Files Deletion
 

Will someone PLEASE give me the proper command to delete ALL the files in my folder: /var/backup ? This folder alone has over 17GB of files that are almost all corrupt,and causing a pop-up that computer is almost out of space.I have read, and tried many different commands, but none of them allow me to delete those files. I'd hate to have to format and re-install. Am running Mint13-MATE.
Many thanks in advance for any help.

Thanks so much for the reply. I did as you suggested and got this: "sudo: unable to resolve host HP5800". The HP5800 is my computer. Anymore suggestions, please?

can you please copy-paste the command and output in code tags.

it doesnt make sense to me that sudo is trying to access the internet ?

edit: i looked it up; seems to be a ubuntuism. supposedly its a bug in ubuntu:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=773851

thats like changing the radio station and your car going in reverse.

Many thanks again. Here is the cut and paste:
tosim@HP5800 ~ $ sudo rm -rf /var/backup
sudo: unable to resolve host HP5800
[sudo] password for tosim:

when you type in tosim's password does it do anything. i don't use ubuntu but i beleive to edit the hosts file requires sudo privledges. perhaps someone smarter than me will pass by with a solution.

After typing in password, I get a blank line: "tosim@HP5800 ~ $ "

for the shiggles, can we see the output of these:

As requested:
cat /etc/hostname
HP5800
tosim@HP5800 ~ $ cat /etc/hosts
127.0.0.1 localhost
127.0.1.1 HP5800.ph.cox.net

# The following lines are desirable for IPv6 capable hosts
::1 ip6-localhost ip6-loopback
fe00::0 ip6-localnet
ff00::0 ip6-mcastprefix
ff02::1 ip6-allnodes
ff02::2 ip6-allrouters
tosim@HP5800 ~ $ hostname
HP5800

since its a ubuntu bug i'm not sure what its complaining about but my educated guess is that it wants to see a line like 127.0.0.1 HP5800 in /etc/hosts.
x-or it wants /etc/hostname to be HP5800.ph.cox.net.

(127.0.1.1 just seems wrong -- did you type that in or did the system typo that ?)

The system typed that.

Sorry, but I have to go.
Thank you so much for your assistance. I guess I'll give it a few more days, and if I don't get rid of all those files, I'll format and reinstall. Again, many thanks.