Empty Trash with deleted Time Machine Back-Up Files

I have purchased a new auxiliary hard drive to use in backing up my MBAir using TimeMachine. I have an older aux HD that I was using for TimeMachine. I decided to delete the back-up files and make room for general file storage.

All went well until I tried to empty the Trash bin. I left the older aux HD connected while I “empty the trash” but it has been deleting files for literally three days. I am now up to over 500K items that have been deleted and seemingly no end in sight.

Is this normal? Is it taking such a long time due to it being connected using a standard USB connection and not a newer USB-C connection?

MacBook Air (M2, 2022)

Posted on Dec 25, 2024 11:43 AM

Top-ranking reply

D.I. Johnson

Level 8

40,179 points

Posted on Dec 26, 2024 8:11 AM

No, this is not normal behavior, and it likely does not have anything to do with the connection point.

If your idea is simply to reuse that old HD, then the best way to erase it will be to use Disk Utility to do just that.

Start by shutting down the computer. If need be, press and hold the power button until the computer shuts down.

Then disconnect all but that old external HD. Reboot the computer and launch the Disk Utility application.

In the Disk Utility menu, click View > Show All Devices.

In the side bar, select the device that you wish to erase - the old HD. NOTE: select the device itself, not just a volume that is indented below it.

Click "Erase" button in the toolbar.

Disk Utility will erase the drive and it will be available for you to use for general storage.

Please see: Erase and reformat a storage device in Disk Utility on Mac - Apple Support

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Empty Trash with deleted Time Machine Back-Up Files

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