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nature girl

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 12, 2004
19
0
I have quite a few files and folders in my trash, but i can't delete them because it says that the file/folder is locked. I don't remember locking those files at all, and i can't figure out how to unlock them so that i can delete them. Can anyone help me? Thanks!
 

HexMonkey

Administrator emeritus
Feb 5, 2004
2,240
504
New Zealand
If you hold down the option key when you empty the trash, it will delete all files regardless of whether they are locked or not.
 

nature girl

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 12, 2004
19
0
Thanks.

I checked the info on the files, but the "locked" option is not checked. Strange... But i did do the option+empty trash trick and it worked! Thanks!
 

Kelmon

macrumors 6502a
Mar 28, 2005
733
0
United Kingdom
This happens to me sometimes when a file has been opened in an application (or was a disk image), the closed, and deleted. I know that I've closed the file but sometimes the Trash won't empty telling me that the file is still in use (I think the term was "locked"). I've not tried the Option-Empty Trash method before (will do in the future, mind) but either putting the system to sleep or waiting a bit usually does the trick for me.
 
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