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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Can't unlock Plug-In and empty trash

scotlovesmacs - Feb 9, 2008 - 11:12 am

Hi. A while back, I copied some data from one drive to another as a back-up procedure. After finishing, I put some unneeded copied items in the trash to delete. Upon attempting to Secure Empty Trash, I get a dialog box which says: "The item GoLive cannot be deleted because the item is in use." Everything else deletes just fine.

I tried regular Empty Trash and the same thing happened.

So I figured something is locked. I opened the trash and located a Go Live plug-in and sure enough, it is locked. It's Name is: ShockwavePlugin.class and it's Kind is: Jar Launcher Document. When I click the More Info button, the entire screen's desktop icons and windows disappear momentarily (although not the background graphic/wallpaper), and then reappear without the opened trash window containing the locked item.

I tried dragging it out of the trash and onto the desktop to do a Get Info on it and unlock that way. The same screen flutter happens and the item ShockwavePlugin.class has now duplicated itself and remains on the desktop.

Can you help me get this thing unlocked so I can delete it from the trash and stop it from mysteriously cloning itself?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Scot.

earthsaver - Feb 9, 2008 - 4:20 pm

Is the second hard disk still connected? I'm guessing the duplication is due to the file's original location being the second disk and not the startup disk, in which case dragging it to the Desktop copies instead of moves the file. The screen fluttering you're seeing is the Finder crashing and reopening.

I think the simplest way to remove this file is to open Terminal (from Utilities) and use the forceful remove command:

rm -rf /path/to/file/finename.extension

You can actually type the rm -rf piece, followed by a space, and then drag the file straight from its location in the Trash in the Finder into the Terminal window. Back in Terminal, press Return.

Under normal circumstances, the file will disappear. Let me know if it doesn't.

- Ben

scotlovesmacs - Feb 10, 2008 - 1:12 pm

Hi Ben. I tried what you suggested and Terminal responded "Operation not permitted. I copied "rm -rf /path/to/file/finename.extension" into terminal window, typed a space, and dragged the GoLive plug-in into the Terminal window. Then with Terminal active, I pressed Return. "Operation not permitted" followed previous text. Tried emptying trash again and got same "GoLive in use" dialog box. Plan B?

Thanks. Scot.

earthsaver - Feb 10, 2008 - 3:40 pm

I should have mentioned before that the simplest way to stop the activity of a file in the Trash is to log out and back in. If you can't wait or want an alternative that doesn't require quitting open applications, you can try using CanMan, which you can download from my iDisk. CanMan should simplify the process of forcing the Trash to empty, regardless of its contents.

For future reference: Perhaps I wasn't clear before. "/path/to/file/filename.extension" refers to the folder hierarchy that leads to the file in question, in this case the Go Live plugin. It should not appear as quoted in the command in Terminal. You would replace it with a relevant folder path. But short of all that, you should be able to start with "rm -rf " and then drag in the Go Live plugin from the Trash.

So, to simplify, type the following in terminal, drag in the plugin, and press Return.

rm -rf

If it doesn't work, precede the command with "sudo". And after pressing Return enter your administrative password.

scotlovesmacs - Feb 10, 2008 - 6:00 pm

Hi Ben.

Tried the Terminal commands and preceding with "sudo" and got a response of "operation not permitted". Sorry I'm so lame with the Terminal stuff, but it gets a little deep into the system folders and not being sure what I'm doing, it scares me a bit.

So, I went to the easy route you suggested and downloaded your CanMan. Ran the program and... Done! The file is Gone, Gone, Gone.

Saved CanMan in my apps folder for future use if needed.

Thanks so very, very much.

Scot.

scotlovesmacs - Feb 10, 2008 - 6:44 pm

Hi again. One last thing... After successfully emptying the trash, I tried to move the copied Plug-In from my desktop to the trash. No dice. I get a Trash dialog box which states: "The operation cannot be completed because the item ShockwavePlugin.class is locked."

I tried launching this stupid thing, thinking that I may be able to force-quit it and send it to the trash that way, and I got the following dialog from the System: " ! Jar Launcher The jar file "ShockwavePlugin.class" couldn't be launched. Check the Console for possible error messages.

