delete - File deletion bypassing trash on OS Mavericks

07
2014-07
  • Michael Wu

    Deleting files in finder is now permanently deleting the files (i.e. basically doing rm filename) and is not moving the items to trash. How do I fix this behavior? I like being able to undo my deletes.

    • Answers
  • ؘؘؘ

    Check what the permissions and owner for ~/.Trash/ are:

    $ ls -led ~/.Trash
drwxr-xr-x  39 lauri  staff  1326 Apr 17 02:49 /Users/lauri/.Trash

    If the owner is root, run sudo chown $USER ~/.Trash. If the permissions are for example dr-xr-xr-x instead of drwxr-xr-x, run chmod 755 ~/.Trash.


    • Related Question

    Can not delete torrent file from desktop
  • Questioner

    I have this torrent file on the desktop that has zero file size and is not being used by anything, yet I cant delete the icon or file from the desktop. Every time i try to delete it i get an error saying

    "could not find this item

    this is no longer located in C:\...\Desktop. Verify the item's location and try again."

    I have tried writing a program to write a file to desktop under the same filename with a file attached to it. When i do that, i can in fact delete the file, but only temporarily as when i refresh the desktop, it will reappear.

    I've also tried using Unlocker, which worked for me in the past when i had a 32-bit OS, but since i have a 64-bit OS now it doesn't work anymore.

    Any suggestions?


    • Related Answers
  • fluxtendu

    As a replacement of unlocker on 64-bit windows/windows 7, you could use LockHunter.

    But If it's a corrupted filename: try Delete Doctor (freeware) or delinvfiles (shareware, but have more features) to delete the file with its short or UNC name

  • Phoshi

    "could not find this item. this is no longer located in C:...\Desktop. Verify the item's location and try again."

    This error is usually realted to a file name or path exceeding the maximum length, use rename and shorten the name.

  • Robert Harvey

    Try this. Go to Command Prompt and using CD Command get the desktop folder. Suppose that the file you want to delete is named 2009-0000001-whatever, write DEL 2009*.*. Be sure that no file is named with the same you put before the *, just the file you want to delete. Enter, and that's all. Best Regards.

  • William Hilsum

    Before you try anything complicated, have you tried clicking on any icon then pressing F5?

    Sometimes Windows Vista and Windows 7 for some reason do not update the desktop or folders, but pressing refresh works and shows everything.

    Also, maybe just try a restart - something may have an open handle to it and if it exists, you can do a delete after a restart.

    Again, it may be something more complicated, but this is worth a try first!

  • Alexandre Jasmin

    Try using Process Explorer to see if something is using the file.

    Open Process Explorer, select Find Handle or DLL... under the Find menu, type the file name and click Search

    It's not as fast as Unlocker but it should tell you which process is using that file.