Level 1

7 points

Trash won't empty deleted time machine backups

I manually deleted my time machine backups and they won't empty from my trash... I tried deleting it from Terminal but it always says no such file or directory.

When I try to delete them manually from Trash it says: "There are some locked items in the Trash. Do you want to remove all the items, including the locked ones, or just the unlocked items?" to which I said delete all, and nothing happens.

This is what it looks like on Terminal:

Last login: Tue Aug 20 15:29:28 on ttys000

Katies-MacBook-Pro:~ katie$ cd /Volumes/"Time Machine Backups"/

-bash: cd: /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/: No such file or directory

Katies-MacBook-Pro:~ katie$ sudo rm -rf .Trashes

WARNING: Improper use of the sudo command could lead to data loss

or the deletion of important system files. Please double-check your

typing when using sudo. Type "man sudo" for more information.

To proceed, enter your password, or type Ctrl-C to abort.

Password:

Katies-MacBook-Pro:~ katie$

Nothing was changed on my macbook. My external drive is plugged into my macbook and I've tried disk utility cleaning and repairing the disks and such but nothing will work. They are taking up about 1GB on my drive and it's more annoying than anything but if it happens again I want to know how to solve it. Please help!

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4)

Posted on Aug 20, 2013 12:56 PM

Top-ranking reply

1212 Music

Level 1

8 points

Posted on Sep 22, 2017 11:53 PM

Connect your external drive to your Mac. Go to Utilities in the applications window and open the Terminal app. You will see a non-flashing cursor.

Type this exact text: sudo rm -rf /Volumes/"the name of your external drive"/.Trashes/501/Backups.backupdb

Then hit Return

Type your admin password (it will not show so make sure you type correctly)

Hit Return

-trash should empty-

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70 replies

Oct 22, 2016 12:59 PM in response to katiecat

I just had the same problem and the solution for me was hold down the command option shift and delete key while in trash. It did run up to over 200,000 items and then it ran down to negative numbers counting down. Then I had only two folders left in my trash. It wouldn't let me empty the trash regularly but I held down the command option shift and delete key while emptying the trash and everything was gone . Thank you thank you thank you. That was my new thing to learn for the day.

alexrazd

Level 1

12 points

Nov 22, 2016 7:09 AM in response to katiecat

First, I tried everything, and was unsuccessful. And I mean everything, including enabling Root user and going to Terminal.

Then used TinkerTool System utility, Files, Force delete. That did it.

yodawan

Level 1

18 points

Dec 18, 2016 10:52 AM in response to alexrazd

Forget the Terminal app! Do this instead. Use DISK UTILITY as described below. Miraculous. Over 3.5 million (yes, million) files instantly disappeared from my trash.

up vote1down vote

I manually deleted all backups by dragging the contents of my backup external hardrive into the trash

Yep. BIG mistake.

Since your intention seems to be to erase the backups, go to Disk Utility and simply format the Time Machine drive. Takes 20 seconds.

You can ignore the trash, it will disappear after the reformat.

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Huge thanks to Paul on this thread: http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/188875/i-screwed-up-manually-deleting-t imemachine-backup

Kaemaahl

Level 1

13 points

Dec 20, 2016 11:27 AM in response to katiecat

If you have this issue in macOS Sierra, you have to disable System Integrity Protection first, otherwise when you hold Option and click "Empty", you are going to get an error telling you that SIP is enabled and preventing the operation. You can disable SIP easily but shutting down your mac. Hold CMD +R when booting and you should get to recovery. In recovery, at the top on the menu bar, click Utilities > Terminal. Type in csrutil disable to disable SIP and csrutil enable to enable SIP. Highly suggested you re-enable it after resolving your issue.

Kaemaahl

Level 1

13 points

Dec 20, 2016 11:30 AM in response to Pondini

Pondini is a legend when it comes to TM issues.

May 31, 2017 8:08 AM in response to katiecat

Awesome in 2017 still works! I had to enter the command each time, but once I felt secure that each file was actually being deleted, then I did multiples at once. So far, so good! THANKS!!

Jun 13, 2017 10:42 AM in response to Pondini

mine just says PASSWORD: and a key sign but can't enter password

Jul 18, 2017 12:51 PM in response to katiecat

I put together a video to help spell this terminal fix in layman's terms.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJEYKTYm6hY

Jul 22, 2017 6:38 AM in response to katiecat

You can access using...

cd Volumes/"Your drive name here"

and then

sudo rm -rf .Trashes/

* it will ask your system password.

It solved for me 🙂

Stanluca

Level 1

9 points

Dec 14, 2017 12:29 AM in response to Community User

Omg this has been bothering me for months and I followed your instructions and it actually worked!!!! Thank you!!!

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Trash won't empty deleted time machine backups