ProfessorP

Q: can't empty trash that has partial time machine back up in it

Hello again.  I'm having a tough couple of days with OS X El Capitan.  "It just works" is the opposite of what is happening for me right now.

 

Currently, I can't empty the trash of a partial time machine back up file.  Last night I decided to put this partial time machine back up file in the trash and empty the trash, and then start a fresh backup since I had changed a lot to my system since my last backup had been going.  At the same time I started time machine backing up again and left the computer alone. 

 

This morning, the new backup appears to be "stuck" at roughly the same location that the old backup was at in terms of GB's (hard to really remember exactly) and the old backup file wont erase from the trash and it says "The operation can’t be completed because the item “2015-11-28-223526.inProgress” is in use etc for the file." 

 

I have done everything that I can think of to delete this file.  I restarted numerous time.  I booted into safe mode.  I turned off all programs, and disconnected the time machine back up disk from my time machine backups program.  I turned off time machine. 

 

I further did everything in this support article: You can't empty the Trash or move a file to the Trash - Apple Support

 

Although disk utility no longer has a "Disk Utility's Repair Permissions" function I have run disk utility first aid on the drive. 

 

I even did the advanced terminal method proposed for deleting locked files involving the command "chflags -R nouchg " but that also did nothing.  I still can't delete the files and it still continues to say "the item is in use" etc. 

 

What can I do to delete the files other than formatting the drive (which is not happening because it has other backups on it)?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.1)

Posted on Nov 29, 2015 5:48 AM

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Q: can't empty trash that has partial time machine back up in it

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  • by pinkstones,

    pinkstones pinkstones Nov 29, 2015 5:54 AM in response to ProfessorP
    Level 5 (4,209 points)
    Safari
    Nov 29, 2015 5:54 AM in response to ProfessorP

    You can't repair a disk while the disk is in use.  Shut down, then restart, holding down Command + R after you hear the startup chime.  When the Disk Utility screen comes up, select First Aid.  When that process is finished, restart the computer.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Nov 29, 2015 6:01 AM in response to ProfessorP
    Level 9 (50,188 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 29, 2015 6:01 AM in response to ProfessorP

    Turn off Time Machine, then empty the Trash. The backup file is still being held in use by Time Machine. You may need to restart, then empty the trash.

    Then, re-enable Time Machine.

     

    While a bit dated, much of this info is still good: http://pondini.org/OSX/Home.html

    Of particular interest in your current situation is how to perform a full reset of Time Machine: http://pondini.org/TM/A4.html

  • by ProfessorP,

    ProfessorP ProfessorP Nov 29, 2015 6:14 AM in response to pinkstones
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 29, 2015 6:14 AM in response to pinkstones

    pinkstones wrote:

     

    You can't repair a disk while the disk is in use.  Shut down, then restart, holding down Command + R after you hear the startup chime.  When the Disk Utility screen comes up, select First Aid.  When that process is finished, restart the computer.

    I did that an repaired the disk and it didn't find any errors and unfortunately I still can't delete the files.

  • by ProfessorP,

    ProfessorP ProfessorP Nov 29, 2015 6:15 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 29, 2015 6:15 AM in response to Barney-15E

    Barney-15E wrote:

     

    Turn off Time Machine, then empty the Trash. The backup file is still being held in use by Time Machine. You may need to restart, then empty the trash.

    Then, re-enable Time Machine.

     

    While a bit dated, much of this info is still good: http://pondini.org/OSX/Home.html

    Of particular interest in your current situation is how to perform a full reset of Time Machine: http://pondini.org/TM/A4.html

    I did all of that including following the instructions to perform a full reset, and unfortunately I still can't delete the files from my trash...  this is insane.

  • by ProfessorP,

    ProfessorP ProfessorP Nov 29, 2015 6:23 AM in response to ProfessorP
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 29, 2015 6:23 AM in response to ProfessorP

    Another question:  this particular back up disk has backups for four different computers on it.  They were backed up while hard wired into this external drive. 

     

    So If I copy these backup folders onto another drive, and then format the backup drive, and then copy them back onto the backup drive and put them into the backups folder...  then will they continue to work with time machine on my other computers when plugged into the back up drive?

     

    Thanks!

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Nov 29, 2015 6:50 AM in response to ProfessorP
    Level 9 (50,188 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 29, 2015 6:50 AM in response to ProfessorP

    I don't know. See the section in Pondini's Time Machine FAQ about moving a Time Machine backup, which is essentially what you would be doing.

  • by ProfessorP,

    ProfessorP ProfessorP Nov 29, 2015 1:57 PM in response to ProfessorP
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 29, 2015 1:57 PM in response to ProfessorP

    Ok, I followed the instructions on Apple's knowledge base article:

     

    Time Machine: How to transfer backups from a current backup drive to a new backup drive - Apple Support

     

    And I copied my other backups onto an alternate drive, and then wiped my main backup drive, and then copied my backups back onto main backup drive...  and now the stuff in the trash is gone and it looks like the new time machine backup is working.  Took a lot of waiting but hopefully it backs up normally and resolves my issue.  thx