Folders turned into Unix Executable File on my external HD

Im having similar issue with a memory card. can you walk me through this? I'm a photographer shooting with a Canon 1DC camera. I was working from my macbook air (running Yosemite) to transfer photos from a 64gb CF Promaster memory card to a 2tb western digital external hard drive (like i always do) and one of the files wouldn't transfer. The computer froze when I attempted to open that file and I eventually shut the computer down. When I turned the computer back on and put the card back into the reader the folder that had the file that wouldn't open was suddenly a Unix file. There was another folder on the card that had images in it and was perfectly fine. Can you help me to turn the unix file back into a folder and recover the files?

Ok I have half an answer for you. I went through the same thing and recovered 1 TB files. Trouble is I have forgotten the fix.

Go to Terminal in Utilities and show hidden files by typing the following:

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles 1

Now look at the drive that has the problem. You will see your original files in hidden mode and you will be able to explore them. Oh wait let me try something...

Ok I have the full answer for you and here it is:

Go to Terminal in Utilities and show hidden files by typing the command above. Go to the drive that has turned your folder called XYZ into XYZ.exe

Make a new folder called XYZ2, drag all the files from the hidden folder into the new folder. Delete the now empty folder and the .exe folder and your drive will be as good as new.

I don't know how to hide all hidden files again.

Cheers from Pakistan!

NTFS is a Windows format. In order for OSX to use the external drive it must be formated for Mac or FAT32. Where did you get the drive? How did you get your data onto the drive? When you reformat the drive your data will be erased.

Probably changed because you are putting them on a drive formatted for Windows. A drive formatted for Mac would be better.

Try control clicking and see if you can get 'Open With'. Try opening in either iPhoto or Preview. I would then save the files on your internal hard drive.

What do you meant they have turned into UNIX executable files? How are you trying to access them?

gsantosoliver wrote:

I have the paragon ntfs for Mac. The external drive was used before in windows and the folders contain backup data, I can not format it without getting access to the folders that have been converted to unix executable file

They have not been converted, but Finder can't read the drive's format so they are misreported. If you are using Paragon NTFS you should be able to see them so. Uninstall Paragon, reboot, reinstall Paragon.

Please reinstall Paragon per my instructions above.

Do other files (on the external) work, can they be opened and played?

Then these files my have been corrupted, do you have access to a Windows machine?