I checked Console and I get this:
Mac OS X Version 10.4.11 (Build 8S165)
2008-02-10 19:14:23 -0500
Feb 10 19:14:25 ScotsG4Tower /Library/Application Support/LaCie/LaCie Backup/laciebackupd.app/Contents/MacOS/laciebackupd: laciebackupd could not load preferences for hotkeycode. Default : "s"
Feb 10 19:14:25 ScotsG4Tower /Library/Application Support/LaCie/LaCie Backup/laciebackupd.app/Contents/MacOS/laciebackupd: laciebackupd could not load preferences for hotkeymodifier. Default : "controlKey"
2008-02-10 19:14:31.157 SystemUIServer[244] lang is:en
Feb 10 19:15:34 ScotsG4Tower crashdump[305]: Finder crashed
Feb 10 19:15:34 ScotsG4Tower /Library/Application Support/LaCie/LaCie Backup/laciebackupd.app/Contents/MacOS/laciebackupd: laciebackupd could not register hot key: -9878
Feb 10 19:15:37 ScotsG4Tower crashdump[305]: crash report written to: /Users/scotmurdock/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/Finder.crash.log
Feb 10 19:17:00 ScotsG4Tower /Library/Application Support/LaCie/LaCie Backup/laciebackupd.app/Contents/MacOS/laciebackupd: laciebackupd could not register hot key: -9878
Feb 10 19:18:44 ScotsG4Tower crashdump[324]: Finder crashed
Feb 10 19:18:45 ScotsG4Tower /Library/Application Support/LaCie/LaCie Backup/laciebackupd.app/Contents/MacOS/laciebackupd: laciebackupd could not register hot key: -9878
Feb 10 19:18:46 ScotsG4Tower crashdump[324]: crash report written to: /Users/scotmurdock/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/Finder.crash.log
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: netscape/plugin/Plugin
at java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClass1(Native Method)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClass(ClassLoader.java:620)
at java.security.SecureClassLoader.defineClass(SecureClassLoader.java:124 )
at java.net.URLClassLoader.defineClass(URLClassLoader.java:260)
at java.net.URLClassLoader.access$100(URLClassLoader.java:56)
at java.net.URLClassLoader$1.run(URLClassLoader.java:195)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at java.net.URLClassLoader.findClass(URLClassLoader.java:188)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:306)
at sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader.loadClass(Launcher.java:268)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:251)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClassInternal(ClassLoader.java:319)
Feb 10 19:26:47 ScotsG4Tower /Library/Application Support/LaCie/LaCie Backup/laciebackupd.app/Contents/MacOS/laciebackupd: laciebackupd could not register hot key: -9878
Feb 10 19:28:50 ScotsG4Tower /Library/Application Support/LaCie/LaCie Backup/laciebackupd.app/Contents/MacOS/laciebackupd: laciebackupd could not register hot key: -9878

I tried moving it to another folder on the HD, just to get it off the desktop and it made itself into an alias in the folder, and also remains on the desktop. Now I can't move either one to the trash!!! Unbelievable! This thing just keeps mutating. Any help greatly appreciated.

Thanks. Scot.

earthsaver - Feb 10, 2008 - 6:57 pm

Did you try unlocking the file? File > Get Info on it and see if the Locked checkbox is checked.

scotlovesmacs - Feb 10, 2008 - 9:51 pm

Yes. The locked (Closed padlock) icon appears with the graphic of the file when I open it. As I indicated previously, when I try to do a Get Info or More Info, the screen flutters, everything disappears momentarily, and then the item remains in the trash and/or on the desktop and other HD folders, obstinately refusing to be removed. Can't seem to get this crazy thing out of my life and off this computer! Please help. Thanks. Scot.

scotlovesmacs - Feb 10, 2008 - 9:58 pm

Yes. The locked (Closed padlock) icon appears with the graphic of the file when I open it. As I indicated previously, when I try to do a Get Info or More Info, the screen flutters, everything disappears momentarily, and then the item remains in the trash and/or on the desktop and other HD folders, obstinately refusing to be removed. Can't seem to get this crazy thing out of my life and off this computer! Please help. Thanks. Scot.

earthsaver - Feb 10, 2008 - 10:01 pm

I see. Forgot that you'd dragged one out of the trash. I found a potential solution that will avoid direct Terminal interaction. Use Trash It! by dragging the shockwave file to the Trash It! icon.

There does, however, seem to be an underlying issue that's causing the Finder to crash. Have you repaired permissions lately?

scotlovesmacs - Feb 11, 2008 - 8:26 am

Yes, I use Cocktail as a cache cleaning and permissions repair utility on a regular basis. Last run of Cocktail was Saturday 02-09. I'll try Trash It and let you know what happens. Thanks. Scot.

scotlovesmacs - Feb 11, 2008 - 8:38 am

Yes, I use Cocktail as a cache cleaning and permissions repair utility on a regular basis. Last run of Cocktail was Saturday 02-09. I'll try Trash It and let you know what happens. Thanks. Scot.

scotlovesmacs - Feb 11, 2008 - 8:41 am

Hi Ben. Trash It! worked. I think I got this thing out of my life once and for all. Saving Trash It! for future use. Thanks a million. Scot.