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Disapearing downloads (4 posts)

  • Started 17 years ago by TurboAdam12
  • Latest reply 17 years ago from Scott McGuire
  • TurboAdam12 Member

    I just downloaded a large number of rather large files without noting the default fetch download directory. It is listed as "OffsetSelection.nib" in the preferences.

    Now the problem: I cannot find the files I downloaded anywhere! Finder/Spotlight searches come up empty. My hard drive space is 5 Gigs shy, so the files have to be somewhere, but apparently that download directory has created a problem.

    I'm running 10.4.7 on a MacBook Pro, and I'd truly love your help if you have any to offer. Thanks in advance.

    Posted 17 years ago #

  • Scott McGuire Administrator

    Hi,

    A little background: even though most Mac OS X applications appear to be single files, they are really special folders called "packages" that contain many files and folders that make up all the resources an application needs. But by default, Mac OS X treats "package" folders as if they were single files, so they won't look inside them for more files - and this includes Spotlight.

    ".nib" folders are folders that are parts of applications, buried inside the packages. So Spotlight will not be able to locate that folder or any files inside it.

    I'm not sure how your Fetch download folder got set to be a nib folder; but the upshot is your large files are now hidden inside one of your applications.

    First, I would change Fetch's download folder setting so that it's the Desktop or some known folder so that no more files get downloaded to the wrong location.

    Second, you'll need a third-party searching application that can look inside packages to find the files. I'd give EasyFind, from Devon Technologies, a try; it's free and pretty quick - you can find out more information about it from http://www.devon-technologies.com/products/freeware/index.html and then download it from http://www.devon-technologies.com/download/index.html .

    Then use EasyFind to search your entire hard drive for "Files & Folders" and make sure the "Package Contents" checkbox is checked. Search for the names of the files; then when EasyFind finds them, you can use its Reveal in Finder feature to display the files that the Finder normally won't show to you.

    I hope this helps, and let us know if you have more questions. Thanks,

    Scott McGuire
    Fetch Softworks

    [This message has been edited by ScottMcGuire (edited 08-20-2006).]

    Posted 17 years ago #

  • TurboAdam12 Member

    Wow. Thank you so much. I clearly would have never found those files, as they were burried -- for some strange reason -- in one of the Xerox printer drivers. What an entirely strange phenomena.

    Again, thank you. I had almost resigned myself to the thought that I might never find them, and that I'd just have to live with 4GB less hard drive space. Actually, I also found a few other files I'd lost in the past months. I have no idea how Fetch got set to that as a download folder, but I'm making sure to change it now.

    Posted 17 years ago #

  • Scott McGuire Administrator

    Hi,

    You're welcome - glad you were able to find them and get the space back!

    Scott McGuire
    Fetch Softworks

    Posted 17 years ago #

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