iPhoto 6.x: Trash fails to empty (#3): Potential fixes
iPhoto 6.x: Trash fails to empty (#3): Potential fixes
We continue to report on issue where users are unable to empty certain or all contents of the iPhoto trash, leaving unwanted data occupying volume space. The problem is especially likely to occur when deletion is interrupted by an unexpected quit or other issue.
Most users experiencing this problem notice that iPhoto unexpectedly quits upon the failed trash emptying attempt. When the application is re-opened, blank thumbnails (dashed white outlines and the photo names) of the images marked for deletion appear in the Trash. Moving these blank thumbnails back to the Library allows the trash to be properly emptied, but still leaves the unwanted thumbnails.
Potential solution In some cases, this issue can be resolved simply by dragging the blank thumbnails (resultant from the failed trash emptying attempt) to an area in the Source panel that is not the Library, nor the Trash icon -- simply an empty area of the light blue source panel. This may cause the problematic items to disappear.MacFixIt reader Neil Boyd is one reader who had success with this workaround:
"I have had the problem of 'ghost' files in iPhoto 6.0.5. It came about when I trashed some photos then reimported the exact same photos. I emptied the trash after I had reimported the photos. This caused the crash and ghost files. Thence after, any trashed photos caused iPhoto to crash when the trash was emptied and the files became ghosts.
"After reading your article, I found by chance that if I dragged and dropped the ghost files--not to the library--but to a blank area on the Source panel below the Trash icon, the ghost files vanished and the Trash is empty."
UPDATE: MacFixIt reader Chris offers another potential fix for this problem -- turning off item counts in iPhoto. You can toggle this option in the "General" pane of iPhoto's preferences. Un-check the box "Show item counts."
Chris writes:
"I had this problem for over a year, and finally discovered that turning off the folder counts reliably fixes this problem. You can turn off folder counts in the iPhoto preferences. Empty the trash. Then for a precaution, I close and reopen iPhoto before doing anything else. Then turn the folder counts back on if you want them."
Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.
Previous coverage:
Resources