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I'm unable to empty my trash. It says "The operation can't be completed because the item "Install macOS Catalina.app" is in use. I'm running Big Sur on a new 2020 iMac. I've tried locating the app using Terminal and Activity Monitor, but cannot pinpoint the app based on name, CPU cycles, etc.
Any ideas on how to kill this thing?
Shown below are images of the problem I'm trying to solve on my iMac:
Here's the file in my Trash:
And here's what happens every time I try to empty my Trash:
Shown here is the full EtreCheck Report
Any ideas on how to delete this file would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
I strongly recommend that you uninstall the VPN app you have installed. Third party VPN's can cause all types of issues, if your employer tells you to use a VPN, then they should have that pre-installed on their login process.
Also, I see in the free EtreCheck
2021-01-15 00:10:22 AntivirusforMac.app High CPU Use (2 times)
Executable: /Library/Bitdefender/*/AntivirusforMac.app
Please use the free version of FindAnyFile to see if it finds anything with "BitDefender" in it. If it does of course move that to Trash.
As for your Trash problems, perhaps the following article can help you out: http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/trash.html . This is an old article but still very relevant.
You can save both you and us a lot of time and effort if you do the following:
Please navigate to the Mac App Store or navigate to www.Etrecheck.com and download the free version of EtreCheck. Once you have you downloaded the app and installed it, please run the report and save it. This report will help us get a good idea what has been installed on your system and help us be able to diagnose what may be wrong.
When you have your report, you can attach it when you reply to this message and we can then review it and help you determine what is needed to get your system running well again.
For instructions on how to download your EtreCheck report and attach it to your reply to this message please click https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-250000211
The best antivirus, cleaning app, and overall maintenance app for Mac OS is Mac OS itself. All you need to do with Mac OS to keep it secure and running well is to keep it up-to-date and do periodic (about 1x per week) restarts. Other than that, leave it alone. Adding third party antivirus, cleaning, security and other types of maintenance apps to Mac OS adds no additional level of security. The only thing these apps do is have the opposite affect users want. They make Mac OS slow, unstable, generate odd behavior (much like you are experiencing) and make Mac OS appear buggy.
Please locate the developers uninstall instructions for Bitdefender and follow to the letter. Then restart in Safe Mode per the directions in Use safe mode to isolate issues with your Mac and then restart normally.
Thanks. I'm still unable to empty the trash with that file in it. I've drug it to the desktop so "Trash" is empty, but it remains on the iMac without an apparent way to eliminate it. I appreciate your efforts to find a resolution to this matter.
Here is the latest EtreCheck report:
Well, against my better judgment I've uninstalled the Bitdefender software and performed the restart. I followed that by upgrading to the "paid" version of EtreCheck and followed all of their suggestions regarding the removal of older .plist and Agent/Daemon processes. I've run the activity monitor to see what processes are running (everything is "normal" in that regard, though the mds processes are active as they are apparently rebuilding my indexes.
Aaaaand I still cannot empty the trash. I'm as flummoxed today as I was yesterday on how to get rid of this dang file (Install maOS Catalina.app). It's clearly something I downloaded in December on my older 2013 iMac and it got carried forward when the new 2020 iMac arrived and I used Time Machine to restore user footprint. I may try dragging it to the desktop, moving it to a flash drive, and taking a flamethrower to the flash drive.
First, thank you for all of your diligence and suggestions on how to get this file OFF of my iMac. I'm happy to report: Mission Accomplished. How?
The link you provided to "thexlab..." suggested a number of native OS solutions (which didn't remediate the issue), but it did two utilities: Trash It! and Cocktail. I started with Trash It! (no bueno) then went on to Cocktail, which has a Big Sur compatible version. Eureka!
I had to disable the System Integrity Protection using the Recovery OS to allow the app to work it's magic (subsequently restored), but the file is GONE ... or at least no longer viewable to me. My guess is artifacts exist somewhere on the hard drive, but the immediate problem is gone.
Thanks again for your ideas and recommendations. I'm going to ignore a couple of them long-term (I'm a believer in VPN's and anti-virus software), but the acquisition of some very helpful utilities is now part of the repertoire and will prove useful in ensuring optional operation of my iMac going forward.
Lets take a look at a fresh EtreCheck report, to see if all of Bitdefender is gone and to see if there are any other issues that may be causing your Trash issue.
Your welcome.
Runaway App (Install macOS Catalina.app)
