Boot caches, missing file structure, external HDs

I installed Leopard two days ago along with buying a new 320GB external. I backed up 20 gigs of files to give my 160 gig internal HD some breathing room. I was showing my friend how to format an external using disk utility and accidentally started formatting my new external. I realized my error as soon as I hit the format HFS button and stopped it before it started formatting my disc.
When I shut down later Finder told me my boot caches needed to be updated. This took about 10 minutes. When I booted up later that day my external drive had a different icon(one of the orange drives) and a different name. It said it didn't have any data on it, like the directory information was deleted.
I need to be able to access the data that's still on the external. How can I do this?

I've given up trying to recover that data I guess I just fried the file structure information.

Similar Messages

Windows to Mac - OS or TM Lost File Structure (External HDD)

Damage control please.
I have an old Seagate One-Touch 150GB external drive I use to back up my old Windows machines.
I have (had) four machines backed up in there - 1 Windows Me and 3 XPs holding business and personal files for the last 8 years.
I needed a file and since my Vaio laptop broke down I connected the Seagate to my MBP for the first time.
The Seagate showed up fine, double-clicked it and began looking for my file. No problems until...
I clicked an old MP3 to listen to it, iTunes came up. No biggie yet. Then Time Machine came up asking me if I would like to use my Seagate as back-up. I clicked O.K. and made sure no formatting or erasing happened.
Suddenly OSX alerted me that the USB hard-drive was not ejected properly. I though it was a faulty USB cable. But after a dozen tries and reading two hours of 'Apple Discussions' and web searches I find myself without a clue how to recover my files without recurring to a $100+ service or software recovery solution.
All I did was look for a file and play a song! Please help.
I tried the Seagate with an XP machine but as with the Mac, it wants to initiate or format the drive.
XP disk utility tells me that the file structure is RAW and Disk Management tool shows 16MB Unallocated and No File Structure whatsoever.
I am sorry I upset the Apple Gods by trying to dig into my Windows past. I beg mercy and forgiveness

Maurizio,
I clicked O.K. and made sure no formatting or erasing happened.
Well, there's the problem. Whether or not you knew it was happening, OS X must first re-format any drive for use with Time Machine, unless it is already formatted as HFS+. In short, the drive has been erased. I feel your pain.
On the bright side, your data will not have been touched; it is still there, just not listed in a directory structure (file system). You will need to look into one of the many file recovery software packages. The drive is not damaged, physically, so a professional service is really not necessary. Just find a suitable software title that can do the job of file recovery for you. These can be had for not too much $$$. Stick with Windows titles, though, since the files were stored as part of a native Windows file system.
Scott

Errors when copying files to external HDs

I'm going to try to make this as uncomplicated as possible, so please bear with me.
I have two WD Elements external HDs. I use a Belkin powered 2-port USB hub to connect them to my Airport Extreme (used as a server). I started out with one of them, a 1.5 TB, and purchased the second one when the first started to get really full. I use them exclusively for storing music files. My plan was to move files from the nearly full drive to the new one. I began moving files, folder by folder (a painstaking and time-consuming process) from the one drive to the other.
The first problem that popped up was this: in the process of copying a folder to the new drive, an error message appeared saying that the "operation could not be completed because you do not have access to some of the items." I in fact have full custom access to both drives, and am the only one who uses them. Another message I would sometimes get would be, "[file name] could not be moved because its name contains too many characters."
I found this annoying but bearable until it started happening more frequently. What's more, when a folder failed to copy completely, that would leave me with an identically named but incomplete folder in the second location. An attempt to delete it would be met by another error message, "[folder name] could not be deleted because [folder or file name] is in use.
I hope this is all clear enough. Any help would be appreciated.

Simplify the system. You have a lot of components right now and it is hard to know where the error lies. If this is a one-time major transfer of files personally I could connect them directly to the computer, get it done, then reconnect to the spaghetti of wi-fi, hubs, etc..
What format drives? Are you really running a server with intervening firmware or software, or are these simply external drives?

Missing files on external hard drive and unable to delete items in trash

When my external hard drive is connected I am unable to eject it because it says it is in use. I have tried shutting every program, but the message still occurs. I have also noticed that I can't empty my trash can when the external hard drive is connected, and that it appears empty when it is ejected. There are also missing folders on the drive. I am able to see the timemachine backup folder, but I can't open it properly to access the data.

