Can't Eject external HD when emptying trash

This is more of an observation than a question. I am preparing my fruit (Macbook Pro) for a windows install and wanted to get rid of some extra files after I did a time machine backup. I forgot to eject the external HD before I moved a few large files to the trash and told it to empty securely. While it was trying to empty the trash, I couldn't eject the external HD, with the error that it couldn't because it was in use. When I aborted the trash emptying, the external HD ejected fine. And I tried both kinds of "ejections," i.e. moving the HD icon to the trash, and right clicking it to bring up the menu and selecting eject.

I've had this same problem, it's really irritating.
It doesn't matter what you're deleting or what you are trying to eject; as long as you are securely emptying the trash and want to eject a device you just can't. I always have to remember to eject first before emptying the trash.
It's not a big problem but it seems kinda weird that it hasn't been addressed yet, every update I've had so far it's been happening.

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Which model hard drive? Do you have more than one?
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So I went into a guest account and was able to empty the trash..
In that case try the following;
Trouble Shooting Preferences
Go to HD/Users/Your_name/Library. Move the Preferences folder (in its entirety) to the Desktop and make a second copy of it so you have Copy A and B. Now try the the process again and determine if problem is fixed.
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If the problem is NOT fixed, trash the new Prefs folder and move the intact Copy A folder back to the Library folder .
Do you Twango?
It may be a bad preference file other than iPhoto's.
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've created an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. It's compatible with iPhoto 08 libraries and Leopard. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.

TS3694 When emptying trash I get error code -8003. Anyone know what the problem is?

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Leparker46

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3297
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Error code when emptying trash

I'm getting the following message when I try to empty the trash:
The Finder cannot complete the operation because some data in "" could not be read or written. (Error code -36)
I've tried Secure empty trash and "option" empty trash and nothing seems to work? Work should I do?
thanks,
"C"
Message was edited by: cpmusicSW

Well, I hate to give you the bad news, but you have a disk full of time machine backup files that
won't go away, yeah, the names are gone, but the disk space they are sitting on is locked up
tight as fort knox. You see, time machine places special ACL permissions on all its backup
files. If these ACL's are not removed before deleting the files, the visible name is the only thing
that gets deleted, the file map does not get removed, so the OS still "sees" the space as allocated
even though you can't see anything.
Back up your data, reformat (erase) and restore.
Next time let time machine remove its own backups.
http://spicysquid.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-to-delete-old-time-machine-backups.ht ml
Kj

System sound (like when empty trash) miserably stop working in Lion 10.7.2

I have upgraded to Lion10.7.2 on my Macbook Pro early 2008 Intel 15 inches, and the update went fine except one annoying problem I found so far.
This problem also occurred in 10.7.0 and 10.7.1 and it seems that no fix has been made in 10.7.2
The problem is when I drag file to Trash and empty it, there should be trash empty sound effect, and this has been with us since Tiger.
In 10.7.2 it work as expected, but when I close the lid to get it to sleep, once I open the lid, the system sound is gone without no reason.
When I play music from iTunes, or when I change volume level, the sound effects work as usual, but empty trash sound stop working miserable.
I have to shut down, press Option-Command-P-R and power on to reset PRAM then system sound like empty trash come back. Again, afpr may be half a day, it's gone again
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Help please

I found a workaround to my problem accidentally.
As the system sound like empty trash or file drag sound stop working miserably, after close the MBP lid to sleep, after it awake, system sound just stop working.
Before this, I have to shut down my MBP, reset PRAM by press Option-Control-P-R and power on, to get the system sound back
But I found that the workaround whenever the system sound stop working thad do not require reboot is:
1. Go to System Preference-Sound
2. Change Play sound effects through: Internal Speakers to Soundflower 2ch) in the drop down list.
(Soundflower has been installed by a software called iShowU HD (screen capturing software))
3. Slide to change Alert Volume from the original position
4. Switch back to Internal Speakers from Soundflower 92ch) in the drop down list
5. Change Alert Volume by moving slide bar back to the desirable position
Immediately, the sound effects that stop working will start working again.
This just work for my case. I don't know it will work for ther people that have the same problem as me or not.
And if possible, can some expert here give me explanation why doing the above make system sound effect to work again? mI want to know the cause, and definite solution to the problem
Advise and suggestion please. Thank in advance

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Even after following Apple's advice to rebuild this and rebuild that and reinstall and delete preferences, etc., etc., iPhoto crashes when trying to empty trash of certain files, especially those imported with previous versions of iPhoto. Never have a problem with files imported using ver 6. I now have many files with no images, the file names.
Apple, this can't just be happening to me.
Help, anybody!!!

