Can't empty trash in iPhoto 9.1.1

At some point, probably since upgrading to iPhoto 9 ('11), I stopped being able to empty the iPhoto trash.
When I bring up the trash album, it shows the number of items in the trash (currently up to 2300), but there are no photos listed. Clicking Empty Trash from any of three places - inside the trash folder, by right-clicking on Trash, or under the "iPhoto" menu - all do nothing except generate a system beep.
Deleting new photos makes the number of items in the Trash increase, but it seems like iPhoto thinks there's nothing in the Trash.
I tried to figure out where iPhoto stores Trash info. The best I could find was /iPhoto Library/Database/Albums/trashAlbum.apalbum which is modified regularly, but that's a nearly empty file (only 4KB, whereas most other "albums" are larger).
I've tried all the different recovery options (Repair library, repair permissions, recover orphaned photos, etc) 3 or 4 times each, but no change.
Rebuilding my library from scratch isn't an option. I can't lose 7 years' worth of comments and things.
Any ideas??

Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. This will create a new library based on data in the albumdata.xml file. Not everything will be brought over - no slideshows, books or calendars, for instance - but it should get all your albums and keywords back.
Because this process creates an entirely new library and leaves your old one untouched, it is non-destructive, and if you're not happy with the results you can simply return to your old one.
Regards
TD

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Usually rebooting clears it so you can empty the trash, otherwise:
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http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1526?viewlocale=en_US
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Read other postings. Downloaded Trash It. Problem solved. EC

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This should do the job without all the Ys. BUT you must be 100% certain you have entered the command EXACTLY as written below. One typo and you could lose all the data in your user. Copy/paste only and TRIPLE check it's entered properly in Terminal. The -f option, instead of the -i option will force empty and delete immediately. No questions. (rm is remove/delete, -r is everything inside the folder, -f is force, no questions)
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There is a single space between sudo and rm
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" -rf and ~/.Trash
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IMac-iPhoto-can not empty trash

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flinch13:
What I had to do after installing Leopard is the following:
Open Terminal and enter "sudo chmod -R -N ". Note the space after the N. Drag the iPhoto Library packaged into terminal to set the path and hit the Return button. Enter your admin password when prompted. That should clear that up. I had to do my entire User folder but you should only have to do the iPhoto Library package. If that doesn't help, try running it on the Pictures folder.
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Happy Holidays
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.

Library crashes/can't empty trash

I have this problematic library which I'm trying to salvage. I can't remember exactly what happened, but I think I "overloaded" iPhoto with too many photos which included JPG and RAW equivalents, so it crashed. I've tried all sorts of things including suggestions given here to fix it, but as I'm left with lots of "empty" images in addition to the normal photos (iPhoto seems to display those empty ones as normal photos as they have their filenames/keywords, but they just have the background color of iPhoto -there's nothing but empty frames there).
(Oh, before you mention trashing the iPhoto preference files etc. I can say that I have no problem with other libraries, so iPhoto itself seems OK).
...So I've found out that I really just need to save all the "real" photos in folders on my Finder desktop, then create a new library where I import those folders (I use "iPhoto buddy" which allows me to create several iPhoto libraries, which has allowed me to split up my photos into several much smaller ones -iPhoto seems to become pretty fragile if trying to handle a lot of photos and often crashes when I exit).
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I've found a solution on how to display only a few "ghost" images at a time: by creating a smart-album with the keyword "Raw image" along with the date range (keeping the date range small).
OK, so I'm able to display just a few "ghost" images at a time, which I choose to trash.
When I'm done with several files and want to call it quits for the time being I want to empty the trash which works fine.
But when that's done and I want to quit I get an error message saying that iPhoto has unexpectedly quit (or something like that). I also notice (by using the "Activity monitor") that iPhoto is using an awful lot of CPU power (80% or something, which turns my Powerbook fan on) when I try to empty the trash.
So when I restart iPhoto again all the files that I've trashed are still there and everything I've done has been reverted to the way it was before (I've understood that if iPhoto crashes all my editing is lost and I have to start all over again).
I don't know if the trashcan is the main problem, or if my library is generally messed up which just happens to crash iPhoto when I want to exit, but is there a way I can manually (i.e. via the Finder, accessing iPhoto's files/folders directly) empty its trash?
Is there anything else I can do to in order to fix some of these problems while I'm trying to export the photos to various folders on the desktop?

Yes, but the problem with the rebuilding is that the library usually gets altered in some way. I've spent considerable time perfecting my library with albums and folders, so what I want to do is just keep the damaged library unchanged so I can try to recreate a different library by looking at how my damaged one is set up.
But, the "ghost" images have to go. I've had a closer look at everything and I have a theory about what's going on.
The "ghost" images are probably thumbnails of non-existing images (probably the RAW files that I deleted a while back, creating a different library), and iPhoto probably crashed after I had deleted the images, but before the setup files was re-written (iPhoto seems to do this sort of thing while it quits, so if it crashes while quitting I get into trouble).
Now, I'm thinking that if the actual RAW images are gone, but iPhoto doesn't understand that (because the library setup files weren't updated with that information) it'll still try to create thumbnails, but from non-existing images.
I've found lots of zero length JPG files within the library folder (I used the "Find" function in the Finder to search for files less than 1 KB in that library folder).
So I've tried to delete all those zero image files (from the Finder), then restart iPhoto, but the "ghost" thumbnails are still there.
So I guess the trick is to make iPhoto rewrite its index file(s), but omitting the zero filelength JPGs for those missing RAW images. And all while NOT changing anything else in the library setup.
How do I do that?