With the External HD connected to the AEBS, I went to File -> New -> Folder and named the folder. I had done this a few times, as well as created a few new ones using Picasa and cutting/pasting them into the appropriate folder. I did that a few times. Then one more time I went to File -> New -> Folder on the EHD (not Picasa), named it and hit enter. I got a message saying can't do it because folder doesn't exist. Properties showed correct amount of GB used/remaining. so I know it's there. Latrer I connected directly to PC and folders were there and could be manipulated. I tried reconnecting EHD to USB hub in AEBS and it won't show up as a drive under Computer, but under Network -> <AEBS name> -> drive name.

Missing Files on External HD

I have a 3TB USB3 External harddrive formatted in FAT32 and a iMac running 10.5.8. I have been moving video and audio files on the external from a 'To Sort' folder to other folders for housekeeping. Once moved the files disappear from the original folder and do not appear in the new folder. The Trash then has a gobblydygook Unix file which I can't recover. Today when trying one last time, I moved one file between folders (which worked) but the 17 remaining files in the To Sort folder disappeared! Very exasperating, but I've yet to lose anything important but I'm starting to get a bit worried.
The manufacturers 'Hitachi' say it's not their problem but an Apple issue. I have 3 other externals (either FAT32 or Mac Journaled) and this isn't happening with them.

My Job's PC Laptop is Windows. I had originally formatted the harddrive NTFS and used NTFS-3G for the Mac. But as some of the video files are large (I'm a filmmaker) it was taking forever to view them so I re-formatted to Fat32. Although I rarely use the laptop at home, I have yet to lose any files when moving them via the windows laptop. I always eject properly as well.

Missing Files? - external hard drive

I have been having issues sharing folders on my external hard drive, which is connected to my MacBook. The folders have been added as shared through my system preferences menu, and the users and permissions don't seem to be a problem. Alas, sharing these folders is still giving me trouble.
While trying to trouble-shoot this issue, I (apparently foolishly) right clicked on one of the folders (Movies) and selected 'Apply Permissions to Enclosed Items'. Ever since doing this, all of the files within that folder are no longer viewable...every subfolder is now EMPTY. I have confirmed that the files are still on the drive and haven't been deleted, but I can not access any of them from my MacBook which is a major problem.
How can I revert whatever settings/permissions I altered by clicking 'Apply Permissions to Enclosed Items'??
Details:
MacBook - OSX 10.7.2
SeaGate HDD formatted as NTFS, running on Mac via Paragon NTFS
Thanks so much for any help!!

With the External HD connected to the AEBS, I went to File -> New -> Folder and named the folder. I had done this a few times, as well as created a few new ones using Picasa and cutting/pasting them into the appropriate folder. I did that a few times. Then one more time I went to File -> New -> Folder on the EHD (not Picasa), named it and hit enter. I got a message saying can't do it because folder doesn't exist. Properties showed correct amount of GB used/remaining. so I know it's there. Latrer I connected directly to PC and folders were there and could be manipulated. I tried reconnecting EHD to USB hub in AEBS and it won't show up as a drive under Computer, but under Network -> <AEBS name> -> drive name.

Locating files on External HDs

Is there an advantage to locating projects and/or events on an external HD? (Other than saving space on the startup drive.)I am using the new 17" MacBook Pro with a 750GB 7200rpm drive.

Tom,
I saw in some of your earlier posts (to other threads) that you seemed to support the use of Finder to move FCP X projects and events.
This post indicates that one should use the FCP function. That certainly works, but is tedious to do one at a time. I have about 50 projects.
What is your current thinking on use of Finder to move events and projects?
Thanks,
RR

I imported different trips to different catalogs on different external hard drives. Later renamed external HDs. I want to combine catalogs and have my source (NEF) files all together on one drive. I'm not really sure how to get those source files back

I imported different trips to different catalogs on different external hard drives. Later renamed external HDs. I want to combine catalogs and have my source (NEF) files all together on one drive. I’m not really sure how to get those source files back and get rid of the extra long path to where the source files are now located. If I re-link files to their current catalog (many different paths to files in same catalog) can I merge (import catalogs) into one master catalog? Will the new (Master catalog) have the correct link to the source file? If not, how or can this be done?
I have tried to explain my situation as clearly as I can. Do you understand my situation?
This maybe something you don’t have time to help me with. If not can you suggest somewhere I can get an answer? I really need help. PLEEEZZZ HELP ME.
Bruce Schuerman
Norman, OK
405_514-4875 (call collect)
[email protected]

Is there any solution (other than buying
I really think 'buying' is the best solution on this one. Ideally, you would have at least five internal hard drives.
System
Projects
Cache/Scratch
Media
Exports
Use externals and network drive only for backup.

