macOS Ventura doesn't let me delete "Install macOS Mojave.app"

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Level 1

59 points

macOS Ventura doesn't let me delete "Install macOS Mojave.app"

Some weeks ago I downloaded macOS Mojave from the App Store to install on a VMware virtual machine. When the installation process finished I moved the "Install macOS Mojave.app" file from Applications to the Trash. After some days when trying to empty the trash I was presented with the following surprise: The operation can't be completed because the item "Install macOS Mojave.app" is in use.

I decided to move the file from the Trash to a newly created folder "A" on the Desktop. I then tried running this from Terminal:

sudo rm -rf /Users/XXXX/Desktop/A/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app

I just got:

rm: /Users/XXXX/Desktop/A/Install macOS Mojave.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg: Operation not permitted
rm: /Users/XXXX/Desktop/A/Install macOS Mojave.app/Contents/SharedSupport: Directory not empty
rm: /Users/XXXX/Desktop/A/Install macOS Mojave.app/Contents: Directory not empty
rm: /Users/XXXX/Desktop/A/Install macOS Mojave.app: Directory not empty

I checked the file info and the file isn't locked (that box isn't checked and it's grayed out). I even added my user to the permissions box with write/read without any luck.

Under Terminal I also tried lsof /Users/XXXX/Desktop/A/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app and nothing was shown.

I have rebooted and it didn't help.

Neither Activity Monitor nor Force Quit shows anything related to the file.

I booted into Safe mode and tried to delete the file from there, just received the same errors as in normal mode.

I then tried to move this folder containing the rebel file to an external USB stick and got the message that the item was copied but couldn't be moved.

This file is turning me crazy. It is almost 6GB of wasted space and I don't understand why macOS doesn't let me delete the freaking thing.

I am now empty of options.

Ideas are greatly appreciated thank you.

Using macOS Ventura 13.2 atm here.

MacBook Pro

Posted on Jan 23, 2023 6:27 PM

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Answer 1

Jan 23, 2023 6:48 PM in response to DavidG74

DavidG74 wrote:

Some weeks ago I downloaded macOS Mojave from the App Store to install on a VMware virtual machine. When the installation process finished I moved the "Install macOS Mojave.app" file from Applications to the Trash. After some days when trying to empty the trash I was presented with the following surprise: The operation can't be completed because the item "Install macOS Mojave.app" is in use.

I decided to move the file from the Trash to a newly created folder "A" on the Desktop. I then tried running this from Terminal:

sudo rm -rf /Users/XXXX/Desktop/A/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app

I just got:

rm: /Users/XXXX/Desktop/A/Install macOS Mojave.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg: Operation not permitted

rm: /Users/XXXX/Desktop/A/Install macOS Mojave.app/Contents/SharedSupport: Directory not empty

rm: /Users/XXXX/Desktop/A/Install macOS Mojave.app/Contents: Directory not empty

rm: /Users/XXXX/Desktop/A/Install macOS Mojave.app: Directory not empty

I checked the file info and the file isn't locked (that box isn't checked and it's grayed out). I even added my user to the permissions box with write/read without any luck.

Under Terminal I also tried lsof /Users/XXXX/Desktop/A/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app and nothing was shown.

I have rebooted and it didn't help.

Neither Activity Monitor nor Force Quit shows anything related to the file.

I booted into Safe mode and tried to delete the file from there, just received the same errors as in normal mode.

I then tried to move this folder containing the rebel file to an external USB stick and got the message that the item was copied but couldn't be moved.

This file is turning me crazy. It is almost 6GB of wasted space and I don't understand why macOS doesn't let me delete the freaking thing.

I am now empty of options.

Ideas are greatly appreciated thank you.

Using macOS Ventura 13.2 atm here.

Did the macOS Mojave install on a VMware virtual machine as expected?

Is your Terminal.app included in >System Settings>Privacy & Security>Full Disk Access (?)

Typically on a successful install the Installer app deletes itself from the Applications folder.

for your third party software—

If in doubt refer to the developers website; Support/Help/FAQ/known issues/compatibility /updates

Contact a third party vendor

Contact a third-party vendor - Apple Support

https://customerconnect.vmware.com/home/support

https://customerconnect.vmware.com/

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Answer 2

DavidG74 Author

Level 1

59 points

Jan 23, 2023 7:12 PM in response to leroydouglas

Thanks for your answer.

Did the macOS Mojave install on a VMware virtual machine as expected?

Yes, it finished the installation process just fine.

Is your Terminal.app included in >System Settings>Privacy & Security>Full Disk Access (?)

It wasn't, but I added it and tried again the sudo rm -rf command with no avail.

Typically on a successful install the Installer app deletes itself from the Applications folder.

As this wasn't a typical installation but an installation onto a VMware VM I didn't run the installer from macOS thus it didn't delete itself afterward.

VMware isn't running and the VM I created has already been deleted weeks ago, I don't really know how contacting VMware could help in this case when the problem lies in macOS.

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Answer 3

DavidG74 Author

Level 1

59 points

Jan 23, 2023 7:18 PM in response to dialabrain

Thank you very much for the idea. I will look somewhere else to see if I manage to finally delete this.

But, it feels crazy that this happens, and that fixing it involves something as extreme as disabling SIP.

It is the first time in more than 17 years of using Macs that I experience something like this. I have previously downloaded macOS installers many times from the App Store and have deleted them all without a single issue.

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Answer 4

DavidG74 Author

Level 1

59 points

Jan 24, 2023 4:54 PM in response to dialabrain

It worked! Thank you again for your suggestion.

After rebooting with SIP disabled I ran Terminal, enabled super user with "sudo su" and then rm -rf the offending file. I was so happy when the operation was finally successful. Then restarted and re-enabled SIP again.

This thing had been driving me nuts for weeks.

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Answer 5

Feb 24, 2023 6:23 PM in response to DavidG74

So you have to disable the system integrity in order to delete this? This makes zero sense I started to wonder if it was a computer virus preventing me from throwing away Mac OS Mojave installer. Why is it running in the background nonstop? Why can’t you kill the process and delete it. I have been able to delete Mac OS Mojave installers in the past so what has changed recently?

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