"Delete" deletes copied files in wrong folder

[Ben777]

I wonder if anyone experienced this...

I had external Hard Drive plugged into my iMac.

1. I saved bunch of jpg files from my Desktop to my external Hard drive.

2. I moved those jpg files from Dektop into Trash.

3. I tried to empty Trash. When I was emptying Trash, I suspected something was wrong, because Trash bin icon would stll show full Trash (it would make "trash emptying" sound every time I tried to do it again). I checked if I am doing what I am doing. Yes, emptying Trash. So, I continued.

4. In a minute I realized exactly the same jpg files were dissapearing from my external Hard Drive.

How is this possible? Why "Empty Trash" command would empty files not only from Trash bin, but also from another folder?

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In a couple days I had the same issue. I moved files from desktop into "Documents" folder. While deleting files from Desktop, identical files were deleted from my Documents folder.

How is this possible?

In short - sometimes while deleting files (or emtying Trash), identical files dissapear from both folders - Desktop or Trash AND another folder with copied files.

Thanks for every insight.

 

[jpn]

the described behavior can only happen if the file on the macOS device and the file on the external drive are somehow linked, for example with some kind of sync software, or cloned in such a way to always sync.*

*i assume the items being deleted are data files/jpgs etc and not just Alias to the original file.

nothing from yr description of the problem indicates you have enabled iCloud Drive.
but it might be interesting to try the following:
place a file/jpg in a non Desktop or Documents location ( like, in (usually hidden) Library and on the external drive in a folder that is also neither Desktop or Documents.
delete it.
and see if that file/jpg shows the same behavior.