[X4U] Undeletable file/folder

[John Masters]

Ralph wrote:
> Well, this one has me stumped. I hope one of you can help me.
>
> As a small copy/print shop, we get files on USB sticks all the time --
> sometimes from Macs, sometimes from PCs. (We use Macs exclusively for
> all our production tasks.) To speed things up, we usually copy files
> from the USB stick to the Mac's hard drive before working with them.
> Sometimes this means copying a folder or folders full of files.
>
> Recently, we got in a USB stick that appeared to have Windows files on
> it (extensions like .exe). We copied data and graphic files off of the
> stick and onto the internal drive of an Intel iMac running OS X 10.4.11.
> When the work was finished, we tried to delete all but the final
> production file from our hard drive. Turns out that one of the folders
> we copied over had a buried folder in it called System that won't
> delete. When we empty the trash, we get the message, "The operation
> cannot be completed because the item '.plma' is locked." The folder,
> which appears empty, remains in the Trash.
>
> When I try to drag this folder out of the Trash, it COPIES onto the
> desktop, leaving an empty "System" folder still in the Trash and another
> new, empty "System" folder on the desktop! Now, we have two folders that
> won't delete.
>
> Any ideas about what's going on, and how to get rid of these items?
>

Hold the Option Key down when you empty the trash. See the following link:

http://www.macsimumnews.com/macosgforums/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=19427

-- 
    John
johnmasters at me.com