# Can't empty trash when external drive is attached



## JSlusser (Mar 14, 2008)

I know this will sound very weird, but I cannot empty a LOCKED MUSIC file in my trash can, which only appears when my Western Digital external drive is connected.  Holding down Option does not work either.  If I eject my WD external hard drive, the trash can goes back to "empty."  Does anyone know how I can fix this??  It's driving me NUTS!!  There is a "recovery" file on the WD drive that says "Recycled" and there's a locked file in there titled "Dj68" - I tried to delete the entire "recycled" file but my Mac won't let me. I plugged it in to my PC to delete it and the file disappears.  Any one have any suggestions????  Thank you!  Janet


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## ElDiabloConCaca (Mar 15, 2008)

1) Connect the external drive.
2) Drag the locked file out of the trash and back onto the external drive.
3) Do a "Get Info" on the file (highlight the file and press command-i)
4) Uncheck the "Locked" checkbox in the Get Info window.
5) Put the file back in the trash
6) Empty trash.

That should work.  You may even be able to do a "Get Info" on the file while it's still in the trash and unlock it that way, as well.


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## JSlusser (Mar 15, 2008)

I've tried that - when I drag it out of the trash can, it will only "COPY" to the desktop.  And when I hit "get info" on the file in the trash can to "unlock" it, the box will not "uncheck."  I appreciate your help!!  =)


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## CharlieJ (Mar 16, 2008)

Shredder

This should work. Deletes everything


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## ElDiabloConCaca (Mar 16, 2008)

Since the file is on an external drive, copying it to your Desktop (which is located on your _internal_ hard drive) will copy it (because dragging a file _between_ physical volumes always copies)... but if you drag the file back explicitly to the _external_ hard drive, it should move it.

Also, check the "Permissions" section of the "Get Info" window... do you have read/write privileges on the file?


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## ziomatrixacs (Mar 16, 2008)

Put the files you want to delete in the trash. Then open the trash folder, hold Option while  you click file, empty trash. This by passes the "you can not delete this because it is hidden or locked" stuff


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## ElDiabloConCaca (Mar 17, 2008)

JSlusser said:


> Holding down Option does not work either.


Looks like they've tried that already...


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## Kees Buijs (Mar 17, 2008)

JSlusser said:


> I've tried that - when I drag it out of the trash can, it will only "COPY" to the desktop.  And when I hit "get info" on the file in the trash can to "unlock" it, the box will not "uncheck."  I appreciate your help!!  =)



If you are up to it, you can also use the TERMINAL to delete files. This is a bit more dangerous, but very effective and will TRASH any file there is to be trashed, whatever the permissions are (if you make yourself root user).

If you want a description, we can give it.


Good luck, Kees


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## ziomatrixacs (Mar 17, 2008)

yeeks.. you could plug it into the PC and go to My computer, right click on the drive, and it should say format some where. If you format the WD drive, it should erase EVERYTHING. It might work but it will defiantly delete all of your info on the WD drive.

I would say do it on the Mac but I do not know how, I haven't seen that option..it might be under Utilities somewhere


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## ElDiabloConCaca (Mar 17, 2008)

No, you couldn't even do that on Windows with that drive... the drive is in HFS+ format, so it wouldn't even mount under Windows, so right-clicking "My Computer" wouldn't even "see" the drive.  You'd have to go under "Computer Manangement" to be able to format the drive that way...

...but that's just silly.  They don't want to erase their entire hard drive, they simply want to rid themselves of one file that is locked and in the Trash.  Erasing everything to get rid of one thing would probably rank as "the silliest thing to do."


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## CharlieJ (Mar 18, 2008)

Did you try my shredder idea? Trash the file you thats read only.


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## spiritfoxdemon (Jan 4, 2011)

Hi,
I have had a fight with my trash can
heres the details:

I pluged in my TB storage and I see that my trash is filled so I know it has sumthing to do with the storage
there are 14 files in the trash, thumb type files,and i have tried everything
even some program called trash it which made no difference

I tried going to terminal and doing the dot_clean things then I put clean and it didnt work
I also tried shutting down and restarting my mac and it still was there when my storage was plugged in
and when I drag one of the files out into my "storage drive" like one of the websites mention and this showed up "The Finder cant complete the operation because some data in Easy A [2010] cant be read or written.
(Error code -36)"

im at the point where I just get so angry at it that I gave up
I looked at Apple support and they gave me a bunch of things that didnt help me

I just need some mac expert to help me cuz this is just frustrating me


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## DeltaMac (Jan 4, 2011)

Have you tried repairing your hard drive with your Disk Utility app.


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## spiritfoxdemon (Jan 4, 2011)

hello 
yes it says "error: Could not unmount disk"


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## DeltaMac (Jan 4, 2011)

Try that 2 or three times.
You may also try it while booted to your OS X installer DVD - Disk Utility will be in the Utilities menu when booted to that installer disk.
If that also doesn't work, then you can try some other good disk repair utility, such as Disk Warrior.
If that doesn't help, then you may try erasing the disk. Be sure to back up any important files.
The error -36 is an I/O error (bummers) - yes, that's the word actually used for that fault, and can mean a mechanical failure of your hard drive, or the drive electronics may be faulty. Either of those means replacing the hard drive.


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## spiritfoxdemon (Jan 10, 2011)

im sorry but I dont understand what you just said
I tried repairing it with disk utility like 2 times and it still says the same things


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## DeltaMac (Jan 10, 2011)

And - you're booted to your installer DVD (and not to the system on your hard drive) when you run Disk Utility?


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## spiritfoxdemon (Jan 11, 2011)

oh hi i forgot to say thanx
well it fixed it self

i have like a split mac
with windows and a mac, its for my school anyways I had to do something on my windows so I switched over did my business and then switched back to my mac and the trash can was empty even with the storage attached 


thank you


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