I can't empty my Trash.... Help!!!

I have had Mac's since 1985 and have NEVER seen this on.
The empty trash command does nothing.
Option empty does nothing.
Secure Empty does nothing.
Repair permissions does not fix it.
Rebooting after the above does not help.
I even got "trashit" but it hangs up after trashing about 80 files.
Its like my laptop has constipation and none of the laxatives are working !!!!
Help Please!!!

It does nothing. Trashit eventually worked. I took all of he files out of the trash into another folder. I had to feed Trashit about 30 files at a time. I had about 700 files in the trash. I also got cocktail. I can use it to force the trash to work. I also found that this terminal command worked : rm -rf ~/.Trash/*.
But the trash will still not empty with the normal Empty Trash or Secure empty trash commands. I will try your suggestion next and the description of creating a new .trash file. I will report what happens.

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I somehow installed a version of Firefox which won't work on my "old" iMac G5 (10.5.8) so I trashed the program and now I can't get it out of my trash bin... Any help appreciated because now I can't empty my trash at all! Thanks.

I somehow installed a version of Firefox which won't work on my "old" iMac G5 (10.5.8) so I trashed the program and now I can't get it out of my trash bin... Any help appreciated because now I can't empty my trash at all! Thanks!!

You must purchase a new QT key for each computer.
Since you have a new iMac, you are entitled to 90 days of FREE phone tech support from Apple and you can use the Chat with a Support Agent. The online chat support _*is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.*_
If you've purchased an AppleCare Protection Plan, you're eligible for the duration of that agreement.

HT1526 I can't delete any files, can't empty the trash bin, can't open my iTunes. Safari isn't working properly either. I keep getting the error message -50 when i try to delete anything...HELP!

I can't delete any files, can't empty the trash bin, can't open my iTunes. Safari isn't working properly either. I keep getting the error message -50 when i try to delete anything...HELP!

Hello, not too helpful, but...
enum {
paramErr = -50, /*error in user parameter list*/
Usually means a bvad or unacceptable Charachter in a File or Folder name...
http://support.apple.com/kb/TA20831
Solving Trash Problems...
http://thexlab.com/faqs/trash.html
Open Console in Utilities & see if there are any clues or repeating messages when trying to open Safari or iTunes.

HT1338 My kid down loaded mackeeper and now I can not get rid of it. I have tried all techniques suggesting on several sites and still can not empty the trash can. keep getting error code -8003. Help.

My kid down loaded mackeeper and now I can not get rid of it. I have tried all techniques suggesting on several sites and still can not empty the trash can. keep getting error code -8003. Help.

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20020873-263.html
This should help you empty what's currently in the trash, but is no guarantee you got everything related to MacKiller off the drive. See Ogelthorpe's link.

Help !!! I Can't Empty the Trash ...

I still cannot empty the trash! Tons of error messages keep popping up:
The operation cannot be completed because the item "wmphelp.htm" is locked"
-- WMPIcon.gif is locked
-- windowshade.gif is locked
-- whatsnew.htm is locked
-- volume.gif is locked
-- viewinginfo.htm is locked
-- upgradingwmp.htm is locked
-- understandingwm.htm is locked
-- understandingstream.htm is locked
and hundreds, maybe even thousands of similar messages appear!! I must empty the trash. What can I do???
I don't see any of these items in the trash?
Help ... !!! Thanks.

Do you have anything in the trash you can see? Sometimes if there is an application in the trash it can contain hundreds of files that you can't normally see and those may be presenting you with errors.
*Trash Problems*
Try booting to Safe Mode, sometimes just doing that works.
Reading
[You can't empty the Trash or move a file to the Trash in Mac OS X|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106272]
[Solving Trash Problems|http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/trash.html]
[How To Fix Stubborn Trash and Why it Won't Delete|http://www.osxfaq.com/Tutorials/LearningCenter/HowTo/Trash/index.ws]
*Utilities for emptying trash*
[Trash It! v3.6.1|http://www.nonamescriptware.com/?page_id=5]
[DropNuke|http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/12664]
[Super Empty Trash 2.3|http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/16727] - Simple AppleScript applet that will empty the Trash with administrator privileges

Help I have put lock folders from time machine in the trash and now I can not empty the trash of these folders

Help I have put some folders from timemachine in the trash and now I can not empty the trash can. I now realised I took the wrong action to delete these folders duh! but i canot work out how to solve the problem I now have, can anybody please tell me what action to take?

Hi Linc
Thank you for your reply. It did not work at first, I think there was just to much stuff. In frustration I held ctlr, alt and cmd keys down then empted the trash and it worked! I had to repeat the process several times as only a few folders were delt with at a time. but now are all gone.
Kind regards Dian

Another "I can't empty my trash!" problem...!

Hi All,
Sorry, but this is another "I can't empty my trash" problem.
Have scoured the internet trying all the remedies but can't seem to delete these stupid folders.
I've tried the option key, secure emptying, going into Terminal, Cocktail doesn't want anything to do with these files.
There are 5 left over folders from my external hard-drive. They don't appear to be locked anymore (Get Info panel says so) but Leopard keeps shouting "Insufficient Privileges" at me every time I try to delete them.
"/Volumes/EXHD/.Trashes/501/MUSIC", that's the direct path to the main folder that's being stubborn.
Please help me, all I want is a clear Trash Can!

