Deleted files keep reappearing

[mrochester]

Hi all.

I deleted 2 folders from my Mac's desktop and emptied the trash.

A little while later I noticed the 2 folders had reappeared in the trash so I deleted them again. They came back.

I logged into iCloud and I emptied the recently deleted section of iCloud Drive which removed these folders from trash on my Mac. A little while later they came back again, both on my Mac and in the recently deleted section of iCloud Drive.

Does anyone know how to permanently get rid of these 2 folders and not have them come back?

Many thanks.

M.

 

[Weaselboy]

What are the folders? Could it be some app you have that keeps making the folders?

 

[mrochester]

What are the folders? Could it be some app you have that keeps making the folders?

Just a couple of random folders with some files stored in them. They aren't related to an app at all.

 

[Weaselboy]

Hmm... how about trying going to icloud.com and delete them from there and not delete them from the Desktop.

 

[mrochester]

Hmm... how about trying going to icloud.com and delete them from there and not delete them from the Desktop.

I’ve already done that as per my first post.

 

[Weaselboy]

I’ve already done that as per my first post.

You first post seems to be saying you went to icloud.com and removed them from recently deleted. I was thinking of deleted them from icloud.com to start with while they are still there on the Desktop.

 

[mrochester]

You first post seems to be saying you went to icloud.com and removed them from recently deleted. I was thinking of deleted them from icloud.com to start with while they are still there on the Desktop.

The folders aren’t on the desktop they are in the trash.

 

[Weaselboy]

The folders aren’t on the desktop they are in the trash.

Gotcha... what I am saying is wait until they reappear and then delete them from icloud.com

 

[mrochester]

Gotcha... what I am saying is wait until they reappear and then delete them from icloud.com

I’ve tried that a few times but they continue to reappear.

 

[Weaselboy]

I’ve tried that a few times but they continue to reappear.

Dang. Sorry I am out of ideas.

 

[DeltaMac]

I suggest that until you get this sorted out, "Trash" is probably not the best place to leave those folders.
I have used a folder on the desktop, that I named "holder", for a variety of such temporary uses.
Do they use a lot of space? Do they really exist on your Mac (taking that space), or just download links to those folders, which actually remain only on your iCloud drive?

 

[mrochester]

I suggest that until you get this sorted out, "Trash" is probably not the best place to leave those folders.
I have used a folder on the desktop, that I named "holder", for a variety of such temporary uses.
Do they use a lot of space? Do they really exist on your Mac (taking that space), or just download links to those folders, which actually remain only on your iCloud drive?

The folders contain nothing as the files from them have been separately deleted. When I ‘get info’ on these folders they show as existing on iCloud Drive but that’s because I have my documents and desktop set up to be available on iCloud Drive.

 

[DeltaMac]

Ah, so not actually taking space on your boot drive, then?

As you have those folders setup on iCloud, then you would need to specifically delete each folder through the iCloud pref pane. (?)
You may need to move those folders OUT of the trash, then try removing/deleting each one through iCloud. Should be straightforward, now that they are empty.

 

[chown33]

The folders contain nothing as the files from them have been separately deleted. When I ‘get info’ on these folders they show as existing on iCloud Drive but that’s because I have my documents and desktop set up to be available on iCloud Drive.

I suggest moving the folders outside your Documents and Desktop folders.

For example, the folder /Users/Shared should exist on every Mac, and can be written to by anyone. Make yourself a folder there named "Killable". Then move the immortal folders there.

At that point, I'd probably reboot, then check the local Trash to make sure there isn't an older copy of the folders there due to iCloud Drive. If not, then move the entire Killable folder to the Trash and empty the Trash.

If there is an older copy of the folders in the Trash after reboot, then maybe your iCloud Drive is confused somehow. Delete the folders there, using the web interface, and see if that makes a difference.

 

[mrochester]

Thank you for your help. Since intervening via the files app on my iPad the folders have not yet returned on the Mac.

Strangely the files app shows multiple copies of the deleted folders in the ‘recently deleted’ menu. They are constantly stuck on ‘waiting to download’.