Hi Jim,
check out a possible solution in this thread
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=329293&tstart=0

Losing HD space when emptying trash

I've searched the discussions a bit and found several posts dealing with similar problems, but none seem to offer a real explanation or good solution.
For some time the available space on my HD seems to be disappearing, sometimes going from 3GB to 70 MB in hours. This is especially noticeable when I empty the trash sometimes, and the available space drops considerably (sometimes with 1GB or more) instead of increasing.
The available space is restored when I restart my mac, but surely I don't want to be restarting my computer all the time. It's really annoying when I work with programs like Photoshop and I can't save or modify my work because there is no space available.
I have had my mac for about four years now, and only recently started having this problem, though I'm not really doing anything different with it.
I have downloaded and run both Whatsize and TinkerToolSystem as was recommended in similar posts, but I really can't get those programs to clarify/solve my problems. When I run Whatsize there don't seem to be any 'strange' large files, for all I know it may be multiple small files causing the problem. And when I run TinkerToolSystem the thing to do as I understand it is emptying my caches, but they certainly don't amount to the space I'm losing.
A friend of mine told me he'd had the same problem, and it turned out it had something to do with deleting incomplete downloads. But he doesn't remember how he fixed it, and I can't seem to find any useful information on it myself.
So, why is this happening and what to do?
iMac Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Two things to consider:
First, you do seem to have something running, somewhere, somehow, that is filling-up your disk. Do you have FileVault on? If so, turn it off, at least for a while. It's probably not the cause, but may be making it worse. Is your firewall on? If not, turn it on for the same reason. Are you using Raid? I don't know about it's implementation on Macs, but on some other hardware if you're having disk problems, raid will magnify them also.
I'd also check the logs. It's a bit of a long shot, but there might be a clue there.
Are you doing routine maintenance? Again, there's probably nothing there causing your problem, but it can't hurt. If not, here's a link to page 1 of a very good guide: http://www.macworld.com/2005/01/features/preventmacdisasters/index.php
Second: the loss of space when emptying the trash may not be what's actually happening. While working with fairly large video files, I've come to the conclusion that a Finder window's "available" space figure is not necessarily updated when new files are created or added-to (as when importing video). But it does get re-calculated when you delete something. So if some hidden process makes, say, 2 gb of files, you won't see that on the Finder window. Then you delete a 1gb file, Finder updates, and it appears that you lost 1gb right then.

Quit when emptying trash

I have about 1,100 photos in the trash, and when I choose Empty Trash, the app either freezes on the OK/Cancel sheet, or it unexpectedly quits.
What can I do? Thanks for any advice.

I am having the same problem. I have 767 images in the trash that i want to delete. I cant move them out and delete a few at a time, the only choice you get is to restore to original location, it would take a life time to refind them all. too bad it wont let you drag them to a new album and then you could maybe delete 50 at a time.
i am stuck. i need the space and i want them deleted, but iPhoto crashes every time i try. i did the new thumbs (or whatever it is called, cant see thread on this screen.)
i hope someone from Apple answers how to empty trash.

Confirmation prompt when emptying trash

How can I get rid of the confirmation prompt when emptying the trash? (I'd like to keep it for deleting securely.)

The setting in the "Finder" preferences seem to apply to both regular "Empty Trash" and "Secure Empty Trash" and I don't know of a way to set the two independently.
However, note that holding down the "option" key (⌥) while emptying the "Trash" will allow the "Trash" to be emptied from the "Finder" menu and keyboard shortcut without the appearance of the dialogue.

Error code 8003 when empty trash

Trying to free up disk space. Can not empty trash. error code 8003. How do I empty trash.

Hello sec1cah,
Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.
For more information on this, take a look at:
You can't empty the Trash or move a file to the Trash
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1526?viewlocale=de_de
First, try holding the Option key as you choose Empty Trash from the Finder menu.
Best of luck,
Mario

Error code -8003 when emptying trash; underlying problem?

I am continually getting this error message when trying to empty the trash:
"The operation couldn't be completed because an unexpected error occurred (error code -8003)"
I have searched the forums and have picked up on ways to ovecome this - I use Onyx or TrashIt to empty the trash, but the issue comes back very soon, often the same day. Would like find an fix the underlying problem.
I have done some testing and think I know at least part of the problem. I use the MacUpdate program to find and download updates to the programs on my Mac, and I also use AppTrap to delete files associated with applications that I am deleting. When MacUpdate updates an app it throws the old one in the trash, and AppTrap asks if I want to keep or trash preferences, and I of course choose keep. I have noted that the empty trash problem seems to occur after automatic updates - not after everyone one, but it has NEVER occured without something being in the trash that got sent there by MacUpdate.
I took everything out of the trash and deleted things one by one, even opening packages, and found at least one item that wouldn't delete, a version of Carbon Copy Cloner that was updated by MacUpdate. I checked and it was not locked, and I had Read Write permission. I found another file that would generate teh -8300 error; when I clicked the lock pad and entered my password, it would then delete. But other files that have the padlock locked will delete, but it seems at least some programs updated by MacUpdate won't delete unless you unlock the file.
Do any other of the people on this forum who have experienced the -8300 error also us MacUpdate? I know that some people get this error from deleting files from their Time Machine backup, but that is not my situation.

Start with http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/trash.html

Keeps deleting 2 extra invisible file when emptying trash

When i check my trash bin, it's empty, but if i try to delete just one empty file, for example, an empty folder, and i go and use 'Secure empty trash', it displays 3 items being deleted and takes about 5 seconds each time or more just to delete an empty file? WHY? thanks

Start with http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/trash.html

What are secure items when emptying trash

I would like to empty my trash and I receive the question if I would like to empty secured items. What are secured items?

It's not "secure items" it's deleting. It's deleting items securely. Secure Empty Trash, trashes the items in a way that they can not be read after trashing.
Emptying the Trash the regular way is faster, but items can be read with the right type of recovery software.
From the Help Menu:

Can't Eject external HD when emptying trash

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