Can't Delete Trash [Archive] - MacRumors Forums

radesousa

Mar 6, 2009, 06:47 PM

Hi All:

I have a problem which I haven't been able to resolve. I dual boot my iMac using Boot Camp and I'm having problems deleting a bunch of files in my Trash. A short history. I purchased a OWC external hard drive case and I've been going through my old hard drives which originally were used in my Windows XP computer. The drives were contaminated with Windows viruses and so I installed the drives one by one in the OWC case and proceeded to delete files and programs which I didn't need in each drive while in OS X and keeping the files I wanted to save in each respective drive. Now what I'm faced with is a Trash bin filled with Windows XP software (including Windows XP itself) which I cannot delete because OS X says I don't have permission to delete those files. Can anyone shed some light and solution to my problem? TIA

Rich

jw2002

Mar 6, 2009, 08:00 PM

Two possibilities come to mind. ACLs and/or file flags.

old-wiz

Mar 6, 2009, 08:27 PM

If you put, for example, disk 1 in the enclosure and delete files, then remove disk 1 and put disk 2 in and delete more files, then try to empty the trash, you probably can't delete the files from disk 1. access control is also a possibility.

avihappy

Mar 6, 2009, 08:30 PM

This is what I use when my Trash acts up: http://www.faqintosh.com/risorse/en/sys/setrash/

Does that get you sorted out?

bindigok

Mar 6, 2009, 09:25 PM

Have you tried holding down option when you empty trash? wait, or is it command??? I think option.

Or use disk utility or onyx to erase the trash, just 1 pass. It may take a while, but it should work. Anytime I have a similar message about permissions to empty trash, the option key usually works.

radesousa

Mar 9, 2009, 12:20 PM

bindigok

Mar 9, 2009, 02:06 PM

Have you tried using Disk Utility or Onyx to zero out deleted files? Just 1 pass should work. Reboot before and after.

avihappy

Mar 9, 2009, 03:20 PM

Thanks, guys, but none of your suggestions seems to work. Even Super Empty Trash evokes the same message: "The operation cannot be completed because you do not have sufficient privileges for some of the items." :(

OK, here is a very dangerous command that you can put into the terminal (with a modification). Make sure you ONLY CHANGE THE PART INDICATED, OR YOU MAY ERASE YOUR ENTIRE HARD DRIVE AND LOSE ALL YOUR DATA.
sudo rm -rf '/Volumes/PLACE NAME OF EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE HERE/.Trashes/'

So, if your Hard Drive looks like this:
http://i41.tinypic.com/2w1y3qq.png

Then you will run this:

sudo rm -rf '/Volumes/Flux Capacitor/.Trashes/

Got it? If that fails, go here: http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/trash.html