Can't get the trash to empty

Hi everyone.
Strange problem- my trash can won't empty. I have a lot of items in there, and they aren't in use. I tell the trash to empty, and it seems to comply. But when I check it again, there they are, those stubborn undeletable files!! What can I do? I've started up the computer and tried again, to no avail. I've even tried the code in the terminal- and it won't work because I don't have an admin password (it's my own mac and there is none).
Any ideas?
Thanks

Create a new account, name it "test" and see how your Trash works in that User acct? (That will tell if your problem is systemwide or limited to your User acct.) This account is just for test, do nothing further with it.
Open System Preferences >> Accounts >> "+" make it an admin account.
If the problem is present in the test account also, then it is systemwide. In this case try repairing this with the 10.5.5 Combo Update This is a fuller install, as opposed to an incremental "delta" update so it should overwrite any files that are damaged or missing. It does not matter if you have applied it before.
Remember to Verify Disk before update and repair permissions after update from /Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility.
If the problem does not appear in the test account try starting in "Safe Mode" (It will take a bit more time to startup because it runs a directory check first).
If that works go to System Preferences >> Accounts >> Login Items and remove them. Boot normally and test. If there are still problems, go to ~(yourHome)/Library/Contextual Menu Items and move whatever is there to the desktop. Then do the same with /Library/Contextual Menu Items. Lastly, try moving /Users/Home)/Library/Fonts to your desktop and restarting.
Log out/in or restart, if that sorts it start putting items back one at a time until you find the culprit.
Let us know.
-mj

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Can't get the trash to empty

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