OS X Yosemite :: How To Empty Trash On WD External Drive
Dec 9, 2014
I have a large trash file---600 GB---on a WD external drive that I'd like to empty to recover space for backups. I don't know how to do it. I don't have a clue where to start?Â
My understanding is that with the .Trashes folder selected in Finder, if I issue the empty trash command what gets emptied is the trash on my computer. How do I empty the .Trashes folder on the external drive?Â
Info:
MacBook Air, OS X Yosemite (10.10)
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Nov 9, 2008
I have a folder which I deleted from my external hard drive. Whenever I empty Trash, I get the insufficient privileges error. The folder is empty.
I've tried emptying the trash, securely emptying the trash and used these Unix commands in Terminal too:
rm -rf .Trashes
rm -rf [directory]
sudo rm -rf [directory]
rmdir [directory]
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Apr 24, 2012
I did a disk repair and verify disk on my external hard drive. When they were done, it created a folder called "lost+found". I deleted it and it went to the trash. Now I can't delete it. I tried the option key, using terminal and secure empty. None worked. When I unplug the external drive, the trash is empty. I connected to another mac and it appeared in the trash there and I still can't delete it. I also tired using disk utility to delete free space and that didn't work. I called apple and they stated to format the drive but I don't have enough storage anywhere else to copy the data.
Info:Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.7.3)
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Dec 4, 2014
I'm unable to empty the trash on my macbook air in certain circumstances. It works fine if I'm using my air on its own, however I occasionally plug into a usb hub which has a screen and hard disk connected to it. At this point, I get a different list of items in my trash. If I try and empty it, it crashes, I've i do secure empty, I get a message ' The Finder can't complete the operation because some data in xxxx can't be read or written. (error code - 36). I get 3 options, stop, skip and continue. Which ever one I click the trash doesn't empty.Â
I've tried rebuilding the trash bin from the command prompt using sudo rm -ri ~/.Trash This worked twice in the past when I had a similar problem. Occasionally if I run through the process a few times my trash appears to empty. But when I next connect to the external hard drive, all the files are there again. Â
I'm assuming this is an issue to do with the connection of my external hard drive. I think most of the files that are stuck in trash are files from the hard drive that I tried to delete. Â
I'm running OSX 10.10.Â
Info:
MacBook Air, OS X Yosemite (10.10)
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Dec 2, 2014
I got this forever looping combination of folders in my Trash, and now it won't let me empty the trash. It's kind of hard to explain, but if I open the trash, there is a folder in there called "RaceImages 11.36.24 AM [7/3]". If I drill into that folder, it goes on forever like this....Â
"RaceImagesThumbs > Desktop > RaceImages > RaceImagesThumbs" and on and on, repeating for basically ever. I could drill down to eternity and still not be able to delete the trash. I've drilled down through that repeating sequence a hundred times and still not seen an end.Â
If I attempt to empty the trash, it first says "the operation can't be completed because the item 'ML1_2014' is in use.", but I don't see that file. If I click continue, it says it can't be completed because the item "Desktop" is in use, and from there my repeating folder nightmare starts. Clicked 'Continue' a 100 times and the same sequence of folders as above are "in use".Â
Tried "Secure Empty" the trash, tried the finder menu "Option > Empty Trash". All to no avail...same error messages.Â
Info:
iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.2), 3.4 GHz i7, 27"
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Dec 9, 2014
My problem is that I can't empty my trash, I've tried every solution I've found on the internet, but none of them actually work. When I try to empty it, I get the message that the items are in use, but it is practically impossible, because they are some text files, but with weird extension in the filename's end, for example:Â
notes_102_331_2012-(ABC).txt/Zone.IdentifierÂ
There are like 30 files like this, and they are in a folder called "Notes", but every time I try to empty them, I get the message that they are in use, although everything is closed except finder. I've tried to rename the files, but then I get the error code -43. The folder itself can be renamed, but that doesn't work. When I try to move the files to another folder or drive, again: error code -43.
Info:
iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.1)
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Aug 31, 2009
I moved a bunch of files to the trash can after installing Snow Leopard, mainly backup files from OmniFocus.
