"Short of wiping the SSD clean and reinstalling the lot, I don't see what else I can do."
Now you're beginning to see the light.
You want this ghost file GONE... right...?
Then you want to do this:
(you may want to print out this reply)
1. Before doing anything else, you need to use either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper to clone the contents of your internal drive to a backup drive. It MUST be a "cloned" backup. A time machine backup won't do. Both CCC and SD are FREE to download and use for 30 days -- this will cost you no money.
1a. Once the cloned backup is done, there's another step:
With the bckup drive on the desktop, click ONE time on the drive icon to select it.
Bring up the "get info" box for the drive icon (you can type command-i)
At the bottom, click the lock and enter your password.
Now, put a check into "ignore ownership on this volume".
Close get info.
2. Once that's done, open System Settings.
In the search bar at the upper left, type "erase all content"
3. You should now see (directly below the search bar) the option "erase all content and settings".
Click on that.
4. Now, to the right, you should see the "Erase All Content and Settings" button.
Click it.
5. From this point follow the instructions, administrative pasword will be required one or more times.
The erase process actually goes quickly. You are also automatically "signed out" of all online services and accounts (iCloud, iTunes, etc.).
6. When done, your Mac will be at "moment zero" -- as if you had just taken it out of the box for the first time and turned it on. In fact, you'll see the initial setup screen (welcome, choose your language).
ANYTHING you had ever installed on the Mac previously will be gone -- including the ghost file.
7. Time to connect your cloned backup. Now start clicking through setup.
8. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IS IMPORTANT. You probably don't want to use setup assistant to do a full re-install of "everything" -- because if you do this, there's a high chance that the ghost file will be re-installed right along with everything else.
I'm thinking that the ghost file is buried somewhere in your "user settings" (I could be wrong).
What I would TRY first is this:
When setup assistant asks if you wish to migrate from another drive, YES, you do.
So, "point the way" to the backup and give SA time to "digest" things.
Setup Assistant breaks down the migration into four categories:
Apps
Accounts
Settings
Data
I would UNCHECK the option for "settings", but leave everything else checked.
Then, I'd turn setup assistant loose and let it do its job.
When all done, you should see your account login, so... log in and look around.
Is that troublesome file still there?
Or, is it now gone?
If it's gone, you've won. But remember all your OTHER "settings" weren't restored, so you'll have to re-create them manually. Victory has its price.
BUT... if the ghost file is STILL THERE, then you've got to do the "erase all content" job AGAIN.
No matter, really, because it's so easy to do.
AND THEN...
You're going to have to SKIP setup/migration assistant, and put your drive "back together" "by hand", one file at a time.
WAIT.. before you do that...
Alternate path:
I'm thinking that I'd try to use setup assistant a second time, but this migrate ONLY apps and "data" -- and NOT migrate any accounts or settings.
Before you do this, you may need to create a NEW account (not sure). You can use your former username and password.
Once apps and data have been migrated, you can once again try logging in and checking to see if the ghost file is still there.
Again, if it's gone, I reckon you've solved the issue.
But also again, if it's still there, you're going to have to nuke it a third time.
You're going to have to SKIP using migration assistant, and create a new account for yourself.
And then, migrate apps and data piece-by-piece to the "clean" drive.
This is why you want a cloned backup -- it mounts right in the finder like any other drive. You just find the folder/file you want, and manually copy it from the backup to the internal drive, as you would any other file. You can also see the existing folder/file hierarchy, so you can tell where things need to go.
I recommend paper and pencil when doing a manual migration, otherwise one can lose track of what one's doing. I HAVE done such migrations before.
If you want the file gone, one has to do, what one has to do.
Is it really, REALLY worth all the trouble for a single file...?
