brisaman

Q: Trash will not empty

Dumped old files from external HD backup. Large dump - over 1 million files. Now Trash will not empty. Asks to dump locked files, which I say yes to, then dialog box disappears and nothing happens. Doesn't dump the files. Why?

iMAC, Mac OS X (10.4.9), G5; 2GHz; 667MHz;

Posted on Oct 31, 2013 1:10 PM

Close

Q: Trash will not empty

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

Previous Page 2
  • by bridge33,

    bridge33 bridge33 Apr 23, 2014 2:47 AM in response to baltwo
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 23, 2014 2:47 AM in response to baltwo

    Found your link and it worked perfectly.....thanks!

  • by Thatblokeoverthere,

    Thatblokeoverthere Thatblokeoverthere Jul 21, 2014 2:12 AM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (7 points)
    Jul 21, 2014 2:12 AM in response to Linc Davis

    Brilliant. Thanks. This solved the problem for me.

  • by Kahlo-man,

    Kahlo-man Kahlo-man Sep 16, 2014 8:49 AM in response to brisaman
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 16, 2014 8:49 AM in response to brisaman

    I had a large group of music files I trashed from an external hd. Over ¼ billion files when emptied securely. It would load the trash to be emptied and then quit emptying the trash at some point leaving most of the files still there. Even if it seemed to delete 10,000 files, if it stopped, they would still be there on subsequent attempts

     

    I used the hold "option" and "empty trash" and it seemed to work but I stopped it and tried switching the preferences in Finder, [Finder, Preferences, Advanced, uncheck "Empty Trash Securely"].

     

    The trash started emptying at lighting speed and only 180K files were being deleted.

     

    But after it deleted the files, it started counting negative files to delete. It went all the way back up to ¼ billion.

     

    It worked.

  • by RichardSunday,

    RichardSunday RichardSunday Sep 16, 2014 9:31 AM in response to brisaman
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 16, 2014 9:31 AM in response to brisaman

    I once had a few gig of files in the trash which wouldn't empty, in the end I installed a program called 'Trash It!' which managed to empty the bin finally safely. hope this helps

  • by lloyd965,

    lloyd965 lloyd965 Aug 15, 2015 1:17 PM in response to Bigwheeler
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 15, 2015 1:17 PM in response to Bigwheeler

    Option+Empty Trash solved my problem. I had moved like 15 backup folders into the trash, and the contents were so big I could not empty it. Simple solution after lots of head-scratching and contemplating Terminal approaches. Thank you, Bigwheeler and Linc Davis!

  • by spinningstill,

    spinningstill spinningstill Jan 9, 2016 10:55 AM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (20 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 9, 2016 10:55 AM in response to Linc Davis

    Have done some of these things to empty trash but still not working.  Tried dragging items out but makes copies.  Any new way to do it.  Don't see a way to secure empty as well.  Need to empty trash external drive.  Current OS X

Previous Page 2