I am unable to empty the Trash

It says there are locked items and do I want to secure delete unlocked items or all items. I doesn't seem to matter which I check. I can see the delete count decrease and then the box disappears without finishing the delete process.
Any hints?

Can't empty trash:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1526?viewlocale=en_US
How to Force Empty the Trash:
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/trash.html#Anchor-Force-11481

Similar Messages

Unable to empty the Trash in iPhoto.

I'm unable to empty the Trash in iPhoto. I have uploaded all my photos to iPhotos and then deleted any duplicates. Consequently I have 33,000 photos in the trash but every time I select 'Empty Trash', the iPhoto app crashes. Any Ideas?

iPhoto has a big problem, if the Trash is too full. Put only small numbers of photos in the trash, to delete at once.
To solve this, put the images back into an event, and trash them again, in smaller installments, no more than 1000 images at a time.
The question is, how to remove them from the trash, without having to track them down again - if you use the "Put Back" command, all photos will be restored to their projects. I'd suggest you create a new project "MyTrash" and add a new image to it, so that this project will appear as the current "Recent Project". Drag your images from the Trash to this recent project; leave only 1000 or less images in the trash; then try to empty trash. If this succeeds, continue to trash images from the "My Trash" project, until all are gone. You might wish to empty the system Trash in between.
Regards
Léonie

I am unable to empty the trash. it keeps saying that it is being used by another task. I have tried rebooting and problem persist.

I am not very computer savy and am hoping one of you can give me an easy fix. I am unable to empty my trash. A window pops up and says, "the trash can't be emptied because it is being used by another task, such as moving or copying an item or emptying trash. Try again when current task is complete." That has been going on for several days. I did discover that my trash contained over 2,000 items. When I tried to empty them this is what happened. I also must have on auto save because everything I've ever worked on is saved.
HELP???

Did you by any chance hit Secure Empty Trash? Restart then see if holding down the Option (alt) key while hitting Empty Trash works.

Please help me delete files and empty the trash..

I am unable to empty the trash and also delete files from an extrnal HD.
Its so ridiculous. Finder ***** big time again.
Is there a simple solution without having to read pages of instructions or open terminal and start typing things i dont understand that could harm my mac?
thanks

Some of the suggestions you may have already tried: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1526 You can't empty the Trash or move a file to the Trash
What to do when the Trash won’t empty
Apple admit it
These are user-to-user forums where everyday folk (volunteers) post questions and offer answers (technical support) to each other.
Apple involvement. Apple may respond to questions but does not formally provide technical support on the Site. Any information that is provided by Apple or Apple employees is offered on an "AS IS" basis without warranties of any kind.
Post your complaints/concerns/suggestions on the Product Feedback website.

I can't empty the trash or format the disk on my macmini (2009)

Hi,
I'm hoping someone can help. I deleted some old timemachine backups from my external hard-drive.
Since then I have been unable to empty the trash. I've tried 'trash it!', option>empty trash securely, restarting the computer, the terminal. Nothing has worked and unfortunatley I have no space at all left on my startup disk. I can't rename the files left in the trash either.
Luckily my mac is backed up so I decided to format the disk. When I go into disk utilities and click on erase and select the HD all the fields are faded out i.e. i can't select to erase the disk.
So I repaired the disk, verified the disk & tried again... no joy.
Any ideas would be fantastic!

Okay, I solved the problem so for anyone who has the same issue, this might help:
The reason I couldn't empty the trash was because I had dragged timemachine backup files I no longer needed into the trash, which screwed everything up.
Here's a video on how to delete timemachine backup files properly.
So basically, I solved the problem by formatting the external hard drive in disk utilities through my mac mini.

I am unable to empty my trash w/o getting an 8003 error.Some of what is in the trash is BackUp from Time Machine. I have tried to Secure Empty and also Unlocking folders yet the error continues. There is over 300gb that I need to trash. MacPro 10.6.8

I am unable to empty my trash w/o getting an 8003 error.Some of what is in the trash is BackUp from Time Machine. I have tried to Secure Empty and also Unlocking folders yet the error continues. There is over 300gb that I need to trash. MacPro 10.6.8

See #E6 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting.

How do i force empty the trash with old backups in it?

I am clearing out some old backups created by the TimeMachine and am unable to empty them from the Trash or return them. How can I force the Trash to empty?

Trying to remove some of your Time Machine back ups through trash is not a good idea without doing the necessary research first. Read about ways to solve Trash problems.
From the X LAB.       Solving Trash Problems
You can't empty the Trash or move a file to the Trash
Then, for clearing stubborn trash.                Download Trash It! for Mac
In particular related to Time Machine.
Time Machine - Troubleshooting E6.
Can't empty the trash after deleting backups via the Finder
Unless you are in the CIA or MI5 you need not use Secure Empty Trash.   It takes seven times longer and the Empty Trash is perfectly safe in most circumstances.

HT1526 trash from my segate external hard disk.But i am unable to empty my trash box ,getting an error(Error code -36)how to trash?

I had moved some folder to trash from my segate external hard disk.But i am unable to empty my trash box ,getting an error:The Finder can’t complete the operation because some data in “” can’t be read or written. (Error code -36): pls advise,how to trash

Hi, what format is the external drive?
Well, in pure Apple File System talk... -36
ioErr
I/O error (bummers)
Not very helpful, but generally means a Drive quit being Readable or Writable since starting the operation...
http://fuzzy.wordpress.com/2006/12/10/ioerror-36/
The other -36 is a Windows/SMB issue.
Solving Trash Problems...
http://thexlab.com/faqs/trash.html

I cannot empty the trash in iPhoto 8.1.2

First, I'm unable to locate any photos in iPhoto. The folder associated cannot be opened and system wide searches for wils are dead ends.
So I have taken all of the 3000+ photos I want to keep and organized them into a folder on the desktop as recommended in this forum.
Now I want to empty the trash and begin all over again with this version of iPhoto.
How do I delete the files int he trash folder?
Thanks in advance.

