Deleting Seagate backups from iMac trash

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Deleting Seagate backups from iMac trash

I have an iMac running High Sierra 10.13.6 and uses 967GB/1T and a Seagate Back Up Plus running 940GB/1T. I want to clean house on both, then upgrade to Monterrey. I am unable to delete directly from the Seagate disk, the only option is move to trash. Once in trash, and when attempting to empty trash, I get the message, “ the operation can’t be completed because the item “Library” is still in use” . If I “skip” this then I get the same message with “System” and “ibexce “etc. If I try get the folders out of the trash by moving back to the desktop, they do not remove from trash (as a document would). How do I resolve this issue?

iMac 27″ 5K, macOS 10.13

Posted on Feb 1, 2022 8:49 AM

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Answer 1

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den.thed

Level 10

90,946 points

Feb 2, 2022 6:39 PM in response to AdriGr

Yes that should also work. Remove the Seagate from the Time Machine preference, Eject, Disconnect and check your Trash.

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Answer 2

den.thed

Level 10

90,946 points

Feb 1, 2022 9:56 AM in response to AdriGr

Erasing and Re-formatting the Seagate external drive, should clear up your trash problem as well.

Plus for prosperity, I suggest making a new Time Machine backup before Upgrading to Monterey.

Lastly never/ever manually delete or move Time Machine backups to the Trash.

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Answer 3

den.thed

Level 10

90,946 points

Feb 1, 2022 9:05 AM in response to AdriGr

Use Disk Utility to erase and re-format the Seagate external drive.

https://www.hellotech.com/guide/for/how-to-format-a-hard-drive-for-mac

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Answer 4

den.thed

Level 10

90,946 points

Feb 2, 2022 6:25 PM in response to AdriGr

Yeah' I wasn't sure. but that's what I though.

Again if you erase and re-format the Seagate external drive, then that will also fix your Trash issue.

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Answer 5

AdriGr Author

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Feb 1, 2022 9:12 AM in response to den.thed

Thank you, I will do that! How do I remove the existing back up folders from the trash (and desktop)? If I try to "delete immediately" from tras,h I get the same message that the operation cannot be competed because the Library is still in use"

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Answer 6

AdriGr Author

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4 points

Feb 2, 2022 6:18 PM in response to den.thed

Well, unfortunately, I think this is what's in the trash - time machine backups that were being saved to the seagate drive and that I attempted to delete. So, I guess it's to the genius bar for me :-{. Thanks for the info.

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Answer 7

AdriGr Author

Level 1

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Feb 2, 2022 6:33 PM in response to den.thed

Would unplugging the old drive ( and saving it for the history of back ups) and getting a new, blank back up drive to save all future time machine back us to also solve the trash issue?

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Answer 8

AdriGr Author

Level 1

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Feb 2, 2022 6:49 PM in response to den.thed

Thank you! I will try this!

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Deleting Seagate backups from iMac trash

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