Recovered files now UNIX Executable Files???

After my previous external hard drive failed I had the data recovered and placed onto a new external drive. After looking at the files I have found that a number of them have become "unix executable files." I don't know what this is or how to fix it. It seems to have only happened to things such as saved emails, but there are some photos from my digital camera that have converted to this as well.
While looking into the problem I found that the company that recovered the data placed it all onto an external hard drive that is an MS-DOS File System (FAT32) format instead of a Mac OS format. Could this be the problem since all of my files were Mac files, and the hard drive they were recovered from was formatted to Mac OS?
If this is the case, is it something I can fix myself without loosing anything, or should I take it back to the place that recovered the data?
ANY help would be greatly appreciated!

Welcome to Apple Discussions!
Yes the file naming probably was messed about with when they copied stuff over to FAT32. The files are probably there. However, the just need the correct file suffix to associate with the correct programs. A good way to test the files without hurting them is to view them in the Terminal with the program called More. Go to Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal and you will be greeted by a prompt. At the prompt type the word
more
followed by a space (do NOT hit enter)
and drag the file into the terminal following the word "more" and then when the path appears, hit enter. If there is intelligible text, the file is probably an e-mail. If there is no intelligible text, it probably is an image, or a system file. Preview can open the files which are images and save them to specific formats. Depending on the number of files you had rescued, it might be better to ask them to rescue it again, but to a properly formatted volume. You can try yourself if you still have the old disk with Prosoft Data Rescue.
In anycase, this is a very good lesson to always backup your data in the future as my FAQ explains:
http://www.macmaps.com/backup.html
Good luck!

Similar Messages

Old Quark files are now Unix Executable Files

I made hundreds of archive CD's with Mac's running OS 9 back in 1990's. They contain Quark files and .tif's. I've referred back to these CD's many many times over the years with no problems. My new iMac has the intel processor. I pop an archive CD in and all the files (with no extensions like "tif" or ".qkd" or ".eps") are now "Unix Executable Files" that won't open.
I simply add an extension to the images files (like ".tif") and they work. HOWEVER, it's not so easy with the Quark files. I add ".qkd" to the file name and it still remains a Unix file.
I launch Quark and try to open the file through the finder and it doesn't work. I took an archive CD to a friends house whose on a G5 and the CD worked properly with no extensions needed to be added.
So I figure the problem is with the Intel/PC based processor. I shouldn't have sold my old G5.
One forum claimed that a program called "File Buddy" did the trick for him. Does anyone have any other ideas other than me buying a non-Intel Mac.
I love our new iMacs but I need these archive CD's to work!
Thanks

I automatically run OnyX once a week for maintenance, but it didn't help this situation.
Those chores won't reset the LaunchServices database. Go to the Maintenance heading and click on the Reset tab. Turn on the check box for "LaunchServices database" (all other check boxes off). Click the Reset radio button and then Execute. Restart your Mac.
OS X will automatically rebuild the database according to the applications on your hard drive, giving preference to Apple applications as they would be when you first install OS X. So if you have the Acrobat Reader set up to open PDF files, you'll have to do that again as they will be set back to Preview.
Actually it's .qxd not .qkd for Quark XPress file extensions.
That's it! I knew .qkd was wrong, but Quark 6.x won't show you the old extensions when you save a file, and I couldn't remember it (been using InDesign steadily for a while now).

Backup files are now Unix Executable files

I backed up my iPhone on my laptop (pc) but when i but transferred all my iPhone backup files to my iMac there was a couple of folders that are now Unix Executable files which are coincidentally are the same backups that I cant use to restore my iPhone without receiving an error message.
Also, is there a program that I can use to read the history.mapsdata file? Thanks

I automatically run OnyX once a week for maintenance, but it didn't help this situation.
Those chores won't reset the LaunchServices database. Go to the Maintenance heading and click on the Reset tab. Turn on the check box for "LaunchServices database" (all other check boxes off). Click the Reset radio button and then Execute. Restart your Mac.
OS X will automatically rebuild the database according to the applications on your hard drive, giving preference to Apple applications as they would be when you first install OS X. So if you have the Acrobat Reader set up to open PDF files, you'll have to do that again as they will be set back to Preview.
Actually it's .qxd not .qkd for Quark XPress file extensions.
That's it! I knew .qkd was wrong, but Quark 6.x won't show you the old extensions when you save a file, and I couldn't remember it (been using InDesign steadily for a while now).

