🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <15000001@hpdml93.HP.COM> kmarko@hpdml93.HP.COM (Kurt Marko) writes:
>I've had one of these ``undeletable'' folders and have done some
>poking around to discover the problem.  I had tried all of the 
>steps mentioned in a previous posting, short or reinitializing 
>my hard disk, and could still not delete the folder.  Here are
>some other interesting symptoms.
(Several lines deleted.)
>This definitely appears to be a ``low-level'' corruption of
>the file system.  The folder acquired these demonic properties
>after a bomb while testing a program I was working on out of
>MPW, so the scenario fits.  If anyone else has some observation
>about this type of problem, I'd be interested in hearing about
>them.
>
>Kurt Marko
>kmarko@hpdml93.hp.com

After one has gone through all the "fixes" for this problem, and they have not
worked, it's very likely that the difficulty is indeed the "non-zero" (usually
negative) file count that is assigned to the folder.

I am yet to see an easy "fix" for this.  (Hint, anyone want to tackle this
with a quick and dirty application?)

Following are "reprints" of some instructions that I came across on
FidoNet's EchoMac area some time ago.  I followed the instructions and indeed
was able to delete the "Folder from Hell" that my disk had once upon a time.
Beware that you may damage your disk directory if you muck up this "fix," so
best to back-up first!!!  (I take no responsibility for what you do based on
this message... you have been warned!)

Anyway, here's the info... USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Jim
macak@lakesys.lakesys.com (James Macak)


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From:    Chuck Shotton 
To:      Andy Shaw                                31-Jan-89 08:31am
Subject: Re: RE:help! Undeletable Fold

I posted a message about getting rid of undeletable folders a few days ago,
but I'll repeat the main points. The undeletable folders usually pop up when
running Multifinder, but there is a definite bug somewhere in the bowels of
Finder itself that causes folders to end up with a file count that is non-zero
(positive or negative) when the folder is really empty.

The easy way out of this problem is to take a tool like FEdit or MacSnoop and
set the count in the directory to zero. If you're not familiar with the
directory structure, play around with a floppy first by making a folder or
two, putting a known number of files in each one, and then searching the disk
for these values.

The easiest way to find the correct area on the disk is to search for the
folder name first, then look for the file count number. Once you get this
technique down on a floppy, just do the same thing for your undeletable folder
on your hard disk. You'll know the proper offset from the name field, so it
shouldn't be hard to find the right bytes. Remember what the original byte(s)
were that you changed, in case you screw up. Besides, you probably won't be
any worse off after the edit than before, given that the folder is trashed
already.

I've used this technique successfully on 4 "empty" folders which contained 3,
-1, -6, and -2 files respectively. After setting the file count to zero, all
were deletable. One word of caution. Make ABSOLUTELY sure that there are no
hidden (off the screen) or invisible files in the folder before you set the
count to zero.
             Chuck
---
 * Origin: Brain In A Pan, Houston TX, (713) 480-7422. Mac Developers Here!
(Opus 1:106/260)


From:    Steve Zopfi 
To:      Andy Shaw                                31-Jan-89 03:14pm
Subject: RE:help! Undeletable Fold

I finally found out how to destroy it.  First rename the folder something like
FolderFromHell to distinguish it from the rest of your desktop.  Open up the
Volume using MacSnoop.  Search the  disk for FolderFromHell (there may be
multiple occourances).  In the hex section of the window  you will see a
string that looks something like this:

0000 0100 XXXX where XXXX contains the number of files in the folder in Hex.
Change XXXX to 0000.  Make sure you do this to all occurances of
FolderFromHell.  Write the Block to the disk.  Go back to the desktop and
trash the folder and empty.  It should go away.  I am not sure what caused the
problem originally.  I believe it was linked to the power going out during a
download from a BBS.  Yours may have happened the same during a Disk I/O in
Sum or whatever if the power Glitched.  Good luck and let me know if it works.


--- Tabby/Mansion 1.8
 * Origin: Sea/Mac  *Mansion/Tabby* (206-725-6629) HST (1:343/31)

-----


-- 

macak@lakesys.lakesys.com (James Macak)     "I'm curious, Doctor, why is it
      << All my own opinions. >>              called 'M-5' and not 'M-1'?"