An open community 
of Macintosh users,
for Macintosh users.

FineTunedMac Dashboard widget now available! Download Here

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
I am unable to empty trash
#37863 12/16/15 04:56 PM
Joined: Dec 2015
Sue Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Dec 2015
(I mistakenly posted this question in HARDWARE previously, sorry.)

Hello,

I have been trying to empty the trash from my desktop, but it won't empty.

I have an iMac desktop, running 10.6.8

When I select "secure empty trash", this message pops up:

"The operation can’t be completed because you don’t have permission to access some of the items."

There are 85 items in the trash. One file is ∼WRL1020.tmp, I'm not sure what that it. When I tried to remove it from the trash, I was able to copy it, but not drag it out. I can't get it out of the trash. The other files I recognize as jpeg, pdf, and Pages files I have trashed.

Has anyone seen this problem before?
How can I empty the trash?
Any idea what the .tmp file might be?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
-------------------------------

Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac11,2
Processor Name: Intel Core i3
Processor Speed: 3.06 GHz


Re: I am unable to empty trash
Sue #37866 12/16/15 05:20 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 7
Online

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 7


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: I am unable to empty trash
jchuzi #37867 12/16/15 05:28 PM
Joined: Dec 2015
Sue Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Dec 2015
Is there a way to do it without installing a new utility? I can't afford to have the computer messed up right now... I wouldn't have time to work on a problem, and I have so much work to do on my machine. Is there any other way to fix this?

Last edited by Sue; 12/16/15 05:29 PM.
Re: I am unable to empty trash
Sue #37868 12/16/15 05:58 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4
Often an item "stuck" on the Desktop or in the Trash (usually a .tmp [= temporary] file) will succumb to simply force-quitting/relaunching Finder.
Should that fail, OnyX will do the trick, and it takes no time at all to install and clean up the place you're concerned about.

Re: I am unable to empty trash
grelber #37870 12/16/15 06:10 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Moderator
Online
Moderator

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: I am unable to empty trash
Sue #37872 12/16/15 09:17 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
Online

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
Just dropping in to say hi, and welcome to FineTunedMac. smile


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: I am unable to empty trash
Sue #37875 12/16/15 11:16 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 7
Online

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 7
OnyX is a very safe utility, and free. If nothing else, use it to empty the trash and keep it around in case it's needed again. I have had it for years and it has never caused any problem for me.


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: I am unable to empty trash
jchuzi #37878 12/17/15 01:31 AM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Moderator
Online
Moderator

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Originally Posted By: jchuzi
OnyX is a very safe utility, and free. If nothing else, use it to empty the trash and keep it around in case it's needed again. I have had it for years and it has never caused any problem for me.

What Jon says is true as long as you use the version that is specifically for the version of OS X you are running. Neither earlier or later versions are safe to use. Of course that is equally true of virtually all utilities that perform system functions.

Last edited by joemikeb; 12/17/15 01:33 AM. Reason: Reword

If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: I am unable to empty trash
joemikeb #37879 12/17/15 04:58 AM
Banned
Offline
Banned

Joined: Nov 2015
Yes, Onyx is a reliable, useful utility that has been around for quite some time. And yes, you must get the appropriate version for the OS you are running. I don't think Titanium Software is upgrading any versions of Onyx prior to the one for El Capitan. But, as long as you have the last version for the OS you are using, you will be fine.

I count on Onyx as part of my disk maintenance/repair arsenal (the other one is TechTool Pro (I also have Disk Warrior)). And, I will not upgrade to a new Mac OS until Onyx (and at least 4 other critical products) are either OK, "as is", or until an update comes out.

Last edited by honestone; 12/17/15 04:59 AM.
Re: I am unable to empty trash
jchuzi #37882 12/17/15 01:36 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
I have OnyX, but have never used it to empty the trash.

I have peeked around, but keep overlooking that feature.

Ergo, where is that feature?


Harv
27" i7 iMac (10.13.6), iPhone Xs Max (12.1)

Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: I am unable to empty trash
Pendragon #37884 12/17/15 03:03 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 7
Online

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 7
Originally Posted By: Pendragon
I have OnyX, but have never used it to empty the trash.

I have peeked around, but keep overlooking that feature.

Ergo, where is that feature?
Go to the Cleaning tab and click Trash.


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: I am unable to empty trash
jchuzi #37886 12/17/15 04:03 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Gottit, Jon. Many thanks!

Musta been that cursed cooking sherry (again)...


Harv
27" i7 iMac (10.13.6), iPhone Xs Max (12.1)

Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: I am unable to empty trash
Pendragon #37894 12/18/15 03:11 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 14
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 14
Originally Posted By: Pendragon
Musta been that cursed cooking sherry (again)...

Cooking? It's supposed to be used for cooking? Uh, oh….. laugh


ryck

"What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" The Doobie Brothers

iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2020), 3.8 GHz 8 Core Intel Core i7, 8GB RAM, 2667 MHz DDR4
OS Ventura 13.6.3
Canon Pixma TR 8520 Printer
Epson Perfection V500 Photo Scanner c/w VueScan software
TM on 1TB LaCie USB-C

Moderated by  alternaut, dkmarsh, joemikeb 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.4
(Release build 20200307)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.4.33 Page Time: 0.035s Queries: 40 (0.026s) Memory: 0.6340 MB (Peak: 0.7327 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-28 20:45:16 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS