Ghost files, sometimes they're there, sometimes they're not...

So, I have this external HDD that I had some movies stored on in a folder. I was copying them to my MacBook Pro when the HDD disconnected in the middle of the file transfer. I went back to the drive and the folder was empty and all the files on my MacBook Pro were corrupt!

Now, when I plug the HDD back into any computer (Windows or Mac) I cannot see the files. I tried to show hidden files in Windows, but nothing showed up. With hidden files still seen, I searched the directory for a movie I knew had formerly been there. It appeared in the search results! I tried to copy it, but nothing happened. I tried to use two file recovery utilities, but both of them come up blank.

So, now I have these ghost files that don't show up in the directory, but when I search for one of them, they show up (in the old directory path).

Because the file recovery utilities come up blank, and you can still see the files in the search query, I don't think they're deleted. That still doesn't explain why I can't see the files in the browser, even with Hidden and System files being enabled.

What is happening here?!!!

files recovery windows mac hdd external

asked Sep 08 '10 at 22:10

djmoore711
2.0k●22●34●54

I even got a thumbs up, but no answer. Awesome!

(Sep 08 '10 at 22:38) djmoore711

It might have been a thumbs-up of empathy :(

(Sep 09 '10 at 11:23) mentalfloss

ha ha ha Thanks, mentalfloss.

(Sep 09 '10 at 11:57) djmoore711

3 Answers:

oldest newest most voted

If this were windows and it crashed it would have simply aborted the transfer, deleted the new dir and kept them in the original location.

Unfortunately i've not done this on a mac. As it tried to copy then I think you are doomed. Unless you can open them from search, if you can't then I can only think there is a reference to the file or it's still in the search database so it thinks the file is there, but in reality there is nothing there but a pointer to where it used to be.

You could always run a Linux live CD but I don't think it will turn up much. Does the drive space left on the disk account for the missing files?

FYI, nothing is ever 'deleted' unless you write back to the disk again.

answered Sep 09 '10 at 17:55

SignOff
(suspended)

FYI, I know nothing is ever deleted, unless you take special care to do so with special software.

Nothing has been written back to the drive, and two recovery programs have scanned it, coming up blank on both.

I've come to my own conclusion, with a friend, that the files are still there, since nothing has been written to the drive since, but the index of the drive is damaged, but not corrupt. If it were corrupt we'd be getting nothing on the drive at all. So, we are trying to scan it with different tools to see if we cant' repair the disc and link it back to the index.

All of this still doesn't perfectly answer how the files are seen during search query's, but not seen by the two recovery programs at all. If it's not seen by the recovery programs, then it has to still exist in the index somehow, just on a low level that Windows Explorer is not able to pick up on, unless searched. That is my only presumption. I will post back with any results and solutions.

(Sep 09 '10 at 18:03) djmoore711

Did you copy it or move it? If you moved it, odds are you will not be able to recover it. Rip them from the DVDs, and you should be good.

answered Sep 09 '10 at 18:08

HHBones
4.1k●61●82●118

Mac only copies, it won't move unless you use the Terminal and some weird commands. Didn't go that far. Just a move, as in copy.

(Sep 10 '10 at 14:49) djmoore711

You could always try plugging it into a Linux box. Not sure that it would be able to help very much either though. You might actually have to take this one to a professional.

answered Sep 09 '10 at 21:47

GavinRoskamp
1.0k●6●11●23

They aren't important enough to take to a professional. Just have to rip them all over again when they get shipped to me from America. sigh

(Sep 10 '10 at 14:50) djmoore711

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