Recycle bin on Flash Drives

I suspect I've deleted some files from my flash drive. I selected a couple of folders stuffed with files that I thought I didn't need, and hit delete, While deletion was in progress I checked and I decided one of the folders I still needed the contents of, so I cancelled the deletion which was in progress. The folders were on my USB flash drive.

If they had been on my C: drive I would have just checked the Recycle bin for any files that had been deleted, but there doesn't seem to be one for the flash drive; I can't see the right files in the main recycle bin. How can I recover the deleted files ? (Actually I'm not certain any files are missing, but the folder seems a lot smaller than I would have expected...)

Dumb_Question
2.September.2012
Compaq Presario S5160UK DT261A under XP/SP3
Processor - Celeron 2.7 GHz
Motherboard - MSI MS-6577 v2.1
RAM - 1GB + 512MB (1GB +1GB max) DDR PC2700
PSU - Octigen 300W model 10270PSOTG ('upgraded' from original Bestec 250W PSU [in 2011?])
Nvidia GeForce 6200 graphics card in AGP slot.

 

Not sure if possible on thumbdrives but nothing to lose by trying.

http://majorgeeks.com/FreeUndelete_d4407.html

 

It didn't find any deleted files at all. I know I deleted a vast number of files from this flash drive on Saturday 25 August, I'm guessing that when you delete from a flash drive, you delete without trace, like writing 0's everywhere instead of just modifying the directory.

Dumb_Question
2.September.2012
Compaq Presario S5160UK DT261A under XP/SP3
Processor - Celeron 2.7 GHz
Motherboard - MSI MS-6577 v2.1
RAM - 1GB + 512MB (1GB +1GB max) DDR PC2700
PSU - Octigen 300W model 10270PSOTG ('upgraded' from original Bestec 250W PSU [in 2011?])
Nvidia GeForce 6200 graphics card in AGP slot.

 

Thought that was the way it was, but the old memory isn't what it used to be.

 

-> plodr
I hadn't thought of the lifetime of a flash drive. By 'move' do you mean 'copy' ? I thought 'moving' entailed deleting the file(s) from their original location, just what you are trying to avoid. If it does mean 'copying', doesn't you USB/flash drive get full up with files you you don't need ? (OK, I wish I had still had this folder, but I saw it one my hard drives and foolishly assumed that it was full of files, when in fact it was an empty folder as a placemarker to which I ntended to copy those very files !)

Dumb_Question
3.September.2012
Compaq Presario S5160UK DT261A under XP/SP3
Processor - Celeron 2.7 GHz
Motherboard - MSI MS-6577 v2.1
RAM - 1GB + 512MB (1GB +1GB max) DDR PC2700
PSU - Octigen 300W model 10270PSOTG ('upgraded' from original Bestec 250W PSU [in 2011?])
Nvidia GeForce 6200 graphics card in AGP slot.

 

How does the OS show the file(s) as not being present on the flash drive without having deleted them ? What is different in that part of the process between 'delete' and 'move' ? The latter is functionally equivalent to 'copy' then 'delete from original location, though the mechanics of the two processes may be different.

Dumb_Question
3.September.2012
Compaq Presario S5160UK DT261A under XP/SP3
Processor - Celeron 2.7 GHz
Motherboard - MSI MS-6577 v2.1
RAM - 1GB + 512MB (1GB +1GB max) DDR PC2700
PSU - Octigen 300W model 10270PSOTG ('upgraded' from original Bestec 250W PSU [in 2011?])
Nvidia GeForce 6200 graphics card in AGP slot.