Remove my file tumor!
December 16, 2007 4:11 PM Subscribe
Can't get things deleted off my USB drive anymore. Think it's Windows-Media-Player-for-Mac's fault.
I have a bunch of files in the Trash, but for some reason it always attempts to delete WMP first, and fails, and all I can do is cancel, so they're all still there. As far as I can tell, it actually does delete some part of it, because the icon changes to the generic application/white piece of paper one. But it says that several of its component pieces-- help file .htm's and the like-- are locked. (Get Info says they aren't.) I tried to drag it out of the trash, copy the full file to the same location and overwrite it for a fresh start, but no luck. And it copied the thing, and kept one of them in the trash, so after fooling with that awhile I have a whole fleet of partial copies of WMP that I cannot get rid of.
I took it to a PC, hoping it might work differently, but the Trashes folder it usually displays there was not to be found. What can I do?
I have a bunch of files in the Trash, but for some reason it always attempts to delete WMP first, and fails, and all I can do is cancel, so they're all still there. As far as I can tell, it actually does delete some part of it, because the icon changes to the generic application/white piece of paper one. But it says that several of its component pieces-- help file .htm's and the like-- are locked. (Get Info says they aren't.) I tried to drag it out of the trash, copy the full file to the same location and overwrite it for a fresh start, but no luck. And it copied the thing, and kept one of them in the trash, so after fooling with that awhile I have a whole fleet of partial copies of WMP that I cannot get rid of.
I took it to a PC, hoping it might work differently, but the Trashes folder it usually displays there was not to be found. What can I do?
Best answer: Holding down Option while emptying the trash will force-delete most troublesome files.
posted by mkultra at 4:58 PM on December 16, 2007
posted by mkultra at 4:58 PM on December 16, 2007
If the above doesn't work, then copy everything you do want off the flash drive into a folder on your hard disk, reformat the flash drive, and copy everything back.
posted by flabdablet at 5:47 PM on December 16, 2007
posted by flabdablet at 5:47 PM on December 16, 2007
I would try rebooting the computer and then re-inserting the USB key. It might think that stuff's in use for no good reason.
posted by loiseau at 1:14 AM on December 17, 2007
posted by loiseau at 1:14 AM on December 17, 2007
Best answer: Just a slight derail, but you really shouldn't be using Microsoft's Windows Media Player for Mac, unless you're running some ancient version of OSX. Microsoft killed WMP for Mac years ago, and for very good reason....it sucks.
Use the Flip4Mac Windows Media Components for Quicktime instead (it's so good, even Microsoft endorses it, as evidenced by that link). It gives you WMV playback right within Quicktime Player.
posted by melorama at 2:35 AM on December 17, 2007
Use the Flip4Mac Windows Media Components for Quicktime instead (it's so good, even Microsoft endorses it, as evidenced by that link). It gives you WMV playback right within Quicktime Player.
posted by melorama at 2:35 AM on December 17, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
cd /volumes/flashdrivename
rm -rf .Trashes
(or just un-trash everything and delete the things you want deleted using rm from a commandline).
posted by pompomtom at 4:29 PM on December 16, 2007