tenorhorn wrote:
Hi All,
Sorry, but this is another "I can't empty my trash" problem.
Have scoured the internet trying all the remedies but can't seem to delete these stupid folders.
I've tried the option key, secure emptying, going into Terminal, Cocktail doesn't want anything to do with these files.
There are 5 left over folders from my external hard-drive. They don't appear to be locked anymore (Get Info panel says so) but Leopard keeps shouting "Insufficient Privileges" at me every time I try to delete them.
"/Volumes/EXHD/.Trashes/501/MUSIC", that's the direct path to the main folder that's being stubborn.
Please help me, all I want is a clear Trash Can!
Welcome to Apple Discussions:
Remember how the trash works. The trashed files are not necessarily on your Mac.
When you trash a file, it goes into the local (maybe hidden) trash folder on the harddrive. The desktop trash only contains a link to the actual file in the trashbin on the external drive.
The proper way to delete that trash would be to reconnect the external drive and then empty the trash, assuming that the external drive has not been modified.
You say you used the terminal - exactly what did you do?
In a terminal, enter the following commands
cd .Trash
ls -al
you should see a listing of the files in the trashbin.
On my machine here are the results for a trashed folder and file:
-rw-r--r--@ 1 nero nero 4 Oct 20 20:27 testfile.txt
drwxr-xr-x 2 nero nero 68 Oct 20 20:19 untitled folder
Notice that I own both files/folders and most importantly, I have write (w) permission on them.
Post back your results and perhaps we can diagnose the problem better.

Photo in trash can but it says i can't empty the trash b.c. it's being used

I downloaded pictures to my mac, then i put them on my desktop now i want to delete them off my desktop so i dragged it into my trash can and it says i can't empty the trash can because the photo is being used. help please!

Do you have the picture file open in a program like preview? If there is a little lit dot below the Preview icon on the dock you may have it open - hence it can't delete it from the Trash.
M.

Can't empty my Trash-Keep getting "Operation can't be completed because an unexpected error occurred (error code -8003). Anyone know what to do?

Can't empty my Trash-Keep getting "Operation can't be completed because an unexpected error occurred (error code -8003). Anyone know what to do?

I had the same problem yesterday with an application file that was deleted after installation of an update. I used "Put Back" to move it back to its original location, then used "Show Package Contents" to delete/empty trash for small groups of files at a time. I suppose the application file itself may have been too large to empty at one time. I hope this helps.

TS3297 I can't empty the trash. I keep getting error code -8003, I have tried the terminal methods including both sudo and chflags. The apps that won't delete are

I can't empty the trash I have three different versions of Quicken Essentials that should have been deleted and also some iskysoft apps [two ]. I tries to delete them but I always get a -8003 error. I ve tried using the terminal with both the sudo and chflags methods. No effect. Can anyone give a method that would work to delete the five? In advanced appreciation.

Hey donnie90,
It seems like this article might be the best for helping you address this issue:
You can't empty the Trash or move a file to the Trash
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1526
Thanks for coming to the Apple Support Communities!
Regards,
Braden

Since updating to Mac OS X 10.8.2 I can't empty the Trash

Since updating mt Macbook to Mac OS X 10.8.2 I can't empty the Trash. Can some one help please?

What type of error message are you getting?
There's a freeware app called TrashIt! that works very well for clearing files stuck in the Bin. It works with ML, too. Here's a link.

I can not empty my trash

I try to empty my trash, while the system react as if it is done, in fact no file is deleted, and I have already 15GB in my trash folder.
Is there a way to force this ("Secure empty" produced the same results)

Hello eytangilboa,
And welcome to Apple Discussions!
There are several reasons as to why you cannot empty your trash. Maybe take a look at either of these sites that provide excellent explanations for these reasons as well as potentials solutions on how to resolve the issue. Hope it helps.
[You can't empty the Trash or move a file to the Trash|http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1526]
[Solving Trash Problems|http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/trash.html]
B-rock

I can't empty the trash pan !

Hello
Just bought a Mackbook & later noticed that i can't empty the trash !
tried everything i know nothing works.
pls. help & thanks

Hi,
1. if your deleted files came from your mac hard drive, just go to your trash bin then press OPTION and click EMPTY SECURELY button at the same time.
2. if some of your trashed contents are locked, select all of them by pressing CMD A, then CMD I, then uncheck the locked radio-box. Then do item #1 above.
3. if your deleted files came from an external HD, plug it back in then do item #1 above.
4. if above is not working, you may try and follow the simple instructions on my page, just take extra care doing sudo terminal commands.
Hope it helps.

I threw out 24 time machine backups from an external hard drive into my desktop trash and now I can't empty my trash.

I threw out 24 time machine backups from an external hard drive into my IMac desktop trash and now I can't empty my trash.

Since you didn't mention what type of error message you were seeing, I'm going to guess on what is happening.
I'm guessing that since you threw away Time Machine backups, that Time Machine is probably active on your Mac. There is a chance then that the files you tossed are marked as in use. You can't delete files that are in use.
Try turning Time Machine off, then restart your Mac. Then try deleting them again.
Once done, turn Time Machine back on.
Tom

HT1526 I can't empty the trash and it says error code -8003. What can I do to fix this? I need to empty as my hardrive is nearly full.

Hey,
I keep trying to empty the trash on my macbook pro as it says i have just under 2gb of harddrive space left. I can't update my software as i don't have enough harddrive space left.
Every time i try and empty the trash it says that it can't empty the trash and gives an error code -8003.
Any ideas how i can fix this?
Many Thanks,
Charlie

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

How can I empty my trash email. There is no delete or delete all option after the emails are highlighted from the edit option. This is on an i phone 4 running on ios 7.1.2

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I have 7 email accounts on my phone. If I tap EDIT while viewing the Trash folder in any of them I see "Mark All" on the left and "Delete All" on the right. If you tap any message, however, the legends go away.

I can't empty my Trash.... Help!!!

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