Can't delete something in my trash can

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Level 1

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Can't delete something in my trash can

Hi,

I have tried all of the solutions found on various forums but I still can't delete a file in the trash can.

Does anyone know why I can't delete it?

When I tried to empty the trash can it said that the file can't be deleted because it can't be read or written. However when I looked at the file info it said it could be read and written. The file is an .exe unix from a windows 7 partition.

Any solutions?

Thanks

MacBook Pro (15-inch Early 2011), Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on Feb 8, 2013 7:57 AM

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Answer 1

Feb 8, 2013 8:02 AM in response to Drewinfrance

Try the "Secure Empty Trash" in Finder

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Answer 2

Drewinfrance Author

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Feb 8, 2013 8:10 AM in response to leroydouglas

Thanks for the quick response but tried that! I've also tried using the terminal "sudo rm -rf" commande but the file still doesn't wan't to be deleted. Just tried this instant using the trash it application but I can't get the file out of the trash to use it!

Any other suggestions?

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Answer 3

Feb 8, 2013 8:16 AM in response to Drewinfrance

Open Terminal, > Applications > Utilities folder.

At the Terminal prompt, copy and paste the following command:

sudo rm -ri ~/.Trash

enter/return, then quite terminal.app

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Answer 4

softwater

Level 5

5,556 points

Feb 8, 2013 8:17 AM in response to Drewinfrance

Have you tried this one yet:

Click the trash can in the Dock. Hold down the 'option' key and click the 'Empty' button on the right hand side of the window.

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Answer 5

dwb

Level 7

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Feb 8, 2013 8:23 AM in response to Drewinfrance

When the trash refuses to empty I've always successfully emptied it by booting into Safe Mode and emptying it. (Safe mode: restart and immediately hold down the left shift key until the Apple logo appears)

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Answer 6

Drewinfrance Author

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Feb 8, 2013 8:26 AM in response to softwater

Yes i've tried that one too! Didn't work. Thanks anyway

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Answer 7

Drewinfrance Author

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Feb 8, 2013 8:27 AM in response to dwb

going to try this one now. let you know if it works.

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Answer 8

Drewinfrance Author

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Feb 8, 2013 8:39 AM in response to dwb

just tried your solution but that didn't work either. When I rebooted the trash can was empty. When I restarted mac as normal the file was still there!

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Answer 9

Drewinfrance Author

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Feb 8, 2013 8:40 AM in response to leroydouglas

This didn't work either! Get the feeling I'm running out of options here...

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Answer 10

dwb

Level 7

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Feb 8, 2013 8:41 AM in response to Drewinfrance

Very interesting...I'm going to call in the cavalry here...

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Answer 11

Feb 8, 2013 8:47 AM in response to Drewinfrance

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1526

scroll to the bottom of this kb

Advanced tip about deleting locked files

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Answer 12

Drewinfrance Author

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Feb 8, 2013 8:56 AM in response to leroydouglas

Unfortunatly this didn't work either. Followed the tutorial step by step and even tried it twice but no such luck!

I did say in my original post that the file came from a windows partition on my mac through bootcamp. The file is a .exe unix file from the windows partition that I deleted by mistake whilst using OSX. I've tried to put the file back in it's original folder on the bootcamp partition which worked but a copy of the file stayed in the trash (and yes I made sure that the file was being moved and not copied). Don't know if any of this extra information will help any of you to help me?

Thanks

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Answer 13

Feb 8, 2013 9:01 AM in response to Drewinfrance

When you do the sudo rm commands from the terminal what is returned by the command?

Add a -v flag to the rm commands and try again. That will cause the command to hoepfully printout more info about what is going on.

Also from your home directory do

ls -ld .Trash

and

ls -la .Trash

cut and paste the output here

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Answer 14

Kurt Lang

Level 9

57,798 points

Feb 8, 2013 9:03 AM in response to Drewinfrance

It sounds like the trash is displaying an item from an NTFS drive, assuming you have a Boot Camp partition with Windows on it. Which would explain why it disappears in Safe Mode, (the Windows drive is ignored), and you can't delete it.

If this little theory is correct, it would be interesting to find out how it got there in the first place. Can you highlight the item and do a Put Back?

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Answer 15

Feb 8, 2013 9:10 AM in response to Drewinfrance

Drewinfrance wrote:

The file is a .exe unix file from the windows partition that I deleted by mistake whilst using OSX. I've tried to put the file back in it's original folder on the bootcamp partition which worked but a copy of the file stayed in the trash (and yes I made sure that the file was being moved and not copied).

When we've met this one before it's had to be solved by deleting it in Windows rather than the Mac - though if you've been deleting volumes I don't know what the implications of that would be.

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