Trash doesn't empty

I have had my macpro for around 18 months, no problems. This morning, I went to delete files from an external HD. As usual, I highlight the files I want to delete and then under edit, I click on Move to trash as I have done numberous times, the files are gone from the external hd. I empty the trash, it makes the usual noise but the items are still in the trash, I have emptied the trash over and over again, still the items are there. I then started the computer on Disk Warrior to check the computer and repair whatever might be wrong, it found some things that it repaired and then when that was done, I restarted the computer and it does the same thing, anyone have any ideas, suggestions?
thanks Much

Did the free space on the external drive increase when you emptied the trash? If it did, then at least the files were actually deleted but I then have no further help to give you. If not, the files are still there in the trash on the external drive. You may want to try holding down the option key when emptying the trash. This will delete locked files. OSX typically tells you if there are locked files that won't be deleted (and to delete them by holding down the option key when emptying the trash) but maybe there's a glitch and it isn't telling you this time. I often run into locked files on external drives.

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When emptying trash, doesn't empty

This is my mom's macbook she's had about 3 years and when going to dowload off of e-mail it's saying there is not enough space. So we empty the trash and twice now when I've done so it's shown well over 4,000 pieces of trash of course meaning it's not actually dumping the trash at all. Has anyone had this problem or know what to do with it. Help would be very appreciated!

Here's what I do: Double click on the trash can & a window opens up showing all past trashed files. The top rt corner has an "empty" button. Click on it & u will be asked to confirm that u want to permanently delete the files i Trash. Click OK & the files will disappear.

My trash takes too long or doesn't empty at all.

I've tried the terminal option. I have trash preferences set to Secure Empty Trash everytime I empty the trash.
I updated to Mountain Lion two weeks ago, and I've been having trouble with my trash quickly emptying like it used to.
SHORT VERISON: I'm deleted shows, movies, documents, and photos (over 5,000) from my external 1TB drive. The progress bar moves slowly or not at all (I keep force quitting because it takes over three hours to delete a few files).
LONG VERSION: I have no backup of my laptop. Time Machine used to backup my laptop to this external, but it stopped deleting older version, so I had to manually delete the oldest version tonight (the only version for some reason, it doesn't show any others) to get it to try and back up, but then it said it was going to take 11 DAYS to do the backup, and I'm pretty sure I don't have enough room anyway, I even tried excluding huge files that I would be fine with losing.
So I decided to go through and delete a bunch of things on external to free up space, (and trust me, it will free up A TON of space... if they ever delete), but (and I've been experimenting) Finder can take anywhere from fifteen minutes to delete a single half hour episode, to never deleteing it at all.
I also can't move things to my laptop because I'm trying to free up space there too. I got a video camera and didn't realize that I'd downloaded over 110gigs of videos from my new camera. So I have no room on my laptop, but that won't delete it from the external anyway, it'll copy it I think.
I need to get this multitude of large and small files off my external before I can backup my laptop. But.... I can't do it! I have no idea what's wrong! It's driving me crazy. Normally some extreme form of emptying the trash worked in the past, but not now... nothing is speeding this up, or working at all.

I got to the Trash It! Link and tried that. It worked! I still don't know why Finder was acting up like that. But I'm glad to have all of this space (I also thought I would let Time Machine run for a bit while trying to figure this out, and it was up the 42 days as the estimated time).
THANK YOU! Thank you so much! I'm bookmarking that link for future reference.

When i select an event for move to trash, it doesn't appear in the trash to be emptied. where is it?

I have iMovie 10.0.4. When I select an event for 'move to trash' it doesn't appear in the trash to be emptied there. Where is it?

Thanks for the reply, have checked and that seems to be the problem, I have plugged in my ipad and the missing app has appeared.

Trash says "being emptied" for hours, but doesn't empty.

So, about a week ago, I clicked empty my trash. It took a little while. A minute later, I forgot that it was running, so I closed my Mac. When I turned it back on, I realized that the trash was paused emptying and the error started. I couldn't empty my trash anymore. It just appeared like it was running by saying: "Emptying the trash...," but, in fact, it didn't. After waiting for like 10 mins, no items got deleted, so I shut down my Mac by holding the Power button until it shut up. Now, I turn it back on to try again. I waited for like an hour, but it still doesn't work. There are currently only 19 items left and they are all my photos and mp3 songs. I can't put other items to the trash nor empty the items in the trash. If you have any idea, please help ASAP

Force the Trash to empty using Terminal.app
(You will find terminal.app in utility folder)
This technique uses a Terminal command to fore the Trash to empty. Perform the following steps in the order specified:
1.
Launch Terminal, located in the Macintosh HD > Applications > Utilities folder.
2.
At the Terminal prompt, type the following command exactly as written:
sudo rm -rf ~/.Trash/*
Note that:
There is a single space after each of the terms sudorm, and -rf
command.
Assure you have typed the command exactly as written before proceeding: typographical errors in this command can have dire consequences, including erasing your hard drive!
3.
Press Return.
4.
Type your Admin password when prompted, then press Return. The files in the Trash are now deleted.

