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Why can't I delete migrated iPhoto library from my trash?

I already started to use Photos and all my old iPhoto archive is visible inside Photos. I'm not using iPhoto anymore. Since I had a recent problem of disk space, I needed to clean some apps and files from my iMac (27-inch, macOS Mojave, 10.14.6) and by using AppCleaner (a third party app) I deleted iPhoto app and the migrated iPhoto library. But no matter how hard I tried, I can't force empty the trash. iMac restarts every time I try to delete those files. It is a real nuisance.

I used almost every method suggested on this page:

https://recoverit.wondershare.com/mac-tips/force-empty-trash-mac.html


Anyone having a solid idea about the solution?

Thanks in advance...

iMac 27″, macOS 10.14

Posted on Aug 1, 2020 1:17 AM

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Posted on Aug 1, 2020 2:02 AM

It seems like the answer is already here. So I have just learned that it is not necessary to delete the iPhoto migrated library, because despite the fact that it seems to take up disk space, it doesn't.

Source:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204476

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3 replies

Aug 2, 2020 9:43 AM in response to flaneurX

You will save some space by deleting that library. What message do you get then you try to empty the Trash?


boot into Safe Mode (How to use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support) by booting with the Shift key held down and try deleting from there.  Reboot normally.

NOTE: Safe Mode boot can take up to 10 minutes as it's doing some system cache cleaning, volume verifying and directory repairing. 


Aug 2, 2020 10:01 AM in response to Old Toad

Thanks for your reply.


I think I had a system failure at the time. I didn't have any message, my screen was frozen or iMac was continuously restarting.


Today, after quite a while, I upgraded my iMac to MacOS Catalina (from Mojave) and everything seems to be working fine, as far as I can see.

On that Apple link I mentioned in my first message it is written (btw, it is 3 years old):


"When you migrate a photo library from iPhoto or Aperture, the Photos app creates a new library structure but doesn't duplicate your images. Instead, Photos saves disk space by creating links to the original and preview versions of your images. 

When Finder reports the file size of your Photos library, it includes all your originals and previews. It may look like your remaining iPhoto or Aperture library is taking up twice the space on your hard drive, but it isn't—your images exist only in one location, even though you may have more than one photo library.

After you migrate your iPhoto or Aperture library to Photos, you might feel tempted to delete your original iPhoto or Aperture library. Because the migrated library takes little additional space, you don't need to delete the original library."


So that migrated iPhoto library seems to take up only 65 MB of disk space at the moment which seems pretty reasonable. I can try to delete it after my Time Machine backup is complete. Just in case... :)


By the way, I am really happy about this upgrade. Even though there are some incompatible apps and plug-ins, it is negligible.

Why can't I delete migrated iPhoto library from my trash?

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