Can't open recovered files, which are now Unix Executable Files

My external hard drive, where I kept my Final Cut Pro documents, recently died. I hired someone to recover the data. Now, when I try to open them in FCP 6, however, I get the message "File Error: Wrong Type". It says they are "Unix Executable Files". Looking back in this forum, none of the previous solutions have worked for me--like adding .mov to the file extensions, for example.

ah, the subtle difference between a movie or media file and a project file.
Thanks for posting your solution, hardly anyone ever does that around here. And congrats on the rescue! We rarely hear of a successful data recovery on media files but this was a data drive, yes? You could help future users who suffer catastrophic drive failures by posting your contractor and the cost if you want to share that information.
bogiesan

Photoshop .psd files converted to Unix Executable files

I'm an illustrator and I store my art on CDs and DVDs. After a period of time my files are converted from Photoshop .psd files to Unix Executable files and I can't open them. What can I do to get my work back??? -and keep this from happening in the future. Why does it do this????
Thanks for any help.

The file sizes range from 22.2 MB to 67.9 MB.
Size isn't the issue then. Linc was asking that question because we see that with other file types. Older fonts in particular, which have all of their data in the resource fork. If that gets stripped, you end up with a zero byte file.
Does that mean I'll have to go through the Adobe authorization process for Photoshop again?
If the version of Photoshop you're currently using is already activated, then no. Either way, it has nothing to do with .psd files showing as UNIX executables.
In Windows, any file that doesn't have an association to a program is displayed as a white, dog-eared piece of paper with the Windows logo in the middle. That's Windows' way of saying, "I have no idea what this is." In OS X, (except for those files which actually are UNIX executables), displaying them as such is OS X's way of saying the same thing.
I thought I was home free when the icon changed to a thumbnail picture of the illustration, but PS refuses to open it saying it is not a Photoshop file. ???
Now that is weird. As of Snow Leopard, Apple put the old Type and Creator codes to rest. It will read them as a last resort to try and identify an older file, but none of Apple's applications add them to any file they save. For better compatibility with Windows, and OS X's own underlying UNIX core, file extensions have taken their place. So adding a .psd extension should have worked. Without playing with one of your files, I couldn't tell you why Photoshop declared it wasn't a valid .psd image.
On a side note, Apple added Uniform Type Identifiers to OS X to keep things separate. A big problem in Windows is that multiple apps may use the same file extension. EPS is a big one in printing. So you have Photoshop, Illustrator, Freehand, Quark and others all using .eps for Encapsulated PostScript files. However, Windows can only associate one application to any given extension. So if Illustrator happens to be the one tagged to .eps files, it will try to open any file ending in .eps, no matter what program actually created it. OS X keeps them separate with Uniform Type Identifiers. So even though multiple files may have .eps file extensions, the extra metadata keeps track of what program it actually belongs to.
This is what is part of the LaunchServices database, and was why it was my first suggestion. If that database is wonky, you'll see weird things like this. Have you tried clearing it yet?
The files are fine when newly burned to CD. It is only months, or years, later that they become Unix Executable Files. This has happened to just about all of my CD backups and it's frustrating to think that CD backup doesn't work across newer OSs and Photoshop upgrades. I suspect that may be the problem, but it just shouldn't happen.
That shouldn't make a difference. I've got a bunch of very old files created in Photoshop back from OS 8 on CD. No file extensions, as nothing did at the time. Just Type and Creator codes. They all open fine in PS CS5.5 in Snow Leopard, though the native Photoshop files do need to have a .psd extension added.

Unix Executable Files

after upgrading to Tiger 10.4.3, all my files that did not have a file extension (in particular all my fonts) are now Unix Executable files and unusable. is there any thing that can be done?

My boss if having the same problem! I however, am not. We have identical G5's, but our older G4's are slightly different with slightly different OS's and software. My boss has OS 10.1.3 and OS 9.2.2, also i have newer versions of photoshop and quark on my G4 than my boss does.
The file types he is having the issue with are .eps files from photoshop and illustrator, and quark files that don't have the extensions already. He was told by Support that the issue may be stemming from the fact that when he worked on his older mac, he booted up in OS 9, where as I always booted up in OS X and used OS 9 virtually.
We are trying to transfer the files directly now, while his older mac is booted up in OS X to see if that solves the Unix problem. But now we are running into the issue where, once the computers are hooked up by firewire, the process is freezing. Does anybody have any advice for us? We need HELP!!!
Thanks!
JdJ
Macintosh G5 Mac OS X (10.4.2) Old Mac - G4, OS X 10.3.2 & OS 9.2.2
Macintosh G5 Mac OS X (10.4.2) Old Mac - G4, OS X 10.3.2 & OS 9.2.2

Quark files show as unix executable files.

