Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac7,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 4 MB
Memory: 1 GB
Bus Speed: 800 MHz
Boot ROM Version: IM71.007A.B03
SMC Version (system): 1.20f4
Serial Number (system): W8749HEEX85

I have moved files, mostly graphics & photos, from my late son’s G3 to my iMac. I am sorting through them to give to my other son, my daughter and myself.
Many files are of no use to us and I dropped them into the trash.
I now however have a problem. I can’t empty the trash.

The message, “The operation can’t be completed because you don’t have permission to access some of the items.” keeps coming up.

My son used several outdated apps, such as older versions of Photoshop and Nisus and of course, the G3 used OS9.
I have recycled his computer so I can’t open it to check the other apps he was using.

I don’t know how to “get permission”. I don’t even know what it means in this case.

What can I do to get permission and empty the trash?

One way is to use the version of OnyX suitable to your OS. OnyX has an option to force-empty the trash. Another tack is to go into the trash and do a Get Info (File>Get Info) on each item and change ownership to yourself. Then, you should be able to get rid of them.

Let us know how it goes and a big WELCOME TO THE FORUMS.

I checked randomly with "info" and on 15 of the 131 items in the trash I had permission. Still didn't empty.

I downloaded Onyx and it worked like magic.

THANKS !!!!!!

It may have been informative (if not interesting) to first suggest: try holding down the option key when emptying the trash. If that failed, then pull out the big guns. [starting with the option key provides a (potential) easy solution which users can quickly employ in the future, without resorting to “magic” at the first sign of difficulty.]

Thanks for reminding me of the obvious, Hal. As the saying goes, "I shoulda thunk of it."

FYI: I did try holding down the option key while emptying the trash. It did not help.
Once several years ago I found that when I had trashy troubles I could shut down and when I booted up the trash would be empty. Not so this time.

That -- along with a few other missing details -- makes explaining what actually happened somewhat difficult. It does seem strange that files from an OS9 disk (essentially a "permissions-agnostic zone") copied to an OSX disk (where again?) provided such resistance to being trashed/erased. They should not have.

Ah well, sometimes understanding things is beside the point.

[Consider yourself thoroughly scolded for not revealing the option-key attempt earlier... and i trust you're filled with remorse over this. Having *not* mentioned it however, my original point stands.]

I can partially confirm that. A long time ago, I tried to remove the old OS 9 from an OSX HD and many items gave a similar message. I ended up putting system folder files in the Trash as files, not the whole folder. As I recall (vaguely, it's been awhile), pressing option key while emptying Trash would work and I did not need to recur to Onyx. However, these were system files, not pictures or graphics. I don't recall any problems with those...

(Finder-)Locked files cannot be deleted. They usually can't be moved out of their parent folder or renamed either.

Dig down and see if a file at the bottom of the folders in the trash is locked.

Appleworks 6 had an annoying habit of installing a whole folder full of locked items in its structure.

That's slightly different though. Once OS9 files reside on an OSX volume as component parts of an OS9 system (especially if Classic mode was ever engaged and/or Repair OS9 Permissions was ever run), then many of those files — especially stuff in System Folder and Applications (Mac OS 9) — become owned by root.

In post 1 you'll notice that the items came from a separate G3 machine, which was itself OS9-only... and that the files copied over from there to OSX were sundry user documents (mostly graphics & photos), as opposed to being system-related objects.

An option?


http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/15919

As another option, I also use the following:

http://www.freemacware.com/ishred-and-ishred-express


BOTH applications have removed trash items that ONYX and the iMAC's own app would not remove.