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3bs

macrumors 603
Original poster
May 20, 2011
5,434
24
Dublin, Ireland
I never go a day without emptying my trash. Not because I have sensitive files to hide, I just like it that way. But frequently, I get a file that won't get deleted. I try and try and everything gets deleted except one file. It's usually a vide file. I watch a lot of tv shows on my laptop so I'm constantly downloading and deleting them. I try opening my video player and closing it but that doesn't help. I try taking the file out of the trash and putting it back that won't help either. I tried purging but that doesn't help. I don't know what changes but eventually it will get deleted. Yes I can wait for that whenever it happens, but I want to know why and see if I can fix it. Anyone else ever have this happen to them?
 

mstrze

macrumors 68000
Nov 6, 2009
1,915
0
Happens to me at times. I find it will always delete after I go to the Force Quit menu and Restart Finder.

I think somehow these files remain open, in my case, when I have the previews enabled in the 3-column-mode in Finder. It seems that Finder somehow keeps a link or version of the video file open if it shows a preview of the video. As if there is a hidden version of Quicktime that remains running in the background that is directly linked to Finder.

It did this to me in Leopard, SL and currently in Lion.
 

3bs

macrumors 603
Original poster
May 20, 2011
5,434
24
Dublin, Ireland
Happens to me at times. I find it will always delete after I go to the Force Quit menu and Restart Finder.

I think somehow these files remain open, in my case, when I have the previews enabled in the 3-column-mode in Finder. It seems that Finder somehow keeps a link or version of the video file open if it shows a preview of the video. As if there is a hidden version of Quicktime that remains running in the background that is directly linked to Finder.

It did this to me in Leopard, SL and currently in Lion.

Yeah it happened to me in Snow Leopard too but can't remember if it did in Leopard. I just tried re-launching Finder but it still says the file is in use
 

mstrze

macrumors 68000
Nov 6, 2009
1,915
0
Yeah it happened to me in Snow Leopard too but can't remember if it did in Leopard. I just tried re-launching Finder but it still says the file is in use

Sorry to hear that. Re-Launching the Finder works for me 100% of the time. :(

All other Apps closed?
 

Bob Coxner

macrumors 6502a
Mar 24, 2011
854
58
This happens to me with a few files. Force quit and relaunching Finder didn't work. It always said the file was in use. Finally, I rebooted and was then able to empty the trash.
 

3bs

macrumors 603
Original poster
May 20, 2011
5,434
24
Dublin, Ireland
Yeah I just restarted and it let me delete it. But I think even that doesn't work all the time
 

DICKNPHYL

macrumors member
Jul 23, 2011
46
0
Can't empty.file in trash ?

I have an app. Called "onyx" download it free. Google it. It has never failed me in 3-4 years to remove anything from the trash !!!!!!! the app has many other very useful facets you can use. I t really is great !!
DICKSTER-----
 

xgman

macrumors 603
Aug 6, 2007
5,672
1,378
sometimes try to hold the opt key down while clicking Empty Trash from the finder menu bar or try secure empty trash also.
 
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