Cannot delete attribute file in mac os X

Suddenly some *attributes files started to appeared in the trash folder of my mac os x (snow leopard).

The problem is I can't delete them.

// 1. See there is a file with an invalid name 
MAC:libs cran$ ls
commons-io-2.0.1.jar:com.dropbox.attributes

// 2. That I can't delete  
MAC:libs cran$ rm commons-io-2.0.1.jar\:com.dropbox.attributes 
rm: commons-io-2.0.1.jar:com.dropbox.attributes: No such file or directory

// 3. The only file here
MAC:libs cran$ ls -a
.
..
commons-io-2.0.1.jar:com.dropbox.attributes

// 4. But I can't do anything with it
MAC:libs cran$ ls -l
ls: commons-io-2.0.1.jar:com.dropbox.attributes: No such file or directory

// 5. Trying to delete parent folder
MAC:iome.desktop cran$ rm -rf libs
rm: libs: Directory not empty

// 6. Trying to use wildcards 
MAC:libs cran$ rm commons-*
rm: commons-io-2.0.1.jar:com.dropbox.attributes: No such file or directory

// 7. Trying to delete parent folder
MAC:iome.desktop cran$ rmdir libs
rm: libs: Directory not empty

// 8. Retrieving the inode
MAC:libs cran$ ls -i
ls: commons-io-2.0.1.jar:com.dropbox.attributes: No such file or directory
3408401 commons-io-2.0.1.jar

// 8. Remove the file by inode
MAC:libs cran$ find . -inum 3408401 -exec rm -i {} \;
remove ./commons-io-2.0.1.jar? y
find: ./commons-io-2.0.1.jar:com.dropbox.attributes: No such file or directory

// 9. Repair the disk permission 

// 10. Fix the ACL (while booting from an external drive)

I ran a fsck -fy hoping that it would clean them, but to no avail. I want to install bootcamp on my computer. But now that I feel that the filesystem is messed, I'm a bit afraid about creating new partitions and whatnot.

I tried to use xattr to remove the file, but once again, to no avail :

MAC:libs cran$ touch commons-io-2.0.1.jar

// a. Trying to remove attr 
MAC:libs cran$ xattr -d com.dropbox.attributes commons-io-2.0.1.jar 
xattr: commons-io-2.0.1.jar: No such xattr: com.dropbox.attributes

// b. Trying to remove attr 
MAC:libs cran$ xattr -d com.dropbox commons-io-2.0.1.jar 
xattr: commons-io-2.0.1.jar: No such xattr: com.dropbox

I ran all those tests in normal mode and single user mode. Do you know how I can get rid of those files ?

My hat off to the genuises of the Apple Store of Lyon Part Dieu, France.

The rationale behind the solution is : if you can't delete something, try to move it some other place.

What Adrien and Vincent did :

• rename .trash to badtrash
• create another .trash folder. Now my trash is working as expected but the undeletable files are still on my computer. But wait, there is more :)
• boot the mac from another system located on an external harddrive
• change the permission of badtrash so it can be deleted
• delete badtrash
• empty the trash

Tadah !

Now my undeletable files are now on the external drive. Which is not a problem : neither for me, neither for Adrien and Vincent as the external drive will be reformatted soon.

Classy solution, eh ?

Thanks to the great Apple store team at Lyon Part Dieu.