You really need to gove more details.
So I have taken all of the 3000+ photos I want to keep and organized them into a folder on the desktop as recommended in this forum.
Not sure where you found that recommendation.
You put the iPhoto Library into the trash and empty that. Next time you start iPhoto it will create a new Library.

I am unable to empty my trash . wat do i need to do??

i am unable to empty my trash . wat do i need to do??

Trash Can’t Empty – Big Files
Trash – Can’t Empty or Move File To Trash
Trash contains folders of recovered files - Yosemite
Trash – Empty When File is Locked or in Use
Try holding down the option button while trying to delete the Trash. If that doesn’t work, here is some more information.
Trash FAQ
Trash Permission Error
Trash Permission Error (2)
Trash Permission Error (3)

Unable to empty my trash

How's it going Mac world? I have a question for my fellow iMac owners. Have you ever been unable to empty your trash? When I try to empty my trash I am receiving an error message that states, " The operation cannot be completed because you don't have permissions to access some of the items." I have used disk utility to verify and fix the permissions, yet when that did not work I went into terminal and changed the permissions on every items on the list. Meaning I did the command ls -l, then for each item I chmod 777 desktop, and so forth and so on. Yet , neither of these options helped. Has anyone ran into this issue and have a fix for it, or does anyone have any suggestions?

HI and Welcome to Apple Discussions...
I think the information you need can be found here including permission issues.
Solving Trash Problems
Carolyn

I don't have permission to empty the trash securely.

The initial cause of the problem may be that accidentally dragged my downloads folder from the tool bar into the trash. I do not see the downloads folder in the trash. When I try to empty the trash, I see indication that many files are being deleted. I eventually get a message telling me that I do not have sufficient permission to empty the trash. My options are STOP or CONTINUE. Seems that no matter what option I choose, no more trash disappears. Please advise. Thanks in advance.

Repairing permissions is important, and should always be carried out both before and after any software installation or update.
Go to Disk Utility (this is in your Utilities Folder in your Application folder) and click on the icon of your hard disk (not the one with all the numbers).
In First Aid, click on Repair Permissions.
This only takes a minute or two in Tiger, but much longer in Leopard.
Background information here:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25751
and here:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=302672
An article on troubleshooting Permissions can be found here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2963
By the way, you can ignore any messages about SUID or ACL file permissions, as explained here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1448?viewlocale=en_US
If you were having any serious problems with your Mac you might as well complete the exercise by repairing your hard disk as well. You cannot do this from the same start-up disk. Reboot from your install disk (holding down the C key). Once it opens, select your language, and then go to Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. Select your hard disk as before and click Repair.
Once that is complete reboot again from your usual start-up disk.
More useful reading here:
Resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance with Disk Utility and fsck
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1417?viewlocale=en_US
For a full description of how to resolve Disk, Permission and Cache Corruption, you should read this FAQ from the X Lab:
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/repairprocess.html

I am using iPhoto 2009. If I empty the trash bin, will it delete those pictures from albums I have created? I noticed some of the pictures appear to be the same in both the trash and album.

I have a lot of photos in my trash bin and was thinking about emptying the trash. However, I got a message that said that if emptied, I would not be able to recover them. I chickened out. I looked at several pictures in the trash and noticed that they were the same pictures in albums that I had created. I compared the numbers shown on those pictures in the trash and found that they were the same as the numbers shown in on the pictures in the albums that I had created. I would like to delete the pictures to create more space, but I don't want to lose pictures that I can't replace.

yes - albums are not copies or places - they are pointers in the databae pointing to the photo in the library - you can see it in an album, under photos or under events - but it is all the same photo - if you delete it it is gone everyplace - and no additiponal space is used for an album (or many albums - a photo can be in many albums without using any additional space
Only put photos that you do not want to keep in the trash
How much free space do you have on the disk volume that the iPhoto library is on?
LN

I am deleting files through my trash in my macbook pro (2010) and then emptying the trash can, but my hard disk space is not increasing! i recently upgraded to lion and the problem is new, wasn't the same with snow leopard! HELP!!!!!

i am deleting files through my trash in my macbook pro (2010) and then emptying the trash can, but my hard disk space is not increasing! i recently upgraded to lion and the problem is new, wasn't the same with snow leopard! HELP!!!!!
When i press command+I (Get Info) i see that there is 140 GB "Available Space" on my hard disk but when i click on my hard disk icon on the desktop, and then press "space" i only see 102 GB free!! What the f*???
Please HELP!!!!!! Getting second thoughts on Lion!!!!

Hi b,
Have you restarted yet?

I have sent a file to the trash bin. When I come to empty the trash bin everything goes out except this one particular file and I get a note saying the file is 'in use' but it is not. How can I delete this file from trash?

I have a Macbook Pro with OS X Lion 10.7.2. I have sent a work file to the trash bin along with many other files. When I empty the trash this one particular file remains and I get a message that this file is still in use. I have tried returning the file to my documents, opening it, closing it and then sending it to trash and again I try to empty trash but the same message comes up - Q - How can I trash this file permanently?

First just try logging out and back in. Whatever is holding on to it may not be running after the logout thus freeing it so you can trash it after logging back in.
You might also try Trash It!
Lastly, look at the following for suggestions:
The X Lab: Solving Trash Problems

I am unable to empty the Trash

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