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Why did OS X turn old Global Village files into .exe files that I can't open?

I have some files from the old Global Village fax software that I need to open. Not sure the original format, but it would have been some sort of jpg or pdf. OS X has gone through at some point and randomly changed the file type to .exe, and I can't find a way to open them. Anyone know why it would do this and how to reverse it's evil clutches from off of my files?


(I have a working iBook indigo running OS 9, but I need a power cord. If I can find a cord, I can open files there and make pdfs. I'd still love to know why OS X molested my files, though.)

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.3)

Posted on Dec 11, 2013 11:58 AM

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10 replies

Jul 12, 2014 1:10 PM in response to Larry Israel

When you say the files are "file type . . . .exe", do you mean the system has appended the .exe extension, or do you mean that the system reports the files as "unix executable" when you do a Show Info? These are different animals. The former generally indicates a DOS/Windows program; the latter that the file is actually a unix executable application or (more often in the sort of scenario you describe) that the system simply doesn't know what application to use to open the file.


In any event, try File Juicer, http://echoone.com/filejuicer/, to see if FJ can extract the images (of whatever type).

Jul 13, 2014 3:54 PM in response to Larry Israel

I would still appreciate someone from Apple telling me why OS X feels compelled to alter file types. Better yet, how do I avoid this kind of stuff in the future? It doesn't seem very "Mac like" to pull a move like this. If, as mns579 suggests, OS X doesn't know what to do with the file, then I have an excellent suggesting: LEAVE IT ALONE!

Jul 14, 2014 5:43 AM in response to Larry Israel

Apple pays little attention to these user-to-user forums--probably least of all to what is said here in a forum devoted to the long-retired System 7, OS8, OS9, and their equally out-to-pasture applications. You can, however, send feedback directly to Apple via this portal: https://www.apple.com/feedback/.


I'm not sure what you would want OSX 10.* to do. Think about it. You no longer have a functioning version of the program available to the OS. Consequently, the OS can't pair the GlobalFax files with the application that produced them or with any comparable application. Byte for byte, the GF fax files are the same as they always were, but when a suitable program can't be found to read them, the OS reports them as "unix executable" as a Kind of last resort. Perhaps "none" would be better? I don't know.


But glancing through an online GlobalFax manual (p. 60)-- http://modems.globalvillage.com/support/pdfs/GlobalFax_Users_Guide.pdf --I note that faxes saved through GF could be of only a few types: GlobalFax 2.5/2.6 (a proprietary format? likely some flavor of TIFF?), MacPaint, PICT, PICT2, or TIFF. Two quick tests. First, add .tiff or .pict or .pct to a GF fax filename. Then try to


(1) open in Preview, or


(2) open a new TextEdit document, set it to rich text mode (if it isn't already), then drag/drop the GF fax file directly into the blank TextEdit document.


Might work. But my recommendation for File Juicer stands. It's a handy tool to have on hand if you often deal with old files from vintage applications.

Why did OS X turn old Global Village files into .exe files that I can't open?

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