Trouble emptying trash. How can I fix it?

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Trouble emptying trash. How can I fix it?

I have deleted several things now (i.e pictures, documents..ect..) and yet when I go to empty the trash it say that its empty. This has become a problem because it is occupying my Mac's memory. Yet it shows me that the trash doesnt contain anything. I'm beginning to think that the volume might be corrupted or something? What can I do to fix it? Is that the problem?
Is it better to just restart it to its original settings? and if so, how can I do it seeing as I don't have the installation disk. (I can't find it anywhere)

I have a Macbook (early 2008 , Mac OS X Lion 10.7.5)

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on May 28, 2013 7:09 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Carolyn Samit

Level 10

165,615 points

May 28, 2013 11:47 AM in response to Blue03

Recreate the same scenario on another user account. If the Trash isn't working there as well, then log back into your admin account, run Disk Utility to see if the startup disk needs repairing.

Instructions for Disk Utility located in HD > Applications > Utilities

Launch DU then select the startup disk on the left then select the First Aid tab.

Click: Verify Disk

If the disk needs repairing, since you have v10.7 installed, in order to repair the disk, you will have to restart your Mac while holding down the Command + R keys. Help here > OS X: About OS X Recovery

If your Mac came with a prior Mac OS X installed, do not use the install discs that came with the Mac to the repair the disk.

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Answer 2

sanjampet

Level 5

7,982 points

May 28, 2013 12:26 PM in response to Blue03

Blue03,

Also read thru this as well:

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

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Answer 3

Blue03 Author

Level 1

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Jun 2, 2013 9:37 AM in response to Carolyn Samit

I created another account, created then deleted a few things and the trash worked perfectly fine. I then returned to my admin account created and the delted pctures and sent them to trash, but the trash still showed 0 items... What should I do now?

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Answer 4

macjack

Level 10

111,168 points

Jun 2, 2013 9:45 AM in response to Blue03

Go to /Applications /Utilities/Terminal and launch it.

At the prompt, copy and paste this command

sudo rm -rf ~/.Trash

Press Return.

You will be asked to enter your admin password. It will be invisible.

Enter it and press Return.

Log out and back in or restart.

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Answer 5

Blue03 Author

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Jun 2, 2013 10:19 AM in response to macjack

I tried to restart it but it says that it will ruin the process of what its doing in the terminal. Should I wait or force to restart?

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Answer 6

macjack

Level 10

111,168 points

Jun 2, 2013 10:54 AM in response to Blue03

You need to wait until the prompt returns before the process is complete.

EDIT: But that process should be very quick. Can you take a screenshot of your Terminal window?

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Answer 7

Blue03 Author

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Jun 2, 2013 12:33 PM in response to macjack

Actually It seems to have worked!
I restarted once it was done (took a while) but once it started back up. I dragged something to the trash and I was able to see the icon change (see paper in the trash) and empty the trash. Which I hadn't been able to do before. Im not sure what happened to the previous items but they seem to be gone as well. Hopefuly that fixed the problem. Thank you very much.

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Answer 8

macjack

Level 10

111,168 points

Jun 2, 2013 12:53 PM in response to Blue03

Blue03 wrote:

Im not sure what happened to the previous items but they seem to be gone as well.

You're welcome. That command deletes all items in your Trash.

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