I clicked Secure Empty Trash and over 500,000 items began deleting. These 500,000+ items deleted at the rate of 2-3 items a second. This would total 138 hours equaling over 5 days to Secure Empty the trash.
This is just ridiculous in my option so I just did the "Empty Trash" feature, showing me only 350 items, which deleted quickly in under 5 minutes...
So far I know with Secure Empty Trash that the trash is securely layered with 0's & 1's....but wonder what happens with just "Empty Trash?"
How easily accessible is it for someone to retrieve something that i've deleted?
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May 28, 2012
I was doing a major cleanup with an external Seagate USB HDD due to low free disk spaces. It has two partitions/drives: FAT32 (using it for on other non-Apple machines like Windows 2000 SP4) and HFS [Time Machine only]). I threw about 30,000 items (copied from an old Windows 2000 SP4 machine's HDD with NTFS back a few years ago) from FAT32 partition/drive into the trash can. However, I am having problems emptying it.
Most of them were emptied, but some were left behind. This four years old MacBook Pro's Mac OS X 10.5.8's Trash dialog boxes said "The operation cannot be completed because you do not have sufficient privileges for some of the items." and "Emptying the Trash cannot be completed because "<filename>" is locked. To empty everything in the Trash, including locked items, press the Options key while selecting Empty Trash".
[URL] for the screen shots/captures of the error messages. I tried holding Option key and emptying trash, but that didn't work. I used Finder to look at the files, and they had locked status. So I unlocked them which worked, but I can't delete the empty folders/directories, and these don't have locked. What's going on and how do I empty the trash?
Info:
MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.8), 2.4 Ghz; A1260 model; 15" size.
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Jan 13, 2010
I've noticed that when I "Secure Empty Trash" though it takes longer, I usually regain a lot of gigabytes back. Currently, as of this post i'm "secure emptying trash" and i've regained about 25GB's which sounds about right considering there was about that much worth of video recordings from my video camera I no longer needed.
In the past when I've just "deleted trash" i've seen different results. If I have say 10GB's in the trash and I just "empty trash" then i'll maybe gain back like a GB or 2. ...if anything.
So, my concern is...say currently with the 25GB amount of trash I have, If I decided to just "empty trash", I obviously would not have gained back all the 25GB's..., perhaps just a few, guessing something like 5GB.
Well, does that mean that those GB's that are emptied in the trash (not securely) are just lost forever?
..Or will I regain those GB's the next time around (say weeks later) I securely empty the trash with whatever happens to be in there (all new stuff in the trash)?
Am I making sense?
Kinda confusing to me cause I don't understand it. But I feel it's vital for me to get this and have the most amount of gigs available on my Mac now that i'm using about 30GB's per week filming stuff and editing it on iMovie.
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Feb 16, 2012
I can't empty my trash ! i dont know why?
Info:
MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2009), Mac OS X (10.7.3)
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Jun 22, 2009
I've been thru a million google searches and forums and I can't find this problem anywhere. I put a folder with music in it in the trash (from a Lacie portable HDD) and didn't realise it was locked. Now I can't delete it as I don't have sufficient privileges. I can't change it in the folder get info view either and no matter whether I try put it on my desktop or back on the HDD it won't move or delete whats in the trash. I tried doing a terminal delete and dropping the folder into terminal but it says the directory doesn't exist? I'm thinking it stuck in the HDD which is why whenever its plugged in the folder is in the trash. I'm looking for a way around having to format my EHD
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Aug 20, 2014
How do I empty Trash ?
Info:
MacBook Pro
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Nov 9, 2010
1. I do occasional maintenance with onyx and have been getting a few startup disk errors in recent months. These seem to get repaired and the computer still functions as normal. I have never had these before in 8 years of using osx so they do worry me. Is the osx boot drive just a bit corrupted? Would a simple reinstall help or is the hd showing signs of failure?
2. The trash simply refuses to empty. The operation can�t be completed because you don�t have permission to access some of the items.
