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Can't Delete Files from Trash!

Hello,

This is a problem I've been having for the last 6 hours, and having expelled all other options I know of, I ask for your help and support!

Recently I had an issue with Photo Booth - I deleted Quicktime X (it was slow on my old Macbook Pro) and that apparently caused the issue. I've been attempting to reinstall it through Pacifist, but first I tried deleting the old Photo Booth file.

In the trash, I tried time and time again to simply delete the file. I repaired permissions, unlocked the file, did everything I knew of (I'm very much a mac beginner, so please pardon my lack of Terminal knowledge, though I tried that as well).

Next I tried OnyX; it did not work.

It keeps saying that "Resources" is in use; I just want to delete it so I can reinstall Photo Booth! The file now has a cross over it like in a "no smoking" logo... I don't know how to get rid of it and whenever I attempt deleting it, the computer freezes up for about 5 minutes.

Does anyone know how to fix this issue?

Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Apr 18, 2010 5:50 PM

Reply
7 replies

Apr 18, 2010 6:24 PM in response to Jimmy Andretta

My post is not an attempt to directly answer your question, but you reminded me of some advice I read maybe six months ago on MacFixit.

That advice was NOT to try and delete the core applications that come with the operating system, such as mail, address book, quicktime, dashboard, iChat, iCal, text edit, plus the many others. The reason is that even if you don't use them, these core applications are still all interconnected with each other under the hood, so to speak. The various applications rely on each other in ways we cannot imagine.

Hopefully someone will solve the problem for you.

Arch

Apr 18, 2010 6:52 PM in response to Jimmy Andretta

Deleting QuickTime X was a bad thing. Too intertwined in the system I think. If you can't get it reinstalled with Pacifist I think you are looking at a reinstall of the system. You should be able to do this, although, Pacifist can be difficult to navigate through. I was hoping X might be in optional installs on Snow Leopard install disk. No luck. Make sure everything is backed up if it comes to a reinstall.

It is possible you might be able to delete the trash file in safe mode but with due caution since you didn't say what the file is? Is it a system file? Describe the file and perhaps others can be of more assistance.

RM

Apr 20, 2010 9:36 PM in response to baltwo

Thank you for all the help so far....


So when I turned off my computer, it went to the blue screen and didn't turn back on!

So after about an hour of freaking out/borrowing someone's computer, here I am trying to reinstall Snow Leopard but there's not enough space on my hard drive.

I'm VERY new at this so pardon my ignorance.

I'm trying to just DELETE folders within my iTunes Music folder. Is there a way to do this? I'm trying to use terminal to do it and all I keep seeing is:

-bash-3.2#

Can someone help me just DELETE A FOLDER from inside the iTunes Music folder? ie delete all a specific artist's music? I will have enough space then.... I've a very important presentation tomorrow morning and any help in layman's terms you could offer as soon as possible would truly be appreciated!!

Apr 21, 2010 11:09 AM in response to Jimmy Andretta

Putting your machine in target disk mode and connecting to another Mac with a firewire cable is probably safer because then you can use the Finder interface to locate and delete files.

If you don't have access to another Mac or firewire cable...
The command to delete the entire iTunes folder would be something like "rm -dR /Users/[username]/Music/iTunes/". Use with caution and make sure you are deleting the right things.

Can't Delete Files from Trash!

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