive.. .which I think MFT is saying these are the corrupt ones.

I put the flash drive on my Mac... and those files are not there for me to delete. I can't find it. I even tried showing hidden files and it still wasn't there.

Anyone ever had this issue?
How can I delete/fix these files that are being read as corrupt?

 

[thefranchise713]

Those four files might be placed there by your computer's operating system. What are they named?

 

[peterk9]

I've also purchase some flash drives that had pre installed software on them but they've never interfered with anything I put on them.

Peter

 

[chefduane]

Quick Format the flash drive and then re-copy the mp3's to the drive.

 

[MykOne]

Thanks for the reply guys... but I know for a fact that it wasn't installed by my Mac nor was it preinstalled on the flash drive.
I reformatted the drive so there was nothing on it. I did see the hidden files as I enabled to see them on my Mac.

Here's what the file names look like...

My mp3's:
Feel Good Muzic.mp3
Happy Hour Vol 1.mp3

The corrupt files (that I can see only when I browse in MFT):
._Feel Good Muzic.mp3
._Happy Hour Vol 1.mp3

After seeing the initial "files can't be played" pop up... it will play the mp3's.

So it seems that when I put the Flash Drive in and MFT indexes... it may create these files.,
When I put the drive back into my Mac... I don't see the "._Feel Good Muzic.mp3" or the " ._Happy Hour Vol 1.mp3"

I re-formatted the drive again.. deleting everything on it. Loaded up a few other different mp3's. Put the drive in the Explorer and same thing happened..
It created these other files that alll start with "._" with the same file name... which when I try to play those i get the "file can't be played".

 

[chefduane]

Very strange. Possibly indexing pointers for the MFT file system, but why would they then display on the MFT screen...? As long as the regular mp3 files will play, you may have to just live with the odd pop ups and ignore them. Is this the first time you have tried making your own flash drive with mp3s on it? Have the others behaved similarly or is it just this one drive?

 

[thefranchise713]

The ._Files are metadata from Mac OS when working with a non-Apple native file system.

In short, leave the files, they are being created by your Mac. But they're data that Mac OS uses silently, not data that MFT can do anything with.

 

[MykOne]

chefduane: Yes... it's the first time using a Flash Drive. I've been using my iPod which I really don't have any issues with except that it's always indexing... even though I leave it plugged in all the time. Sometimes it's quick.. but sometimes it take quite some time to finish.. then has to do the building commands thing after.

thefranchise: I'm a bit confused... so you're saying that when I save an mp3 to the Flash on my mac.. it creates those files and can't even see them on my mac but I can see them on MFT? And do you know if those files take up the same amount of storage as the actual mp3?

So.. I guess since I really can't do anything about them.. just deal with the pop up error...

 

[thefranchise713]

Yes, and the size is legitimately negligible as to such files. If you turn on display for hidden files on your Mac, you may be able to see and delete such files from the flash drive.

I'm a little surprised MFT is choking on those metadata files, though. Surprised they're not just ignored. Makes sense though--you're basically using a Windows file system, where those ._ artifacts you're seeing are a creature of the Mac world.

 

[Whickey24]

I believe algorithms for MP3's were created in a non Mac environment as Mac's usually were .aiff before MP4's came along. I believe those files are temp files created by your Mac to help translate and subsequently play the Mp3. Ideally, they would be deleted when you stop playing the mp3 and remove the drive. But if you don't remove the drive in the exact way a computer likes, you risk having straggler files.

Perhaps try a drive formatted in a windows computer, and see if MFT still chokes.

 

[Lhymes]

As noted above they are hidden files on the Mac. The easiest way to wipe the drive if you want is to open Disk Utility and partition the drive. Choose 1 partition, MBR partition map, and FAT32 file system. The other way to wipe the drive is using rm -r in terminal (you will likely need to elevate the command with sudo). You can google "mac rm -r" for instruction on using, but be careful cause it is destructive and if you are in or point to the wrong directory you could really mess yourself up. If you have access to a PC you can remove the files without any special steps (they won't be hidden).

 

[MykOne]

Thanks lyhmes!
So if in just stick the drive in a PC.. I can just delete those ._files?

 

[Lhymes]

Thanks lyhmes!
So if in just stick the drive in a PC.. I can just delete those ._files?

Yes

 

[MykOne]

Thanks to all the suggestions above....
Since then.. I've been loading musing from my mac to the FD and then just sticking the FD into a PC and deleting the ".-" files.
I haven't seen the pop up after doing this process.

I do have a follow up question...
I have about 5K songs loaded up on the FD. No folders... just all songs.
Is there a way (or will MFT be able to read) put these songs in Folders?

That way I can just pick a folder to play certain tracts/songs vs just "shuffling" through 5K worth of music.