Help Me Erase A File

[Smallwheels]

I've been cleaning out my computer and putting many files into the trash. Some of them were dragged to it and others were right clicked with Move to Trash selected.

I've got an image file that went into the trash and I did find it in there. There was another version of that image with the exact same name in the folder that had a white icon. I tried putting it into the trash but it won't go.

I get a message that says "Some of the images are in use by another application. Moving the items can cause problems with the application using them. Are you sure you want to move these items?"

I have no other applications open or using this file. When I drag it or try the right click the audio of something going into the trash does happen.

I tried creating another image on my desktop with the same name and it let me do it. I was thinking that if I did that the computer might ask me if I wanted to replace the previous version. I would have chosen yes and then tried to move it to the trash. That didn't work.

If I try opening the file I get the message "The item (file name) is in use right now and cannot be opened. Try again when the current task (such as moving or copying an item or emptying the trash) is complete."

If I try dragging the image that is visible in the trash folder to the desktop it gives this message "The selected items cannot all be put into the same location, because at least one of them named (file name) is busy."

Remember there are two original files. One has a white icon and the other is the original image. I don't know how two of them came to exist. The white one is 0 KB in size according to Get Info.

The image file ends in .bmp. How do I get rid of this file?

Thanks.


Smallwheels

http://DoNotDieYet.blogspot.com
www.MySpace.com/Beninate

[Bandit Bill]

Try rebooting. That's normally what I do.

I know there are other ways... but rebooting is just simple it will make sure the app associated is closed.

[ReliantLion]

Just a quick tip. If you're deleting stuff all over your hard drive, you can speed up your machine by doing a Time Machine backup, then recovering from that backup. It's like defraging but more efficient.

[Smallwheels]

Rebooting doesn't work. I do see the logic in that. If the computer is shut down then all applications or programs get turned off. This one thinks it's still on. I get the same warning messages no matter what I try.

How would I learn what program is associated with it? I know that since it is an image file and it wasn't in iPhoto that I viewed it using Preview. I don't know what program is used for dragging and dropping things into the trash. That is probably Finder.

So there must be a solution short of reinstalling the OS.

I tried moving the file into another folder on the desktop just to get it out of the way and it wouldn't work.


Smallwheels

http://DoNotDieYet.blogspot.com
www.MySpace.com/Beninate

[mooblie]

I assume you've tried alt+Empty Trash? (overrides some things that stop trash emptying).

[Bandit Bill]

I can't believe you are having this much of an issue.

You should be able to right click, get info and see what app you have associated with bitmaps.

I've never had an issue that a simple reboot to close the unknown open app did not solve. You could also look at rebooting into "safe mode" just in case the app is opening at start-up.

I recommend you hold tight until someone with more experience monitor processes can give you some advice.

If that doesn't happen, hopefully you can back up then run OnyX. OnyX seems to be my cure all, when I don't know what I'm doing

[jb]

From the Finder main menu bar...
'Secure Empty Trash' this works for me every time.
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[jb]

[Smithcraft]

I haven't heard of this OS X bug in years!

There was an app that I used that specifically would delete the files in question, but it's been so long, that I can't remember it...

You might wanna check out Version Tracker or MacUpdate.

SC
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[Smallwheels]

[Bandit Bill]

[gts116]

If secure empty doesn't work, you can always use the terminal to try deleting the file.

Open Terminal.app

cd /Path_of_file/
sudo rm -r -f <filename.BMP>
enter your admin password.

Capitalization counts
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[swordsandtequila]

Occasionally I'd get this problem, and a reboot would work (or reboot and repair permissions); don't know why, but why look a gift horse .... For what it's worth, you might want to look @ an app that will dispose of all the miscellaneous files that go along with various applications. AppCleaner, etc. (check out MacUpdate, or this forum) make for a more thorough cleaning. These programs will dispose of all related files when you delete an application. Just deleting the main file doesn't always do the trick.
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[Smallwheels]

After the five plus hours of securely erasing files in the trash, I tried to move the messed up icon on the desktop into the trash. When I did so I got the same warning message. There were two choices in the warning box. One was stop the other was continue. I selected continue and the file going into the trash noise happened. Then the file disappeared. The Trash bin icon on the dock didn't show any file inside. That was interesting. In a way it makes sense because the file size was 0 KB.

Thank you all for your help. I'm going to copy those suggestions and commands into my Computer Help Folder for future reference.

Did those warning messages mean that the file that was mistakenly using the original image was indeed the Trash? I suppose that when looking to see the file types that utilize a file, the trash wouldn't ever be on that list.

I'm glad it only happened for that one file instead of the hundreds that I put into the trash.

I've been slacking off with my computer cleaning. There are probably a few hundred more files I could get rid of now. It just takes time to open each folder and start reading the documents to know what they're about and then to decide if they'll every be useful again.

[JohnnyBoy]