In Mac OS X, why can't I empty the Trash or throw away a particular file or folder?

If you cannot delete an item in Mac OS X, try the following:

• Check to see if the file (or a file within the folder) is being used by an application. Quit all open applications, and then try to empty the Trash.
  
  
• If the item is a file, click the file once. From the File menu, select Get Info. If the file is locked, unlock it and empty the Trash. Note that you won't be able to delete a folder if even one file in it is locked.
  
  
• If the item is a folder, try throwing away each of the files within it. Remove files that give you errors, and then try trashing the folder again.
  
  
• If you are using a security program such as At Ease, disable it, and then try to throw the item away. If you don't know how to do that, contact the software's technical support or the computer's administrator.
  
  
• You can force the Trash to empty even locked files by dragging them to the Trash, then holding down Option, and then, from the Finder menu, selecting Empty Trash.
  
  
• Create a new file or folder in a different folder or disk from the item you want to throw away. Give the new item the same name, and then move or copy it into the folder where the recalcitrant item is located. When the Finder asks you if you want to replace it, click Yes or Replace, and then throw the moved item away.
  
  
• Run a file repair program such as Disk Utility or OnyX. Once it has finished, try to empty the Trash or throw the item away. For more information, see In Mac OS X, what is First Aid, and when and how should I use it?
  
  
• Log in with an administrator account and try to throw the file away. If you log in as a normal user, you won't have enough access privileges to throw away certain files.
  
  
• Create a new folder, and then move what you want to delete into it. Move the new folder to the Trash, and then empty it.
  
  
• If you are using Boot Camp, restart your computer in Windows and run disk repair utilities there. Format errors on the Windows partition can sometimes create items in the Trash that cannot be removed in Mac OS X.

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