Can't Delete Files in Trash!!!!

Are they "locked"? Hold down Option and select Empty Trash from the Finder pull-down menu.

Apple should have an 'Incinerate Trash' option under the finder menu. This would make it really easy to do things like this, which seems to be a quite common problem...

I just wish there was a way to permanently remove individual items from the trash instead of the entire trash bin at once. I know I can move everything out of the trash except what I want permanently removed, then move the rest back into the trash, but that way sucks.

Is there any other way?

I downloaded iShred express, a freeware program from Big Fat Stinking Software. You just open the program, and drag the file you want to shred onto its dock icon. You click yes, and Bam! the file is gone. It is un-recoverable. The program can even delete files that are in use (I don't know how, but it does).

someguy said:

I just wish there was a day to permanently remove individual items from the trash instead of the entire trash bin at once. I know I can move everything out of the trash except what I want permanently removed, then move the rest back into the trash, but that way sucks.

Is there any other way?

Click to expand...

There is, for me it's a monday...


I see it like this, would you go through your rubbish at the end of every day and sort out what needs to be incinerated and what doesn't? No, just shred what needs to be shredded when you go to remove it...

Killyp said:

There is, for me it's a monday...

Click to expand...

Smartass.

Killyp said:

I see it like this, would you go through your rubbish at the end of every day and sort out what needs to be incinerated and what doesn't? No, just shred what needs to be shredded when you go to remove it...

Click to expand...

I'll probably download that iShred thing, but I need to be careful because I find myself taking items back out of the trash quite often.

I took mp3 files from a friends computer, when i try to delete them it says they are locked. At first they appear as folders but when opened mp3 files appear then quickly disappear. Am very concerned about viruses have tried most of the tricks previously listed. Any ideas (thanks)

Leopard Cache Cleaner is very good about clearing locked trash files. Mac Pilot has a separate feature to unlock files in any directory.

yellow said:

Are they "locked"? Hold down Option and select Empty Trash from the Finder pull-down menu.

Click to expand...

I just did that and it solved the problem. It was like, the FIRST solution on the thread, and people keep asking how to solve the problem...

guzforster said:

I just did that and it solved the problem. It was like, the FIRST solution on the thread, and people keep asking how to solve the problem...

Click to expand...

Thanks for resurrecting a 5 year old thread. Perhaps people keep asking because that issue may not be their particular problem. That's only one possibility.

You can't empty the Trash or move a file to the Trash
Solving Trash Problems

Thank you!

yellow said:

Are they "locked"? Hold down Option and select Empty Trash from the Finder pull-down menu.

Click to expand...

Works like a charm!

step 1. Open terminal. It’s in your Applications. You can quickly bring it up
through Spotlight search on the top right of the menu bar.

step 2. In the terminal type :

sudo rm -rf

followed by a space.

step 3. Open trash, and drag over your file or file(s) onto the Terminal
window.

step 4. Hit Enter on your keyboard, and you will be prompted for your
account password. Input your password.
Hit the Enter key again, and you’re done!
Check the trash to see the file is gone.

NB Careful, cos it deletes items PERMANENTLY