Files sometimes missing from folders after copying between macs

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Level 2

153 points

Files sometimes missing from folders after copying between macs

Hi there

We have a 2009 intel iMac here, running Leopard (10.5.8). We receive files from customers via browser-based FTP or email on this mac, and the boss puts these files in appropriately-named folders, and copies those folders into the appropriate place on our file server – a G5 (1.8Gz single processor 2.5Gb RAM) also running Leopard 10.5.8. All macs here are connected via ethernet using TCP/IP (of course)

However, every now and then, there are files missing from these folders. For example one folder (that had 100 images or so) had 4 files missing after copying to the file server, even though the folder was dragged across wholesale, not the contents. All filename conventions are standardised before being sent to us, and do not use any illegal characters that may cause a problem between differing OSs or processor platforms.

This issue may not be limited to these two macs, but there may not enough network traffic between other macs to show this issue on other machines – it only seems to occur when copying across large batches of files, and does not happen all the time. There is no one thing that sticks out that links the missing files – i.e. filenames/filetype, etc. It seems completely random.

Does anyone have any idea what is happening here? I thought that TCP/IP was supposed to check data packets to ensure that all data was sent properly, but no errors are received on either side.

Is there some sort of maintenance (other than repairing permissions, which is done on a weekly basis on the fileserver) that I can run, or any known issues?

G5 Power Mac 1.8 Ghz 2.5Gb RAM-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Feb 15, 2012 1:40 AM

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Answer 1

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a brody

Level 10

82,941 points

Feb 15, 2012 12:08 PM in response to Mac_fool

Your problem may be in the fact that metadata files such as DS_Store files may not get copied. If you want to ensure what you need gets copied, control-click the file or folder in question and Archive it, before sending it over to the other computer.

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Answer 2

Mac_fool Author

Level 2

153 points

Mar 8, 2012 1:13 AM in response to a brody

Thanks for your reply.

I'll try that and keep an eye on it. Would you happen to know why such a major error might happen?

Thanks

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Answer 3

a brody

Level 10

82,941 points

Mar 8, 2012 2:35 AM in response to Mac_fool

FTP has always been very particular about what gets copied. From the Unix file system point of view which FTP speaks, applications for Macs are more folders than inidvidual files, which is why when you control click in the Finder it allows you to "Show package contents."

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Answer 4

Mac_fool Author

Level 2

153 points

Mar 8, 2012 2:50 AM in response to a brody

I can see what you're saying, but I'm not sure how the FTP protocol can be the issue here.

The issue doesn't occur upon downloading from the FTP site to the Mac – all files are downloaded without a hitch. The issue occurs when copying a folder of files between one mac and another – which understadably thows up all sorts of worries regarding archiving and back-ups.

Like I said before, it's difficult to trace down if it's only these macs that are effected, because the network traffic level on other macs might not show the issue, but these are the only two machines that I have noticed the issue on. Annoyingly I cannot reproduce the issue on demand – it's seemingly totally random and is therefore only spotted retroactively.

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Answer 5

a brody

Level 10

82,941 points

Mar 8, 2012 4:12 AM in response to Mac_fool

I couldn't help but notice the G5 in your signature. Drivers and some applications written for G5s will not work on Intel Macs. Migrating from G5 to Intel you have to be careful not to bring any of those over. It is possible that's the source of the transfer of information trouble.

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Answer 6

Mac_fool Author

Level 2

153 points

Mar 8, 2012 7:07 AM in response to a brody

I know that there are 'illegal' character differences between one platform and the other, but the files that have gone missing between one and the other don't include any of these characters.

Good thinking about drivers, apps etc. Both Macs are running Snow Leopard 10.5.8, and the only software being used for the copying is OSX and Finder. Could it be some incompatibility between the G5 platform and Snow Leopard? According to Apple, 10.5.8 should run on OK on the PPC platform.

We are slowly getting rid of PPC macs because of customer requirements to run Adobe's CS5.5, but it's an extremely expensive process that us small businesses find difficult to swallow the cost of, with very little increase in production speed, so it will never really pay for itself.

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