Unable to empty Trash - Error code -8003

I had the same error. I needed space as the hard drive was too full. I resolved this by creating a temp file on my desktop & draging everything in the trash to it. I then traged back a few files at a time & deleted. That worked as I didn't have enough space to delete everything at once.

Sometimes there is a problem with one file & by deleting a bit at a time you can find the one that stops everything.

That error code means nothing to me either, but there are numerous conditions for an unco-operative trash, some of them quite logical. Browse through the following possiblities in this link.

http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/trash.html

You could check Apple's article on the topic. Perhaps you have already.

You can't empty the Trash or move a file to the Trash

My solution to this same issue,

I made a folder on my desktop and called it trash

Took all the files in my trash folder and draged and dropped them in that folder on my desktop
Dragged that trash folder back into the trash can

and presto it let me empty the trash

cheers

Thank you for this suggestion. It worked fine for me.

JoannaMills, your solution worked! Incredible.

Wish I'd found Trash It! a year ago. I've fussed with this script and that, held down that key, opened this and that - seems like zillions of combinations...nothing worked. Trash It! worked in seconds. I got it from MacUpdate.

Thanks, JoannaMills - your solution worked magically for me too - even in the Scottish Highlands!

Thank you Judith for your suggestion. It only worked Partially for me.

I had to delete a few files at a time from the external 'trash' folder and identified that Applications (such as MacKeeper and U-Torrent, see Pic) were the cause of the -8003 error code .

Taking these stubborn Applications out of the TRASH enabled emptying of the TRASH possible.

Perhaps someone can advise me on how to remove these stubborn Applications :-)

Thank you once again.

You might want to consider starting a new discussion. Since this one is a couple of years old, less people are likely to look at it. You can link to this one.

MacKeeper Removal

MacKeeper Removal

uTorrent uninstall