iCloud can't re-download a big file on Mac

Hi all,

I have a 2015 MacBookAir 512gb, running MacOS 12.6.1 (the latest the Mac can run) with about 250gb of SSD space. I have iCloud 2TB, about 75% free.

I had a large file in my documents folder (about 210gb Sparsebundle file) and stupidly I turned on the service that uploads less used files to iCloud and just leaves a stub file in their place. So the sparsebundle got uploaded. Now I can't open it, because its not local, and it won't download at all.

I have Menumeters installed, so I can see if iCloud is uploading or downloading stuff. I have tried force downloading the sparsebundle file through the MacOS, and it started, but gets somewhere around 60% and gives up. I have tried several times. I tried moving the file to the downloads folder so it moves out of iCloud, so in theory it should get downloaded. No luck.

I tried turning off the iCloud service that moves documents files to the cloud, but still it doesn't download. I have tried signing out of iCloud and downloading through Safari. It won't work. Even though I can successfully download other files from the same folder, that one won't download. I tried with other web browsers. No luck.

I tried sending via a link from iCloud online to my email, to see if it would send me a link that I can use to download the file, no luck...

Each time I try something, I leave the laptop awake for a long time, to see if the service starts downloading. I have tried so many restarts of the Mac. I tried resetting the PRAM, starting in safe mode, anything at all I could think of, but no luck.

I can see the file is still there ok, and it seems to be whole and uncorrupted. I can see it on my iPhone also, but I don't have the space on my iPhone to download it.

I don't have any other computer to use, otherwise I would have tried that. I only have the Mac, the iPhone and a very elderly iPad.

I have been trying anything I can think of for 2-3 weeks now, but with no success. Any thoughts?

Thanks

Tseb.