HELP! How can i restore/recover files from Bootcamp with Boot Failure - Missing operating system error?

Hi,
I am having a few problems with bootcamp on my imac. When i tried to move the bootcamp partition on windows 7 into free space, it crashed and turned off. Ever since i have had the error 'Missing operating system' and it fails to boot. I have some very important files on the bootcamp partition. Is it possible to recover these files or even to restore the bootcamp partition to it's original state? I do not have a backup of my bootcamp partition. Another problem i have is that ever since i tried to expand my macintosh HD partition into free space, when i hold alt while booting up (to choose which partition to boot like i normally do), the bootcamp partition has stopped appearing. This means that i cannot even boot the windows 7 bootcamp partition anymore!
So basically here are my 2 questions:
How can i restore/recover files from Bootcamp with Boot Failure - Missing operating system error?
How can i make the Bootcamp partition appear in Startup Disk and when i hold the option key while starting up my computer to allow me to boot windows 7?
Any solutions are very much apreciated!
Thanks!
I know that bootcamp (disk0s4) hasn't been fully deleted since it appears in disk utility (i cant do anything to it though)
And here is the error i see when i try to launch bootcamp (back when i was actually able to boot up bootcamp to the error screen)

WinClone 3 is OS X and saves Windows image it makes for restore - that should work but you will have to try and you would need to make a new image unless it also works with a native Windows system restore image. It is now supported and has come a long way.
http://www.twocanoes.com/
Paragon Clone OS works and does disk-to-disk clone just like CCC you end up with two bootable drives. But does not work with your setup. It would let you clone and move your Windows install to an SSD or another disk drive though and be bootable.
During its clone process it checks for errors which is very helpful and lets you know - something CCC and others should adopt more of.
http://www.paragon-software.com/downloads/demo.html
I wish for our/my sake you had re-read and rewritten the long 'story' and broken it into a brief list of facts we needed.
OS X
Windows
Backup (though external is much safer) and you want bootable OS X clones as well as TimeMachine
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT1427
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT1553
There are a number of things to do like chkdsk and others as well as Windows DVD to do automatic system repairs and find out why.
AppleHFS - the abilty to mount and read HFS volumes can be notorious.
I would rearrange and redo your storage setup and how you use the 4-5 internal hard drive bays.

Is it normal for files to go missing from an external hard drive?

I've posted about this issue before but for slightly different reasons. I'm about to buy a new hard drive (the old one is full), probably I'll go for the exact same model, and I want to know if the problem I had described here has happened to Mac users.
I use a Retina MBP with OS X 10.8.4 that also runs Windows 8 on boot camp. At the same time I have an Acer Aspire and what I used to do is download movies onto my external drive with my MBP in Mac - I would also rename the files in Mac - and then connect the drive to my Acer so I could access the movies there.
One day I noticed that some of the files, after I had renamed and moved them to a new folder on the same partition, had gone missing. As I described in my old thread, it was a weird problem because those "missing" files would appear in Windows but not in Mac. But even in Windows when you could see the folders, they were all corrupted as the system indicated to me - the folders couldn't be accessed and the movies wouldn't play.
Thankfully I haven't had this issue again but then I haven't dared to move any of my movies to a new folder either. Not since that incident. I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't have lost those movies and had them corrupted if I had kept them in their original location. Is it normal for files to go missing or be corrupted when you move them back and forth, especially when you use an external drive with one OS (Mac) and then switch to another (Windows)? I've always wondered if this was an issue. I never formatted the drive when I got it, I just plugged it in and used it. That was before I bought my MBP.
I also was unable to delete those corrupted files/folders. Windows wouldn't let me and in Mac, they didn't even show up. I solved this eventually by using Disk Utility to repair the drive.
Now I'm fine with letting my files stay put if that's what it takes to keep them safe and secure, but I'd be more comfortable if I can understand what went wrong all those months ago.
The hard drive I have is this one from Samsung.

