i can't delete some files that don't exist..

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i recently copied all my pictures/videos from my external hard drive to a folder on my mac so i could reformat the hard drive to work with my mac.

i reformatted the hard drive and moved all the pictures/videos back to my external hard drive and then deleted the folder from my mac as a don't want all these pictures/videos on my laptop, but now when i open finder they are all still listed under all my files.

if i click on them it says...
e.g., The alias “SDC11152.JPG” can’t be opened because the original item can’t be found. And gives me options to delete alias, fix alias or ok to close.

when i click delete it does work it just brings the same box up again. I've tried double clicking on files but it doesnt give me the option to move to trash.

Can anyone tell me how to remove them?

Thanks
 
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Only thing I can think of is .... When you try to delete these files is your external hard disk connected ?

Cheers ... McBie
 
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and empty the trash after deletion
 
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i had emptied trash and hard drive was not connected. but file names were still there.

i restarted the computer and they have gone now so its sorted.

thanks
 
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You have to have the drive connected, move files to Trash and empty before disconnecting the drive otherwise they simply stay put. Same as with Windows.

Rebooting clears things out.
 

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