iPhoto 6.x: Trash fails to empty (#2)
iPhoto 6.x: Trash fails to empty (#2)
Several users have corroborated a previously reported issue where they 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.
So far a definitive fix has proven elusive, however, a common thread has emerged: 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.
It also appears that in a few cases, emptying the Trash while viewing the Library (rather than viewing the Trash window) can obviate this problem.
MacFixIt reader Drayson Nowlan writes: "We are experiencing this issue, and currently have over 10,000 pictures to delete. In searching the web over the last 4-6 months (the time this has been happening) we have found no solution"
Rajesh Nidwannaya adds: "I'm having a similar problem. My library has over 10,000 photos. iPhoto crashes/quits when emptying the Trash, which has about 60 photos in it.
Jacob writes: "When emptying the trash that include corrupted images iPhoto just can't cope. The trouble is that it's hard to know which images are corrupted. I mean, checking each image before emptying is silly. And then, what do I do with the images that I can't delete? They're just left in the library, floating around. I've only got about 5000 images, so it doesn't take an excessive length to rebuild. "
Finally, Mike Essex writes: "I have a similar problem. I took a lot of pictures at Macworld. I did not want to erase the card in the camera to use it as back up. The camera also takes video clips, and iPhoto was not able to tell that they were duplicates, so each day I got all the videos added again to the iPhoto library. I trashed these, and some other photos, with iPhoto crashing at the end of the process, and now I have a bunch of grayed out thumbnails. I have rebuilt the library several times without any success."
Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.
Previous coverage:
Resources