File could not be deleted because it could not be found

Question

OS 9.2.2, Pismo, and a strange error. I have moved these files to the trash, but I can't delete them! When I try to delete them, the OS spits up this error: <filename> could not be deleted, because it could not be found. Yet, it's right there in the trash. Any ideas?

Answer 1

Hi, FifthWheelAt80MPH -
Some more ways to get rid of a file that won't trash properly -
• Boot up to your OS Install CD, and try emptying the Trash then.
• Create a folder on your desktop. Put the problem file in it. Create a SimpleText file, give it the exact same name as the problem file. Then drag the SimpleText file into the closed new folder. When asked if you want to replace the file already there, click okay.
• Use DropStuff. Double-click DropStuff, and in its Preferences turn on Delete original after stuffing. Then quit DropStuff, and drag the problem file onto DropStuff's icon. The problem file should vanish, and the archive created by DropStuff should be easily trashable. Don't forget to reset DropStuff's Preferences afterwards.
• Download this utility - FileBuddy - and open FileBuddy. Select Delete... from FileBuddy's File menu, navigate to the problem file, select it in the list and click "choose" - confirm you want to delete that file in the splash screen.
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Sometimes having one or more files that won't trash normally can be just one of those things that occasionally happen for no known reason.
Sometimes, though, it can indicate that there are some problems with the hard drive, such as damaged directories. To check for that, boot to an OS 9 Install CD and run Disk First Aid (it's in the Utilities folder on the CD). Let DFA examine the hard drive, and let it repair anything it finds wrong. There are several kinds of directory damage that DFA can diagnose but can't repair - should that happen, there are other utilities available which can usually fix them.