Quick answer if you use iTunes' default preferences settings: Copy the entire iTunes folder (and in doing so all its subfolders and files) intact to the other drive. Open iTunes and immediately hold down the Option (alt) key (shift on Windows), then guide it to the iTunes Library.itl file in the moved iTunes folder.
If you put the copied iTunes folder in the default location of Macintosh HD > Users > *User Name* > Music then you don't even need to start with the option key held down, iTunes will automatically look for it there. (Make sure there isn't anything already in the iTunes folder there that you want to keep since you will be replacing it with the one you are moving.)
Longer answers if for any reason you do not think all library files are inside your iTunes folder (changed preferences settings at some point):
iTunes: How to move [or copy] your music [library] to a new computer [or another drive] - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527 - a somewhat bewildering and not always easily understandable set of options.
For the record there's this reference for iTunes 11 but it really doesn't strike me as having the specifics you need. iTunes 11 for Mac: Move your library to another computer - http://support.apple.com/kb/PH12168
2011 ilounge article: Transferring your iTunes library - http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/moving-your-itunes-library-to -a-new-hard-drive/ - An article with good background information (similar to the links above), particularly if you are not sure your media files are all grouped for quick answer above. Unfortunately under the single term "transferring library" it describes two very different moves; relocating just your media (not really transferring your library and not recommended unless you really need this configuration), and relocating media+database (really your whole "library"). Make sure you understand the difference before electing to move only media.

File Structure with iTunes on an External Drive

This is an image of the file structure on my external drive that holds all of my iTunes music:
Is this correct, or should I have set it up differently? I am asking since it is differnet the the iTunes file structure on my MacBook Pro and some files will get uploaded to my external drive and others will go onto my MBP,s iTunes Music folder. All of my iPhone/iPad apps, Album Artwork, Mobile Applications. I have Book folders on both drives and the both have books on them.
I should say that I had a major problem a few years ago, which has nothing to do with the above problem, with one of the iTunes updates which disconnected most of my songs from their respective files. I tried a solution a friend sugested, which really messed up the files and now many of the files have different info inside the song files, i.e., Otis Redding as the Artist on a Radiohead track. Or another groups cover for a Beatles album. I have a large library and have gone through slowly and fixed many things, but it is still quite messy and a huge bummer.. As a proud new owner of a Late 2011 MacBook Pro, I would love to be able to have a solution for this as well.
TIA

Well I just went through the same thing. I had a Lacie Porsche mobile drive at 80GB and changed to a Lacie Rugged 250. I keep all my music on external never local. Not a fan of loading my laptop. Anyways.... I was getting those same errors. I had copied all the itunes library contents from the Porsche drive to the Rugged drive. It took quite some time to transfer so you knew it was working. Then changed in the preferences of iTunes to save in the Rugged drive. If you trashed or deleted any files from the new drive and just put them in the trash without emptying you get that 501 trashes path. I found I had multiple duplicates of songs with the name of the song followed by a 1.mp4a. I think the library.xml file is the key to a clean transfer of music. I think this file is stored locally in your user folder and then it's used to direct to the alternate drive but from what I've read it's the file with all the playlist information and stuff on it. If you find it and move it over to the mobile drive then hold option and boot up itunes then tell it to look for that file on the new mobile I think you'll have no worries. I'm actually gonna try this myself.
You don't want to know how it got it working. I physically opened every music file on the rugged drive to make sure the were all where they were supposed to be. All 70'gb's of music. Never doing that again.

Missing files on HFS drive in Boot Camp 3.0

I have an external drive formatted with HFS. When I look at the contents of that drive while in Windows XP in Boot Camp 3.0 I noticed that some of the files are missing. If I log back into Snow Leopard the files are still there. I have tried deleting the "missing" file and copying it back, but the same problem persists or strangely another file in the same folder will go missing when I look for it in Boot Camp. Is there a bug in the HFS driver for Boot Camp or is there some sort of weird behavior of HFS I don't know about? This isn't a one off thing either, this is happening in multiple folders on the drive.
Thanks.

