Secure empty trash

johnnymacuser · Nov 27, 2005

I am trying to secure empty trash but it keeps telling me that i cant because the item 'MacOs' is in use? there is no item in the trash with that name, ideas please.

fearlessfreap24 · Nov 27, 2005

you didnt by chance trash the os did you? i would verify permissions first. then i would look in the trash bin and see whatever it is that you are trying to trash is not the OS itself. if it is not, and only if it is not, then turn off the computer, restart the computer. the first thing you do before anything else is secure delete. that should help.

johnnymacuser · Nov 27, 2005

fearlessfreap24 said:
you didnt by chance trash the os did you? i would verify permissions first. then i would look in the trash bin and see whatever it is that you are trying to trash is not the OS itself. if it is not, and only if it is not, then turn off the computer, restart the computer. the first thing you do before anything else is secure delete. that should help.

I have been through the trash with a fine toothed comb nothing in there relates to the OS?

fearlessfreap24 · Nov 27, 2005

did you do the restart thing?

johnnymacuser · Nov 28, 2005

fearlessfreap24 said:
did you do the restart thing?

yes i did i have just emptied the trash on to my desktop and secure deleted everything in small groups and found the offending item its a partially downloaded copy of dreamweaver why would this be?

fearlessfreap24 · Nov 28, 2005

it happens like that sometimes.

johnnymacuser · Nov 28, 2005

fearlessfreap24 said:
it happens like that sometimes.

Thanks for your help

technologist · Nov 29, 2005

johnnymacuser said:
yes i did i have just emptied the trash on to my desktop and secure deleted everything in small groups and found the offending item its a partially downloaded copy of dreamweaver why would this be?

Most likely the file was never "closed" because it never finished downloading properly.

robbiemullen · Nov 30, 2005

It might have done that because you had an item of file locked. go through all files and pull up there info and see if the file is locked. locked files wont delete.

johnnymacuser · Nov 30, 2005

robbiemullen said:
It might have done that because you had an item of file locked. go through all files and pull up there info and see if the file is locked. locked files wont delete.

I have tried that nothing is locked, the file is 1.1mb and consists of a folder with a plain white doc inside with no file ext?? still puzzled at the moment my computer and myself have to live with it but im interested in trying to find out why.........