I have a strange issue. This is an all mac enviornment. The iMac's are running 10.4.11, and Quark express 6.0 One of the iMac's show the quark files as unix executable files. All of the other mac's can open the files without any issue.
On the iMac that has an issue, some of the folders show up as unix executable files as well. Also, there is a network share that is a log in item that should auto mount when the user logs in, it no longer mounts automatically. The only way to mount the share is by navigating through finder.
I was able to open one of the quark files by using open, then save the file using save as. this appended the file extension. I also enabled file extensions in finder, and manually appended the extension and they still would not associate with Quark. The file I did a save as does associate with Quark but it is the only one.
I repaired disk permissions and that did not help. Anyone have any ideas on this one?

I also couldn't find the download link for xsupport on the link you provided.
Looks like they have changed their business model. I just copied the URL out of the aboutbox of my copy of the Xsuppport toll but didn't crosscheck it.
Does that give any indication on what the problem is?
Not really, perhaps a corrupted or unreadable (by permission) .DS_Store file in the folder where your Xpress files reside, but then again that should affect other clients as well.
Which leads to the question:
When some clients have the correct mapping document <-> Quark Xpress and one (or more) other(s) don't, do you connect with different users to the server or are the users always the samr but the connection made from different machines?
If youuse different users to connect, then the problem very like is on the server side (addess rights, etc). If the same user has different results on different machines, the problem's most likely a local one. In which case you coud try all of ManiMenu's clean and deep clean actions.

Unix Executable Files and VLC index.dat file -Samsung Digimax S800

Hi and thanks for any enlightenment in advance .
I got my new iMac in January and it's great . I'm using it mostly for games iWeb and pro apps like Logic . I continue to use my trusty old eMac for email and internet chores .
I was preparing to install Finale today and noticed the installation DVD had Adobe Reader 7.0.8 this led me to check "Adobe" with spotlight to make sure I already had it (I do) and I discovered a folder for Photoshop 7 settings so I looked to see if I had Photoshop (I don't:( ) , but I did find a folder titled Photoshop7 containing three files 2 Unix Executable Files titled AAAAAAAA2 and AAAAAAAA2M and a VLC index.dat file .
"Command I" tells me they are all 4KB and were created March 4 2007 and are located at Library/Application Support/Adobe/Filebrowser .
I think this was the time I was trying to get my new camera (Samsung Digimax S800) to download a movie . It didn't work and I have given up trying .
So my question is , " Can I delete these "
iMac 2.33 GHz- Powerbook - eMac Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Hi terence
Would I have any other adobe apps that came with my iMac besides Reader 7.0 ?
I appear to have opened a can off worms trying to open Adobe for the first time .
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=978019
iMac 2.33 GHz- Powerbook - eMac Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Mac olm outlook files exported as unix executable files

Hi There,
I had to export all my mail in outllook 2011 on my MacBookPro due to size limitations with my company exchange account. When I tried to import the exported file, I noticed it was identified as "unix executable file" & outlook could not import it. I have tried to change the file extension but my Mac continues to handle the file as "unix executable file". I am in complete panic as my entire email archive is contained in this exported file & I am unable to access it. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

I just tried it and my .olm file is simply a blank document with no application assigned to open it. You need to do a Get Info on the file and select the application to open the file. You might have better luck getting your question answered at the Microsoft Office for Mac Outlook forum - http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/mac/forum/macoutlook.
Good luck,
Clinton

Where are these unix executable files coming from and how do I recover the original text file?

where are these unix executable files coming from and how do I recover the original text file?

When you upgraded to Lion did you have AppleWorks installed on your mac?
Most of the AW documents can be opened by Pages 09 or Numbers 09 with most of the orginal format in tact. (I do not know if previouse verision will work) just open the AW file with both and see which one works best.
Text Edit will also open most of the AW files as well but will require a lot of work to restore them to their orginal format.
If you have AW Database documents then they are not supported.
These document show up as "exec icons", Kind: Unix Executagle File.
They also will show up as .cwk file if they are small files. I have a couple that were under 1mb that are shown as " Kind: AppleWorks Document" but will not open.
The only option to open AW database is to have AW installed on a mac with a pre-Lion OS to recover the file.

Wav Files renamed... now they are UNIX EXECUTABLE FILES

Hello everybody!
I ran a script in terminal to batch rename something like 2K+ .wav files following an .csv list.
The list contained 2 columns, A: the original name and B: the new desired name.
for the ones interested the script is here:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1886783&tstart=0
I ended up having the same 2k+ wav files perfectly renamed but the finder sees them as UNIX EXECUTABLE FILES.
Now all my audio apps can open them fine but the thing is that I need them to be listed as audio files in finder so I can preview them with QuickLook in the finder.
Anyone knows how to do this?
Renaming again using a different app (like Automator) did not work, file types and creator codes are blank. I have a utility that changes them but I don't know wich is the correct filetype and creator code....
Maybe you can shed some light on this issue....
Solved it myself. stripped the file of its extension. then replaced the extension.... worked!
Thanks!
Message was edited by: fhpetrone

Nevermind, I found this helpful page: http://www.thegaragedoor.com/roadcrew/samplerates.html.
btw, you could have found that same page on the B&B site, since that's where it came from:
http://www.bulletsandbones.com/GB/Tutorials/SampleRateBitDepth.html

HT2128 How do I recover old files that are labeled "Unix Executable File?"