I've tried to bring the items back to the desktop and the folder they came from but they simply make a copy of them. I've tried the option key method and sudo rm -rf ~/.Trash + sudo rm -rf /Users/user_name/.Trash in the terminal but get no change
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Dec 27, 2008
I really have no idea what so ever. i just know that secure empty trash takes longer
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Jun 30, 2012
How do I change trash from secure empty to just empty?
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Jan 9, 2009
A few months ago I purchased a MacBook Air and I have 2 problems:
1. I cant empty or secure empty my trash. The stuff just stays there.
2. When downloading Mac OS X update I keep getting this message - The update �Mac OS X Update cant be saved
- Connection reset by peer. I made sure that my internet connection is working and that the power adapter was on.
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Apr 23, 2012
I have two folders in my trash which I cannot empty. No matter how many times I try these folders will not go away. I have open the "info" link and marked them read and write without success.
Info:
iMac
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Sep 8, 2014
when i turn on my mac trash has recovered files in there, however trash was empty of last shut down.
Info:
MacBook Pro with Retina display
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Sep 7, 2014
My "Trash" is not working. when i delete any file it doesn't appear in TRASH. Empty Trash option goes disappear. How can i recover my TRASH ?
Info:
MacBoo Pro, iOS 7.1
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May 17, 2012
OS 10.7.4 Trash does not work properly; when I empty the trash the finder asks for my system password then empties the trash immediately.
Info:
OS 10.7.4, Mac OS X (10.7.4)
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Oct 3, 2009
My 24" iMac (2.4 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo, running OSX 10.6.1) crashed during a normal shutdown sequence and had to be closed down by holding in the power button. This resulted in three zero kB alias files with random names such as "." in the trash.
I cannot empty these files from the trash by any normal means and the trash icon permanently shows full. The files can be selected but cannot be dragged to the desktop or renamed. Other files put in the trash can be deleted normally.
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Sep 15, 2009
My 09 Mac Pro trash won't make the normal trash sound when emptying the trash in SL. Does anyone know if this is for all SL users or how I can turn it back on? I like hearing the sound and don't like the fact that I have a glitch if this is one.
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Apr 25, 2012
How can I retrieve downloaded apps, files, music, videos and documents that I put in the trash?
Info:
Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.6)
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Jul 5, 2012
You can't empty the Trash or move a file to the Trash?
Info:
MacBook Air, Mac OS X (10.7.4)
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Feb 2, 2012
Do most people who download QuickTime also downloads iTunes?
Info:
Windows 7
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May 1, 2012
Despite having several files in the trash, its icon never changes (always shows an empty trash) and the "Empty Trash" option is dimmed (that is, cannot be used). OnyX ws the only solution but it's temporary. What's the fix I should apply to Mac OS X? Also, why is it that every time I want to move a file to trash I must enter my password? It's annoying to say the least.Please help me as I don't want to go through the royal pains of installing everything again, Windows-style. I think Mac OS X should be better than that.
Info:
MacBook Pro (17-inch Late 2011), Mac OS X (10.7.3)
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May 28, 2012
I can't delete anything in trash
Info:
MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.4)
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Jun 8, 2012
So I bought a 2tb external drive to save space on my main drive - I copied all my movies and have been dropping a bunch of mini dv tapes onto it - but when I open the drive none of them show upÂ
When I get info in disk utility I get one that shows I have avaialble 1.99TB of 2 TB - and right below it says 890 MB are used - don't get it
Tried the disk utility and it says they are working fine .... repair did not seem to do anything
Info:
iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)
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Apr 9, 2009
When I direct the G5 Leopard to "empty trash" I get a window saying "preparing to empty trash" and a counter that zooms upward, but no trash emptying. I ask myself "how difficult can this be?" But I guess the answer is 'too difficult for me."
What the heck am I doing wrong?
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May 8, 2009
How long should it take to reformat an empty external hard drive? It's a GForce MegaDisk two terabyte hard drive and it's been going for about 11 hours with no sign of stoping.
Shouldn't it be pretty quick, since the hard drive is empty?
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