11 replies to this topic

[the Battle Cat]

I have a friend who owns a new Mac Pro exactly like mine and he tells me that when he transferred the files over from his old Mac G5 exactly like mine he transferred a bunch of old OS9 files from the real old days.  There is an old scanner driver installer file that won't delete, OSX thinks the file is in use which is impossible.  He needs to go into the Terminal but as smart as he is (and he's really smart) He doesn't know the terminal command to force delete the file.  I told him I'd ask you guys cause you know everything.

[Thain Esh Kelch]

It isn't just a permissions problem?

[Frost]

There used to be a freeware app for Mac, I think called Force Delete, that would take care of files like that. You might check for that and see if it's still around. If it's compatible with 10.6, then that should take care of it. I've used it 4 or 5 times over the years to take care of problem files that refused to go away, and it did the trick.

[PeopleLikeFrank]

sudo rm -f filename.ext

(-rf if it's a directory, /path/to/filename.ext if you're not already cd'd to the location of the file.)

[the Battle Cat]

Thain Esh Kelch, on 30 December 2010 - 01:57 PM, said:

It isn't just a permissions problem?

No, I have he has the perms to delete it, it says my his file is in use.

Frost, on 30 December 2010 - 04:27 PM, said:

There used to be a freeware app for Mac, I think called Force Delete, that would take care of files like that. You might check for that and see if it's still around. If it's compatible with 10.6, then that should take care of it. I've used it 4 or 5 times over the years to take care of problem files that refused to go away, and it did the trick.

I found a Force delete for OS8, a plugin for the the Contextual Menu Manager.  I don't think I want he wants that.

PeopleLikeFrank, on 30 December 2010 - 05:04 PM, said:

sudo rm -f filename.ext

(-rf if it's a directory, /path/to/filename.ext if you're not already cd'd to the location of the file.)

Bingo.  Pesky files gone!  Thanks you pointy headed, adam's apple bobbing, bespectacled NERD!!

[Frost]

the Battle Cat, on 30 December 2010 - 06:55 PM, said:

I found a Force delete for OS8, a plugin for the the Contextual Menu Manager.  I don't think I want he wants that.

That's definitely not it, I have used this as late as Tiger. Not near my G5 or I'd find out exactly what it is.

the Battle Cat, on 30 December 2010 - 06:55 PM, said:

Bingo.  Pesky files gone!  Thanks you pointy headed, adam's apple bobbing, bespectacled NERD!!

An easier way for if when you need it again. I don't think this is the one I've used before, but from the looks of it, it should answer, and it's freeware: Trash It!

[the Battle Cat]

Frost, on 30 December 2010 - 10:10 PM, said:

That's definitely not it, I have used this as late as Tiger. Not near my G5 or I'd find out exactly what it is.


An easier way for if when you need it again. I don't think this is the one I've used before, but from the looks of it, it should answer, and it's freeware: Trash It!

Curse your metal body, you weren't fast enough!  I He downloaded this app for the next time but if you insist I he use it now, I need he needs a program that will undelete a file.

My mysterious unnamed generic friend thanks you all for your time and attention.

[Rev-O]

IIRC Cocktail will delete 'undeletable' files without much hassle. I've used for such on a few occasions.

[Tesseract]

The Finder's "Secure Empty Trash…" will actually solve this problem most of the time in my experience.

[the Battle Cat]

Tesseract, on 04 January 2011 - 07:00 PM, said:

The Finder's "Secure Empty Trash…" will actually solve this problem most of the time in my experience.

I tried that actually.  Didn't help this time.  The Finder just didn't want to mess with this damn file.  Ex-file that is.  Muah hahahaaaa.  Thanks Tesseract.  You too Rev-O, I have cocktail but didn't think to use it.

[Tibur]

the Battle Cat, on 04 January 2011 - 07:49 PM, said:

I tried that actually.  Didn't help this time.  The Finder just didn't want to mess with this damn file.  Ex-file that is.  Muah hahahaaaa.  Thanks Tesseract.  You too Rev-O, I have cocktail but didn't think to use it.

Probably because Cocktail is only good for deleting 104 minutes of your life.

[the Battle Cat]

Tibur, on 05 January 2011 - 12:58 PM, said:

Probably because Cocktail is only good for deleting 104 minutes of your life.