OS X Desktop Problem

You can either do it with the Terminal if you're comfortable with that, or get a shareware app such as Batchmod that can do it for you.

You will have to have administrator access to remove files/folders you don't have privileges for.

 

From SmallDog

 

Re: OS X Desktop Problem

Huh? Where is that showing up?

 

rf works on folders if there is not a file in the folder (otherwise you wil get an error) & actually Darwin will ask if you want to rs that directory (folder), you will have to open the folder (often there are hidden folders within each other, that you must "cd" into, finally in the last folder you will have to do a "ls" then "rm *" all files. then "cd /(up one notch)" and "rmdir" what ever folder is there...then "cd /(up one notch)" and "rmdir" that folder... that was the process I had to go through or "rmdir Yourdirectory yourotherdirectory otherdirectory "

to change permission (chmod) from terminal, "cd /Volumes/(directory to your folder you want to change or delete, I suggest going there instead of just doing it)" then "ls" to view all the files& folders in that directory, then "chmod 777 NameOfFile"

pretty easy...and even easier once you do it 12 or 13 times...I'd suggest picking up a Unix book for some basic command lines and theories

 

Try rmdir...

 

yeah, note: I just corrected my last post...working on a house renovation and got lost on macrumors again...its late

 

Then try rmdir -rf to delete a folder and it's contents...

 

"illegal option -- r" with rmdir -rf, I should be able to "rmdir -r" htough that didn't work either....

 

Then rm -rf should remove the folder and contents.

 

"rm -rf directory" that did it...Darwin is a little bit different than others...that's why I suggested picking up a Unix book to learn the theories behind the command lines