After i empty trash (the secure empty doesn't work either), the system does not reclaim the free space.

After i empty trash (the secure empty doesn't work either), the system does not reclaim the free space.
I need to run the erase free space option from the disk utility every time...which is really annoying and time consuming.
Any ideas how to solve this?
Thanks in advance =)

There is a thing in iPhoto whereby the first time you delete a photo it asks if you want to delete or just remove from the album, something like that. Unfortunately it is one of these things with a "don't ask me again" checkbox. Now, "deleting" photos only removes them from the album they are in. To actually trash them I must then go to "all photos" and find them, to send them to the trash. To help find them, what I do is rename them zzz or something, so sorting them will get them to the bottom of my collection. Just maybe your photos are still lurking around?

EMPTY TRASH doesn't seem to work.......

right when i need it to the most.....when it gets low, down to 250 mb from 120 g.
i thought it might be a side affect from being low.....but i have moved files to 2nd HD then moved from main HD into TRASH....
...and they vanish !
with no changing the the balence left.
where did they go ?
i am now in OS 9.2.2 trashing files that i am hoping will remain GONE....but that trash can has a ton of stuff that simply will NOT delete.....unlock > Hold>option....still remain..
HOW do i Delete > trash > EMPTY for good ??????
thanks

First off thankyou much for at least trying to help w/ this weird challenge, but like constipation it will become very serious very fast.
OK this in my better G4 duel 1.2.5 (MDD) 1.5g RAM w/ 2 HDs
internal 120g MAIN Drive = (HDa) OS 10 2.8----9.22
secondary external 200g = (HDb) OS 10 2.8----9.22
so HDa has been pretty full, mostly music-.wav -iTunes, usually i try to keep HDa filled w/ Application-programs-updates, the 'mechanics' and leave the 200g HDb reserved for multi-media storage and project files.......right.
HDa has gotten down under 5g available w/o me noticing.....im working on a FCP test project, testing how i can use 2 G4s via a small network.......while one G4 is rendering i can still do some work on other parts of the project, like prepping QT files or adding FX in StudioArtist or AE. (thats a whole other side issue and if you have experience i would love to hear your tips.)
Anyway.......as im rendering i start getting [memory errors]....i first assume its low RAM....but NO its LOW HDa......down to a meager 250mb. Couldn't even SAVE my last FCP project....this is where you tred lightly cuz at any moment something might freeeeeze.
So my 1st action is to locate some stuff that can be 'moved' to HDb (has 40gb available)......but all i have to move are mostly apps and user stuff, but anything just get out of 'emergencie'.....so i find a [folder of pics] 300mb and [DRAG>>>>} into awaiting empty folder in HDb
now at this point that action 'made-a-copy'......right....i have [folder pics] in BOTH HDs
the idea is now i can delete from HDa and whooopy add 300mb........but when i 'move to trash' they V-A-N-I-S-H !@#$%
I was thinking maybe its time to move my 50-60 gb worth of music from HDa to HDb.....the reason for the delay is im wondering if iTunes in the MAIN HD.......does the media have to be there too ?
Kinda like my FCP Renders must be defaulting to that same HD when i need to assign them elsewhere.......ok stupid worry, seems most 'anything' can come from 'anywhere'......but as soon i stop worring and NOT ask good folks like you........thats when i make things WAY WORSE....and probably why i have this TRASH problem.
But also afraid if i move a BIG block of music or anything to SAVE 1st then DELETE.........what happenes if i drop 5-10 gb into TRASH and it vanishes.....w/o be accounted for...where does it go ????? somwhere?
This first happened when i was trying to 'clean up' both HDs that had duplicates and other files-apps that are only taking up space, so i dragged all this into trash, maybe 25gb worth.......!@#$%^&
Clicked on Empty>going good then STOP-Error] and has been acting weird ever scince.
*TO FIX I have been starting up in OS 922 and looking for big files to trash just so im over that 250 mark. I did find a big media clip that did empty and yahoo im up to 1.65gb (in OS9) HDa.......so hopfully that will translate.....but even TRASH HERE doesn't empty ALL-THE-WAY......i found a bunch of QT duplicates that can be deleted and add up to a couple gb's........but now if i click on trash it starts this #number count up [12,0001] and wholly crap it takes way to long....i thought deleting happened FAST.....this acts like its emptiing 1k at a time.
what about 'Holding Option Key' while empty CLEARED EVERYTHING ?
that OS9 trash can had all kinds of odds and ends that would NOT delete......even after i unlock>Get-Info.
OK....cool...if that is telling me those files are being used elswhere or have some assigned priority.........but how do we SEE where its from and if it no longer a priority....how do we over-ride*
*Is there a way to perm-delete ANYTHING we learn from some hacker-tek >Hold down the 4 keys [D]U]M}P] while shaking a 12v battery in your other hand, then wrap your shoes in warm Tin Foil, begin clicking your heels together chanting the phrase "please return to bianary heaven.....stay out of my box" etc.???
->if that doesn't work we should probably contact an Apple Authorized dealer.
Back to OSX:
is there a way to 'move' from file to file or HD w/o leaving a copy, adding more unwanted data ?
i have moved files/apps into TRASH that won't empty....then won't move out, their stuck and starting to digitally rot...ish, now what ?
also have 'phantom files' that have zero k of space but are like digital acne......i touch one and 'shazaam'.....it vanishes and shows up somwhere else. VERY ANNOYING......im sure there files for PC-win that thru some 'clean install' morphed into this phenominon.
they all have a weird ext. SAMPLE FILE nnnnnnnnnnn
BLOB uuuuuuuuuuu
So main question it what is causing my TRASH to have a hole in it ?
How can i DELETE something for sure ?
(can i reset the 'trash prefs' from the USER or SYSTEM folder ?)
what is the diff between COPY & Duplicate ?
Are there SIZE limits to filling up a trash or even just moving large folders ?
(everytime i try to move multiple things that are tooo big i get some error.......do it one at a time and seems to work......is that a 'permission' thing........do they need to be set to READ&WRITE or USER or SYSTEM ?????
LAST.......why would a file vanish opposed to going to trash.......are there settings.....what controls that......could this be a sign of G4 needs tek help / diagnostic ??????
sorry so long.......sometimes details help solve.
so any suggestion, ideas, trials.....will greatly be appreciated.
i did search 'articles' but got such a broad list.....nothing addressing why TRASH would not work.
-dave
Message was edited by:Host

