How to Force the Mac Trash Can to Empty

The Mac OS doesn't like to throw away locked files. If you're really sure you can do without that file, and it's not in use by an application, here's how to trash it.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Hard Disk Toolkit (FWB Software)
• Mac OS 9.0
• Norton Utilities For Macintosh (Symantec)

1. Empty the Trash from the Finder by clicking on the Special menu and selecting Empty Trash.

2. If you get a dialog box that says the Trash contains locked items, either remove and unlock them, or hold down the Option key, click on the Special menu and select Empty Trash.

3. If the Trash still doesn't empty, restart your Mac, and try the Option-Empty Trash trick again.

4. If the Trash still doesn't empty, drag the intransigent folder to your desktop.

5. Change the name of the folder to the name of another folder on your disk.

6. Open the folder that has the name you used. Put its contents inside the intransigent folder on your desktop - the one you just renamed.

7. Trash the now-empty folder from your disk. Move the newly named (and formerly intransigent) folder onto your disk to replace the one you've trashed.

8. Empty the Trash.

[nuclearjohn]

on 9/4/2009 I'm trying to discard a folder from a memory stick. (I'm running an iBook G4 OS X 10.4.11). I've moved the folder and its contents to the Trash and used Option-Empty, but although the contents of the folder appear gone, the folder itself stays and the memory available on the stick remains as before. I can only make a copy to drag to the Desktop, so the original remains on the stick. I've changed the name of the folder - no difference. Your help, please.

[abrar]

on 3/25/2008 I am trying empty trash some files which is lying in trash box when i select all and do empty trash it is not going from that box.
How i can clean the files from taht box?

[Eric]

on 10/19/2006 You can also empty the trash in terminal, which will force it to empty:
$sudo rm -Rf ~/.Trash/*