Can not empty Trash

Hi there, I have recently had a corrupt iphoto library. I have extracted the pictures and created a new library. After doing this I deleted the old library, which is in my MAC trash (not iphoto trash).
I can not empty my trash and have searched everywhere online for a resolution, these are things I have tried ....help I need to dump this large library.
Thanks
1- Right Click - empty trash
     I get The operation can’t be completed because the item “iPhoto Library .photolibrary” is in use.
          I have searched this error message and tried using terminal to see what has this in use using the following - couldn't find anything
                    xxx-iMac:~ ryanromero$ lsof | grep iPhoto Library .photolibrary
                    grep: Library: Is a directory
                    grep: .photolibrary: No such file or directory
2 - I've tried doing Secure Empty Trash in which i get the below message
        The operation can’t be completed because you don’t have permission to access some of the items.
3- I have tried using terminal to empty the trash using the following command - It acts like it will delete it but the trash is still there.
     Ryan-Romeros-iMac:~ ryanromero$ sudo rm -rf ~/.Trash/*
     Password:
4- I have also tried this which said it would delete the file but doesn't in terminal
     Ryan-Romeros-iMac:~ ryanromero$ sudo rm -rf /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto\ Library\ .photolibrary
Password:
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/._iPhotoAux.db: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/._iPhotoLock.data: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/._iPhotoMain.db: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/._Library6.iPhoto: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/._ProjectDBVersion.plist: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/._Projects.db: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Database/._DataModelVersion.plist: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Database/._tmSync.plist: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Database/apdb/._BigBlobs.apdb-journal: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Database/apdb/._Faces.db-journal: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Database/apdb/._History.apdb-journal: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Database/apdb/._ImageProxies.apdb-journal: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Database/apdb/._Library.apdb-journal: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Database/apdb/._lockfile.pid: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Database/apdb/._Properties.apdb-journal: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Database/apdb/BigBlobs.apdb-journal: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Database/apdb/Faces.db-journal: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Database/apdb/History.apdb-journal: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Database/apdb/ImageProxies.apdb-journal: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Database/apdb/Library.apdb-journal: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Database/apdb/Properties.apdb-journal: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Database/apdb: Directory not empty
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Database/DataModelVersion.plist/._ImageProxies.apdb-journal: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Database/DataModelVersion.plist: Directory not empty
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Database: Directory not empty
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/iLifeShared/apdb/._ImageProxies.apdb-journal: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/iLifeShared/apdb: Directory not empty
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/iLifeShared: Directory not empty
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/iPhotoAux.db: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/iPhotoMain.db: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Masters: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Previews/Database/apdb/._ImageProxies.apdb-journal: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Previews/Database/apdb: Directory not empty
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Previews/Database: Directory not empty
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Projects.db: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary/Thumbnails: Input/output error
rm: /Volumes/Iomega_HDD/.Trashes/501/iPhoto Library .photolibrary: Directory not empty

First, never try to empty the Trash in the shell. It's dangerous and unnecessary, and as you've discovered, it doesn't always work.
It's possible that the external drive is malfunctioning, but before you draw that conclusion, quit iPhoto and try again to empty the Trash.

Want to run an archive and install, but can't empty trash to free space

I don't know where to begin... at some point recently something caused problems with several applications, so after trying to repair permissions and repair disk with no luck, I decided to archive & install. Now I want the old problems back: Word/Excel/Photoshop will not open because of some library error (Carbonlib?), and my network settings keep going screwy such that if my computer goes to sleep, I couldn't pick up my wireless signal anymore without restarting (and then ta-da, there it was like there was never any problem).
So in trying to archive and install I keep stalling at the very beginning... I'll leave it for hours hoping it would proceed but it wouldn't. I've repaired disk several times, with the same errors ultimately coming up. So without being able to archive and install I figured I'd better back everything up and do an erase & install. Started backing things up in prep for moving them onto a server, but when I plugged the server in, my computer said it couldn't get on. Same exact server wire had just come out of my work computer which connects just fine. So now I've got duplicates of all my files on the desktop, so I try to trash them and when I select 'empty trash' or 'secure empty trash', I get the box that says "preparing to empty trash" and then everything except my wallpaper goes away, and eventually comes back as if I've restarted. Now I definitely can't archive and install because with duplicate copies of all my files I have only 1.7gb available and need 1.9 to install just the required files.
I'm at a total loss! Incidentally, my ipod won't mount if I try to plug it in.
Are there other options in disk utility that I can try? I don't know enough to feel comfortable just trying something, and I don't know what the "Restore" option does.
Oh goodness, I hope somebody knows something that can help me out of this.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3366422
Odd, the link works for me.
-mj
[email protected]

Can't empty trash on my i-mac OS X 10.6.8

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Hello tpplus12,
Welcome to the Apple Support Communities!
I understand that you are having difficulty emptying the trash on your Mac running Snow Leopard. To help assist you in this situation, I would recommend reading over and working through the steps located in the attached article.
You can't empty the Trash or move a file to the Trash - Apple Support
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Can't empty Trash due to error codes

I have begun getting error codes when I attempt to empty Trash. For example:
+"The operation can’t be completed because an unexpected error occurred (error code -8003)."+
Of course, if I use SuperEmptyTrash, I can empty Trash. But, I should not have to do it that way.
I would appreciate any insight into what may be happening here.

Profinite wrote:
Since these two external drives had been backed up previously, this process must have resulted in Time Machine deleting the previous backups of these two external drives.
I don't think so. When adding an item to the Exclude list, previous backups should not be deleted. And even when Time Machine does delete something, it's deleted immediately. TM never moves an item to the Trash.
So I suspect that something else is going on. Try disconnecting all of your external drives and unmount all disk images. Do you then still have the same problem emptying the Trash?

Can't empty trash in iPhoto 9.1.1

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