Trash bucket problem

Issue with my 2 year old MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2015). MacOS Sierra. 3.1 GHz Intel Core i7. 16 GB 1867 MHz DDR3. 1TB HD.

This morning I placed several items, all small Microsoft excel and word files, into the Trash.

Anyway, when I went to empty the Trash it "hung up". Had to force reboot the machine.

Opened the Trash after the reboot and found the several files I had previously placed there and one additional file called "Backups.backupdb" with a Date Created of Jan 24, 1984!

The modification date shows early this morning when I was on the computer but in NO WAY did I move or copy anything like that. The folder size is not shown.

I know that's the name of the folder when I do a Time Machine backup, but I haven't backed up in at least a month. Time Machine backups are kept on an external hard drive.

So when I try to empty the Trash it either hangs up or I get an error code -8072.

What's going on and how do I get ride of the folder in question?

Art

How much free space is left on your drive?

That Time Machine folder is probably stuff that time Machine deleted automatically shortly after you logged in to the computer. If you have Time Machine configured but have not connected the external drive in a month Time Machine has probably been putting its backup files on your internal drive. Time Machine creates these snapshots by default on notebook Macs unless you take steps to change the behavior.

BTW not intending to be rude but if you haven't backed up in a month that's not a very effective strategy. If there were a failure you're reduced to however your system was set up a month ago in addition to whatever personal data is lost.

Edit: If you didn't put that Time Machine backup folder and Time machine is you will probably have to delete it by turning Time Machine off temporarily from the System Preferences pane.

@Sly

I'm just wondering - if fireman hasn't backed up to Time Machine in the last month and the Trash won't delete, what would be your take on this suggestion:

fireman connects his TM to the Mac, lets it BU in the usual way (it may take a while) and when the BU is complete - and with the TM External Hard Drive still connected - then tries to empty Trash?

In a sense, the Trash that won't delete may "belong" to the TM EHD?

Does that sound reasonable?

Ian

That's a good idea. I didn't think of that. It's well worth a try.

Slydude and IWT - backing up per suggestion. Doing a full backup.

Did complete backup. Still have the issue.

Error Code 8072 is a permissions problem, I think.

Try the following first:

With the EHD still connected -

Open Trash. Highlight the items. Hold down Command + Option + Backspace. This will open a dialogue box saying something like "Sure you want to Delete these items". Hit Delete.

If that doesn't work, then download an app we frequently recommend on these Forums - OnyX. Found here: https://www.titanium-software.fr/en/onyx.html

Make sure you download the version specific to your Operating System (macOS Sierra). Install.

When running, Click on "Cleaning" and from the Menu Bar, choose "Trash". Then click "Execute".

That should sort things.

Please post back.

Ian

Yes I'd like to hear back on that one too.

IWT said:

Error Code 8072 is a permissions problem, I think.

Try the following first:

With the EHD still connected -

Open Trash. Highlight the items. Hold down Command + Option + Backspace. This will open a dialogue box saying something like "Sure you want to Delete these items". Hit Delete.

If that doesn't work, then download an app we frequently recommend on these Forums - OnyX. Found here: https://www.titanium-software.fr/en/onyx.html

Make sure you download the version specific to your Operating System (macOS Sierra). Install.

When running, Click on "Cleaning" and from the Menu Bar, choose "Trash". Then click "Execute".

That should sort things.

Please post back.

Ian

Click to expand...

No luck with Command + Option + Backspace. Get an error that says "The operation can’t be completed because the item “Macintosh HD” is in use."

Not sure what's that about. Anyway, I'll try the other items in a day or two. I want to see if anyone comments on the above.

Right. That gives us the reason.

Before OnyX, one last try. With the TM EHD attached, reboot the Mac.

Then use the Cmd + Option + Backspace method again.

That fails, OnyX will do the job - at least it has never failed me.

Ian

Had a brain wave. Forgot that I had an external drive "unhooked". Shut computer down and reattached the drive.

Started computer back up and made certain that it "saw" the drive. It did, then did a normal "empty trash" process and voila . . . . all gone!

Needless to say, thanks for ALL the help!!

That did it. The "trash" is a separate file on each drive. If the trash is emptied while a drive is unavailable (disconnected/otherwise unavailable) any files in the trash that are associated with that drive can't be removed.

Slydude said:

That did it. The "trash" is a separate file on each drive. If the trash is emptied while a drive is unavailable (disconnected/otherwise unavailable) any files in the trash that are associated with that drive can't be removed.

Click to expand...

I was never aware of that. This shows that an old dog can learn new "tricks". Thanks again!!