When I bought my new Mac recently, I transferred everything over. I want to delete a couple of files - basically screenshots and some images from who knows how long ago. They are on my desktop. When I try to delete them, I get this message: The operation can’t be completed because an unexpected error occurred (error code -50). Anyone know how I can delete these several items??
MacBook Pro (M2 Pro, 2023)
Darn. When I dragged the file (a jpeg image), it would not drag to the terminal window. It would drag over to the window and then when I let go, would bounce back to its original spot. I am going to include a screenshot of these files I want to delete, there are several and they are all images. These items on my desktop won't even move,
if I wanted to tuck them in a folder somewhere, I can't. I can't even move them to the other side of my desktop.
Do you think they won't delete because they were originally files on a different computer??
ok, here is more detailed info...
I have about 5 separate screenshots or images just sitting on my desktop. They were stuck on my desktop when I owned my last Mac. I would try and drag them to the trash and get an error message, even if I drug them to the trash separately. When I got my new Mac, I just moved everything over and these images or screenshot files were still on my desktop of course on the new Macbook Pro. When I drag them individually to the trash, I get the error code mentioned above. If I try and open the items, nothing happens. I have also tried to delete them. I have looked at the "Get Info" on the files and they are either jpeg or peng and one is a HEIC. The files are not locked - I checked that.
Did this work?? I'm so curious.
Grant, how would you suggest to get rid of phantom files if they don't show in the list?
Aren't those image files in that screenshot of the Desktop, not really there on the desktop? They don't appear to be fully downloaded/placed on the Desktop.
For example,
I suppose, he has to click on them for them to appear on the Desktop, then delete them.
click on the lock and authenticate with your Admin username (likely your username) and your login password.
change everyone to read&write.
try delete again.
if no joy, click the + button
add Administrators,
change to Administrators to Read&Write
try delete again
No luck. I was able to change everyone to read and write and add an admin to read and write without having to unlock. Is that important? I still unlocked and did it and locked it back on one of the jpegs and on another, did not unlock. Still, would not allow me to drag it to the trash.
You said these are on the desktop, right?
There is a way to force-remove using Terminal and Finder working together. Terminal commands are like a box of VERY sharp tools. You never just reach into the box, or it will cut your fingers.
Open a terminal Window;
type this command and leave a space at the end, and don't press return yet:
rm -f
open a Finder window.
drag the difficult file to the Terminal Window.
This does not move the file, it copies the long directory reference to the file into the Terminal window.
that long file reference will appear after the space at the end of the rm -f terminal command.
press return, and the file should be gone.
What you are doing is telling Terminal rm -- remove this referenced file, and -f, force its removal, I really mean it followed by the directory reference to the file provided by Finder.
in Terminal, enter this command to list (the names of the files) in the current-user Desktop file, where tilde [~] is an active shorthand for "current user'. Each letter of -ale are flags that add displayed attributes to the output.
ls -ale ~/Desktop
You will get a MacOS dialog box asking if you want to allow Terminal to access files on your desktop. Allow and enter your Admin password if a password is required.
please copy and paste the text of the results.
Once you post the Output of that Terminal command, Readers can see ALL the underlying attributes of those files, and try to understand why they won't delete. They might need to have their persuasions tweaked further.
"It would drag over to the window and then when I let go, would bounce back to its original spot."
They are not there on the Desktop.
Click on each of the image file for it to appear on the desktop, then delete, if they appear.
what ownership (sharing and permissions) is shown at the bottom of the GetInfo box? or post a screen shot of the getInfo box.
Me and everyone??????? Why does it say everyone??
that error is "error in user parameter list."
It is telling you your request is too complicated or malformed.
delete the items one-by one.
I have tried one at a time. Two are screenshots with a png extensions. The others are Jpegs. Nothing I have seen online will let me delete it. And, I can't even open the files.
Tried how?
drag to Trash?
use delete key?
something else?
Need help with an error code-50