Some files that were transfered from and older mac are labeled "Unix Executable File." How do I resd these files?

There is a terminal command called file which will give you a hint of what the file is.
/Appliactions/Utilities/Terminal
me ~$ file pki
pki: directory
me ~$ file pulse-cookie
pulse-cookie: data
type file space drag & drop the file onto the terminal, press return.
Robert

Word Docs have become Unix Executable Files!

The subject says it. This has happened on both my wife's iMac G5, and my MacBook Pro. Some, not all, of our Word docs, (both using 2004, running OS X.4.7) have had their icons turned into a gray console, and in "Get Info" identify themselves as "Unix Executable File." When opened in Word, I get the option to open as if it were a foreign file, and typically, it opens with all formatting gone, and all kinds of bizarre characters at the beginning (and sometimes end) of the doc.
Now, I can salvage the data, it seems, but is there some way to simply undo this damage without manually going through every file?
I must say, this is exactly the kind of junk that I would expect to find on a PC. This is a stunningly bad problem, by far the worst I've experienced in almost 15 years of using Macs. I would assume that Apple is aware of this, and that they can:
1) Explain what happened.
2) Explain a quick and easy fix.
Thanks to anyone (from Apple or otherwise) who can do 1 and 2 above.

Jeffois,
The first command I gave to you will render the directory in question, and all nested directories, inaccessible. The second command will make the diretories accessible again.
There is a possibility that there are files in this directory structure which are not owned by you. Not likely, but I must make the assumption that these could be encountered when I give such commands "in the dark" as it were. In such a case, you would see an error regarding these files, thus the warning.
You can return your directories to accessibility using the second command, regardless of errors you might encounter. If you do encounter errors, I will post a different form of the same commands that will work.
Be prepared to deal with this problem any time you transfer files from a Windows-formatted volume. This is not a Windows problem, but rather one of differences between the two file systems. If you see a file show up with the executable icon, you might want to remove the execute bit right away. Unfortunately, there is no way to do this in the GUI, so you must resort to using Terminal.
This shouldn't be too much of a problem. Just open Terminal, type this text with a traling space:
<pre style="overflow:auto; font-family: 'Monaco'; font-size: 10px">chmod a-x</pre>
then select all of the new files and drag them all into the Terminal window. This will create a rather long command line that includes the full path to every file you dragged in. Just press <RETURN>, and "POOF," no more execute bit!
Scott

Old Font Files in Leopard showing up as Unix Executable File

Is there any way I can make the computer be able to use and open the font files that now are being seen as Unix Executable Files even though they worked just fine as fonts before I upgraded to 10.5. I've tried putting new file extensions on them, or telling them to be opened with font book. I'm not sure what else to do, we have hundreds if not thousands of fonts that we need and that our customers need us to be able to use.

Thanks soo much everyone for all the help.
I've installed reset permissions, reset LaunchServices using OnyX, rebooted, and files are still "unix executable" to start with. I then used FileUtils app to "Clear Executible Status," which makes them open in txt editor, and say they are 0kb in size. I then renamed the extentions, playing around with a bunch of different types, and no luck at all with any of them.
Here is a screen shot (http://180bydesign.com/uploads/Picture5.png) of my folder (at top) with a list of fonts, and fontbook.app (at bottom) when I try to add a font from that location. No luck.
PS - here's something weird... I had a friend w/ Tiger send me a font suitcase which he zipped, and it did same thing, but then he zipped it twice (wierd, I know) and it worked! I unzipped the first one, then unzipped the second file within that first one, and WALLA, the suitcase actually looked and acted like a font. This doesn't help at all with all the other saved files, but it certainly helps. I might open a pc & try to double zip all the old ones & see if that does the trick.

Problems after opening "Get Document" Unix Executable file

After importing documents from my Dell computer to macbookpro and opening a file called "Get Document" which is a Unix Executable file, I now have dozens of these type of these type of files in "Places":
file://localhost/Users/sacredsprings/%25B0%2580%25A9%25C0SR
I had Linux installed on my Dell, and having read a few threads think it may be to do with that. Can I just safely delete all these files?

Sometimes ZIP files are made into self-expanding .exe files. When run on a PC, they will unzip without needing any unzipping software. They will not do this on a Mac, but Stuffit Expander may work with them
<http://www.stuffit.com/mac/expander/>

Recovered files now UNIX Executable Files???

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