I have begun to experience a similar issue on an external hard drive. The drive has 3 partitions (2 Journaled, 1 NTFS). I access the HFS/journaled partitions from a Boot Camp installation (slipstreamed Windows XP SP2).
Certain files do not appear in the Windows Explorer, though they do appear in Mac OS Finder. Same as <ditogi>, I copied and replaced, renamed and so on - the content is apparently unharmed. I also adjusted the permissions. Nothing seems to work. Additionally, folders also seem to be missing now.
The only recent changes to the system were:
Mac OS: Firefox 3.6.2
Windows: GlovePIE; PPJoy; Tamamy Ikesu's DUALSHOCK3 HID Minidriver.
Any pointers as to whether this is a Mac OS or Windows issue - mass storage driver, security, or services related would be helpful.

I downloaded some videos to Premier Elements 13 from external hard drive but now the external hard drive is damaged. I tried to open the videos on the organizer which it shows the video but with a yellow ? and says missing file. Is there anyway I can open

I downloaded some videos to Premier Elements 13 from an external hard drive but now the external hard drive is damaged. While setting up my new MAC the external hard drive was dropped and I have been told by an outside source they could not retrieve the files. It had 4 years of photos and videos on it. I remembered that I had downloaded some of the videos from the external hard drive (before it was broke) to Adobe Organizer 13 when I installed the Adobe 13 on my MACOS X 10.9.5. I tried to open the videos on the organizer which it shows the video but with a yellow ? and says missing file. Is there anyway I can open these videos?
Any input is greatly appreciated!! I am sick over losing the videos and had a little hope on Adobe Organizer until I was unable to open them. I am thinking it is due to my external hard drive not being plugged in. I thought when I transferred from the external hard drive to Adobe 13 that it would be there without the external hard drive needing to be attached but maybe I did something wrong.
Thanks again for any help!!!!

jnrmendonca
It had 4 years of photos and videos on it.
To what did your camera record those photos and videos - camera's internal memory, inserted memory card, other?
Any remote chance that the latter may still exist for you to use to download the camera files to your new external hard drive?
ATR

I imported pics to catalogs on different external hard drives. Later renamed external HDs. I want to combine catalogs and have my source (NEF) files all together on one drive. Can I merge cats and will new path to source files be correct if when inporti

I imported different trips to different catalogs on different external hard drives. Later renamed external HDs. I want to combine catalogs and have my source (NEF) files all together on one drive. I’m not really sure how to get those source files back and get rid of the extra long path to where the source files are now located. If I re-link files to their current catalog (many different paths to files in same catalog) can I merge (import catalogs) into one master catalog? Will the new (Master catalog) have the correct link to the source file? If not, how or can this be done?
I have tried to explain my situation as clearly as I can. Do you understand my situation?
This maybe something you don’t have time to help me with. If not can you suggest somewhere I can get an answer? I really need help. PLEEEZZZ HELP ME.
Bruce Schuerman
Norman, OK
405_514-4875 (call collect)
[email protected]

I imported different trips to different catalogs on different external hard drives. Later renamed external HDs. I want to combine catalogs and have my source (NEF) files all together on one drive. I’m not really sure how to get those source files back and get rid of the extra long path to where the source files are now located. If I re-link files to their current catalog (many different paths to files in same catalog) can I merge (import catalogs) into one master catalog? Will the new (Master catalog) have the correct link to the source file? If not, how or can this be done?
I have tried to explain my situation as clearly as I can. Do you understand my situation?
This maybe something you don’t have time to help me with. If not can you suggest somewhere I can get an answer? I really need help. PLEEEZZZ HELP ME.
Bruce Schuerman
Norman, OK
405_514-4875 (call collect)
[email protected]

Imported par file to NWDS, jar file missing. Where find par file structure?

Hi All,
We want to implement idle session timeout on the portal. We found a wiki here on the subject. In order to implement the solution we need to make adjuestments to com.sap.portal.navigation.masthead.par.bak. When we import this par file to Netweaver Developer Studio, the libraries and jar files are missing. So obviously it errors then in portal as files are missing.
So I could add them manually but I don't know what the file structure is on this par file so don't where to add what. Does anyone know?
Also when I export the file after manually adding the missing files, will it export all the files or will it behave the same way as the import and leave out the additional files?
If anyone could help, I'd really appreciate it,
Kind regards,
Liz.

Hi Bala,
I thought of that just before you responded and it worked!! Thanks for the response..
Regards,
Liz.

Boot caches, missing file structure, external HDs

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