Suddenly my trash box is empty and when I delete an e-mail it does not appear in the trash anymore

Just recently I've been receiving spam and e-mails not addressed to me. My "trash box" is empty and when I delete an e-mail it doesn't move to the trash box. I haven't made any changes. I don't appear to have a "junk" box and when I delete junk mail is just disappears.

fixed it myself..... problem gone

Why does the trash not fully empty?

Why does the trash not fully empty?

try this:
in the finder, choose empty trash from the finder menu while holding the option key.
if that doesn't work, see this article on how to resolve Trash Problems.

My trash refuses to empty. I'm running Mac OS X 10.7.3.

Hi,
My trash refuses to empty, even when left running overnight. It just seems to freeze and make the computer run really slow. The only way out is to keep the power buton pressed until the computer restarts. It says there are approx 1600 items now in the trash.
I've seen elsewhere to untick "empty trash securely" in preferences, but this was not ticked and never has been.
Is there a way to delete the items one by one?

Here's a related article on trash problems:
The X Lab: Solving Trash Problems
or you could just try using Trash It!.
Update:
If you are going to follow FrenchToast's suggestion then it is rm -rf followed by a space and then drag the file or folder into the terminal window (his post left a space out between the rm and -R -- doesn't matter whether it is -r or -R).

My trash bin is empty, when I delete one item and try to empty trash it say there are 6 items to delete? Any ideas?

My trash bin is empty, when I delete one item and try to empty trash it say there are 6 items to delete? Any ideas?

Try holding down the Option key when emptying the Trash.
If that doesn't help, try here > Mac troubleshooting: What to do when the Trash won’t empty
This free utillity is handy for stubborn trash > Download Trash It! for Mac

Difference between "Empty trash" and "Secure Empty trash"

Hi everyone,
Today I used the "Secure Empty Trash" function by pressing the options key while "right clicking" on the trash. And in the message it said that if I empty the trash that way, I won't be able to recover the data. Which is what I wanted and is ok. But then the way it's said makes you think that if you don't do it that way then the normal "Empty Trash" doesn't really empty the trash and gives you the possibility of take the data back even after emptying the trash.
I know some programs can help you do that. Either they recuperate the data after being installed separately or it's a sort of backup program like some by Norton on Windows were basically it backs up the Windows trash. But my question is, when they say with the "Empty Trash" message that you can recuperate the data, does it mean with one of those external programs or is there a hidden folder somewhere on Mac OS X where I can find all the stuff that ever went in my trash ?
Thanks for your help !

emptying the trash the normal way, deletes the reference of where the files exist on the hard disk, and shows the space these files occupy as empty space, now its deleted, and you can use whatever space these files used before deleting them, but you can use some pro apps that recover lost data, specially in case of mistaken deletion, as long as the sectors these files used on the hard disk were not used to store on by other data.
while emptying the trash securely, does the same of normal emptying but it makes an additional step of over writing the sectors of the hard used by these data an amount of times, so its impossible for pro apps that recover data to read anything was stored on the hard disk after secure deletion.

Retrieve trash that was emptied?

retrieve trash that was emptied?

The files should still be there. If the Time Machine suggestion doesn't work, you can try:
Data Recovery - Recovering Deleted Files
Data Recovery – Disk Drill
Data Recovery – Data Rescue

Trash will only empty quickly after a restart

I have upgraded to 10.6.2 and trash will only empty quickly after I shut down and restart> Anyone got any ideas. This happens if I have a couple of small files in there or gb of stuff.

HI,
Try holding down the Option key while emptying the Trash.
If that doesn't help, go here for help to Resolve Trash Problems
Carolyn

Yosemite Trash will not empty

Since updating to Yosemite, the Trash will not empty.
Any suggestions?

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)

Trash doesn't empty

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