Secure Empty Trash is deleting over 11k items

[fjs08]

I've been using Secure Empty Trash for a little over a month now.
In the past, it has always emptied what was in the little trash container.
For some reason today it is emptying over 11k items.
Why is it doing this at this juncture, and where did these items come from??
Thanks.

Frank

 

[GGJstudios]

What was in the Trash when you emptied it?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

In addition to the already asked question, I will just add, that applications are bundles, thus if you deleted an application, Trash will have to delete a bundle of files.

 

[fjs08]

A few spread sheets, my previous month backup of iCal, Safari bookmarks and Address book.
There could be some older applications, but they would have been really old deletions.
I was concerned that there was something "wrong" and that pertinent files are being erroneously deleted.
If this were a PC I'd be sweating bullets, but with OSX, I'm more curious that concerned.
Thanks.
Frank

 

[ERICLRICH]

Heres what i know

When you just empty the trash, it does not delete the bits of the file(s).

When you SECURE empty trash, it uses these passes of secure erase:
US DOD 3 PASS
GERMAN 5 PASS
US DOD 7 PASS
PETER GUTMAN LITE 10 PASS
PETER GUTMAN HEAVY 35 PASS

Maybe in this case, the trash is using the gutman heavy

It depends how much files you have in the trash and how much space (mbs,gbs,etc) you have in the trash.

 

[GGJstudios]

Maybe in this case, the trash is using the gutman heavy

The number of passes has no bearing on the number of items being deleted. The OP wanted to know why there were 11K items being deleted. So far, you're 2 for 2 in posting erroneous information.

 

[Mal]

The number of passes has no bearing on the number of items being deleted. The OP wanted to know why there were 11K items being deleted. So far, you're 2 for 2 in posting erroneous information.

Actually, while I can't 100% verify it (having not done it myself), I have seen reports on these boards that the Secure Erase seems to increase the "Number of items to be deleted" count by a factor of 7, assuming the standard 7-pass erase. If it had been configured to use a 35-pass erase, it's conceivable it could increase the number of items in the count by a factor of 35.

It's also entirely possible that the Trash actually contained that many files (many of them likely in bundles).

jW

 

[GGJstudios]

Actually, while I can't 100% verify it (having not done it myself), I have seen reports on these boards that the Secure Erase seems to increase the "Number of items to be deleted" count by a factor of 7, assuming the standard 7-pass erase. If it had been configured to use a 35-pass erase, it's conceivable it could increase the number of items in the count by a factor of 35.

How do you change the default number of passes for Finder's Secure Empty Trash? I know you can select 7 or 35 passes when erasing free space using Disk Utility, but that's not the same. I just tested Secure Emptying the Trash. It doesn't multiply the number of items by a factor of 7. It did increase the number slightly, to account for hidden files.