Can't delete a folder
Wayne C. Morris
Michelle Steiner <mich...@michelle.org> wrote:
> I have a folder that just can not be deleted; I've tried various
> utilities that are supposed to delete problem folders, but none of them
> work.
>
> It has an invisible locked folder inside it, named "+HFS private data"
> The icon of that folder (when viewed in a "choose file" applescript
> window) has a lock and a red disk with a white bar (like a traffic "do
> not enter" sign) on it.
That red & white marker means you don't have permission to access that
folder -- it belongs to another user.
Use "Get Info" to check the Ownership & Permissions of the folder, and
to change it (if you're an administrator).
[dani]
> I have a folder that just can not be deleted; I've tried various
> utilities that are supposed to delete problem folders, but none of them
> work.
>
> It has an invisible locked folder inside it, named "+HFS private data"
> The icon of that folder (when viewed in a "choose file" applescript
> window) has a lock and a red disk with a white bar (like a traffic "do
> not enter" sign) on it.
>
>
> --Michelle
>
From your description here I'm not sure what the problem is with that
folder, it's probably owned by root or whatever. You can try to delete
by rebooting into OS9 (which doesn't care about file ownership). Or if
you know how to use the Terminal: "sudo rm -i -r foldername". Or it
could possibly be a problem with file flags -- does Trash (Finder I
mean) complain with a pop-up, "The operation cannot be completed because
the item filename is locked"? If so, try this in Terminal: "sudo chflags
-R -P nouchg foldername" -- try "man chflags" to learn more about that
command.
HTH,
D.
--
Matthias Schroeder
> Michelle Steiner wrote:
> > I have a folder that just can not be deleted; I've tried various
> > utilities that are supposed to delete problem folders, but none of
> > them work.
>
> > It has an invisible locked folder inside it, named "+HFS private
> > data"
I also have one of these, very annoying...
> > The icon of that folder (when viewed in a "choose file"
> > applescript window) has a lock and a red disk with a white bar (like
> > a traffic "do not enter" sign) on it.
>
> > Any suggestions?
>
> > --Michelle
>
> From your description here I'm not sure what the problem is with that
> folder, it's probably owned by root or whatever. You can try to
> delete by rebooting into OS9 (which doesn't care about file
> ownership). Or if you know how to use the Terminal: "sudo rm -i -r
> foldername".
That does not help, I tried it already a few times. And it did not
fail because of a wrong foldername, everything was properly quoted.
> Or it could possibly be a problem with file flags --
> does Trash (Finder I mean) complain with a pop-up, "The operation
> cannot be completed because the item filename is locked"?
If I remember correctly it complains about permissions.
> If so, try
> this in Terminal: "sudo chflags -R -P nouchg foldername" -- try "man
> chflags" to learn more about that command.
That might be worth a try. Thanks for the hint...
Matthias
>
>
> HTH,
>
>
> D.
>
> --
Keith Brooks
michelle-591F1D...@news.west.cox.net, "Michelle Steiner"
<mich...@michelle.org> wrote:
> It's an invisible folder, so I can't get at it from the Finder; also,
> I'm the only user on the system, so I am the only administrator.
>
> Would it help if I logged in as root?
>
> --Michelle
You may be able to go to Version Tracker, download Macintosh Explorer and
use it to expose the hidden file, then delete it.
Brooksie
johnny bobby bee
>
> It's an invisible folder, so I can't get at it from the Finder; also,
> I'm the only user on the system, so I am the only administrator.
>
have you tried 'Super Get Info'?
if you don't have it, there's a demo version of it here:
http://barebones.com/products/supergetinfo.html
it will allow you to see invisible folders.
> Would it help if I logged in as root?
>
have you tried deleting the folder from terminal, as root?
i'm not sure how you'd not be able to delete anything you want, as root,
from terminal.
and if not, then logging in under 'single user' mode, then deleting it
from there.
johnny bobby bee
>>Or if you know how to use the Terminal: "sudo rm -i -r foldername".
>
>
> typing and identification.)
>
> [Gay-Deceiver:~] michelle% sudo rm -i -r aaa
> remove aaa? y
> remove aaa/$$$$HFS+ Private Data? y
> rm: aaa/$$$$HFS+ Private Data: Operation not permitted
> rm: aaa: Directory not empty
>
have you tried:
sudo rm -rf foldername
[dani]
> In article <areuu1$h4h$1...@bob.news.rcn.net>, "[dani]" <z...@invalid.com> wrote:
>
>
>>Or if you know how to use the Terminal: "sudo rm -i -r foldername".
>
>
> typing and identification.)
>
> [Gay-Deceiver:~] michelle% sudo rm -i -r aaa
> remove aaa? y
> remove aaa/$$$$HFS+ Private Data? y
> rm: aaa/$$$$HFS+ Private Data: Operation not permitted
> rm: aaa: Directory not empty
>
> set the permissions properly, and tried to set the permissions of
> contained items as well--and didn't get any errors when doing that.
>
> any other suggestions?
>
> --Michelle
>
The only thing I can think of now is file flags. Try this on the file:
"chflags noschg filename", you may have to do it as 'sudo' and might
also have to add a "-R" switch like this: "chflags -R noschg foldername"
to make it do chflags on the whole file heirarchy.
As a test I just set the 'schg' flag on a tiny text file and then tried
to delete it with 'rm', here's the output I got:
override rw-r--r-- coma/staff for tst.txt? y
rm: tst.txt: Operation not permitted
So... the 'schg' file flag may possibly be your problem.
Also, give this one a try: "chflags nouchg filename". As above, you may
have to sudo and add the -R switch.
Do "man chflags" to learn more about file flags.
I'm sorry I can't be more helpful.
One thing I'm wondering is why in your cut/paste of the Terminal output
is the filename is preceded by $$$$ four dollar signs?
D.
Jennifer Mullen
wrote:
> In article <3DDBEA22...@mailexcite.com>,> No, but I just did, and it seems to have worked. thanks.
Just FYI, rmdir only works with empty directories. For blowing away
directories with contents, use rm recursively as you did above.
Just be careful, because one mistyping and you would become another in a
long line of unix-using folk who deleted a whole lot more than intended.
-J.
Robert Langdon
<red...@mac.com> wrote:
> In <michelle-42A1DE...@news.west.cox.net> Michelle Steiner
> wrote:
> > In article <3DDBEA22...@mailexcite.com>,
> > johnny bobby bee <ste...@mailexcite.com> wrote:
> >
> >> have you tried:
> >> sudo rm -rf foldername
> >
> > No, but I just did, and it seems to have worked. thanks.
>
> Just FYI, rmdir only works with empty directories. For blowing away
> directories with contents, use rm recursively as you did above.
Amen! I was trying to deletr what I thought was a file, but turned out
to be a package full of directries and files. First I had to open the
package to see what was in there, then I had t do a bunch of RMs on the
files then RMDIR on each folder.
What a pain!
Simon Slavin
Robert Langdon <rlan...@twcny.rr.com> wrote:
>Amen! I was trying to deletr what I thought was a file, but turned out
>to be a package full of directries and files. First I had to open the
>package to see what was in there, then I had t do a bunch of RMs on the
>files then RMDIR on each folder.
That's what the '-r' switch for 'rm' is for. 'man rm' for more
details.
Robert Langdon
<sla...@hearsay.demon.co.uk@localhost> wrote:
Thanks. I will!