"Ghost" file appears with wrong date, disappears, slows Finder

Question

"Ghost" file appears with wrong date, disappears, slows Finder

Hello Everyone

Although I am new here, I have already browsed and searched extensively for an answer to the following issue, with no luck.

I am using AppleWorks 6.2.7 . When I bought this iMac about 4 years ago, I transferred and updated many of my older Appleworks files onto this computer.

Some of my Appleworks files started showing a gobbledegook mess of scrambled numbers along the top of the open file instead of the actual name of the file, but it didn't seem to have any effect on the file's contents, so it didn't bother me, and I didn't do anything about it.

Recently however, the Finder started slowing WAY down when I clicked on "documents". The rainbow colored spinning icon just spins for a very long time, probably 4 or 5 minutes for every mouse click.

Curiously, I recently noticed that one of my folders had an Appleworks file I had created about two years ago, but only now it shows the date: Dec. 31, 1903 7:00 pm. That's right, 1903! Also, there is no icon to the left of the file (it's just blank), and the "kind" field shows this: --.

When I try to click on that file to see what's up, the spinning icon spins and spins and spins some more, finally highlights the file, then the file disappears completely, not to be found again - until I restart the computer the next time. Ironically, after I highlight the file and it subsequently disappears, the Finder seems to operate back at a normal speed.

Until I restart the computer and go through the whole process again.

I tried to download the latest version of AppleWorks thinking it might clear the problem, and when the download gets to the "searching" part, the icon just spins endlessly for literally hours and hours, and I am not able to complete the download.

I have already emptied the Appleworks user data "recent items" and "AutoSave" folders, and trashed the "cache" folder. I downloaded "Cocktail" and have run it's basic program 3 times. I also indexed the hard drive from the Apple menu, which took many hours. None of it has worked to fix the problem.

How do I find this "ghost" file and delete it? And will that fix the problem? Is this is what's known as the application being corrupted? How do I fix it? By the way, I don't need the "ghost" file's contents anymore, if anyone knows of a way to permanently destroy the file if that is indeed the source fo the problem.

By the way, I also have a G3 iBook running 10.2.8 and Appleworks 6.2.4 which I use to back up many of my Appleworks files using a Firewire connection. I remember seeing some wrong dates on some of my files after I performed a back up. Could that be related the problem?

SOMEBODY HELP!!! PLEASE !!!

THANK YOU

iMac G4 15" Mac OS X (10.3.9) 800 MHz, 512 MB SDRAM

Posted on Aug 30, 2006 6:27 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Barry

Level 9

59,861 points

Aug 30, 2006 7:09 PM in response to Harry Frederick

Hi Harry,

Welcome to the discussions and the Appare often leWorks forum.

I don't have answers for most of your questions; just a possibility for the date problem. The others may be related to this.

Clock and calendar problems caused by a dead PRAM battery, and your G4 iMac is probably in the age range where these problems arise. Your symptoms are a bit unusual in that the date is a day earlier than one of the dates (Jan 1, 1904) I'm used to seeing, but I still suspect a dead battery is the cause.

Regards,
Barry

Reply

Answer 2

Aug 30, 2006 8:04 PM in response to Barry

Thanks Barry.

Do you know if there is a way I can check the status of the PRAM battery on both my iMac and iBook (and replace them if need be) without taking them into the shop for costly diagnosis and possible repairs?

thanks,
Harry

Reply

Answer 3

Peggy

Level 8

41,601 points

Aug 30, 2006 9:05 PM in response to Harry Frederick

Considering the age of your Macs, a PRAM battery on its last legs is quite likely. The easiest way to check if the PRAM batteries are dead or dying is to set the clock & date to the correct time then shut down & unplug the Mac. Then plug it back in & start it up. If the time & date are off, the battery needs to be replaced. This Knowledge Base article explains it a bit more. It shouldn't be a costly repair &, for the iMac, you can do it yourself. Replacement batteries are readily available at almost any Radio Shack. This page tells the Apple part number, but I can't find the specific battery the G4 iMac takes. I've read conflicting posts on whether or not an iBook or PowerBook has a separate PRAM battery. I think it does, because the date & time are retained even if it's unpluged & the main battery is removed. I suggest you post questions about what battery each uses & how to replace it in the forum for each hardware.

It is also possible that part of the problem is AppleWorks 6.2.7. That was a very, very, very buggy version. Fortunately, the 6.2.9 updater came out in January 2004 & fixed the issues 6.2.7 was supposed to fix and the ones it caused. You can find the links to the updater on this page where you can choose the appropriate updater for your AppleWorks 6 installation.

After updating, & before running the newly updated AppleWorks, you should use Disk Utility to repair permissions & delete the AppleWorks preferences. See my user tip, AppleWorks has stopped working correctly, for more on the preferences.

Reply

Answer 4

Hiroto

Level 5

7,461 points

Aug 31, 2006 5:19 AM in response to Harry Frederick

Hello Harry Frederick,

I would first try repairing disk (directory) by, e.g. Disk Utility program after starting up from OS intall CD/DVD, for such strange file names, file attributes and/or failure to read file in such a fashion that you have described are typical symptoms of broken volume directory (or defective disk sector).

Good luck
H

Mac OS 9.1.x

Reply

Answer 5

Aug 31, 2006 2:12 PM in response to Hiroto

Hello Peggy and Hiroto

Thanks for your suggestions. What a mess. Today after shutting down, unplugging and replugging in the computer to test the PRAM battery for the proper date and time as suggested, the computer failed to properly start up again. I tried many times, even attempted the "safe" reboot, but it didn't work. Eventually after about 20 minutes I got what looked like an initialized default blue screen, but the dock and other icons on the desktop never appeared. Only the option to restart or shut down. Weird.

I took it in to Tekserve here in NYC (an authorized Apple reseller/repair place), and after doing a diagnostic they told me my hard drive had a "fatal" defect and needed to be replaced - for $211.00. I became suspicious when I overheard every single other repair customer within earshot being told the same thing during my visit -"your hard drive has failed".

I told the repair guy all the stuff you all had mentioned on here about the PRAM battery, volume directory, etc, and he just looked at me like I was crazy. I asked him why this happened after I unplugged and replugged in the computer, and he said it was probably just a coincidence. That didn't sit right with me. When I asked him why hard drives fail in general, so I could try and prevent it from happening again, he said "it just happens, there's nothing you can do except back up your data constantly."

Fortunately, last night before the failure happened I was indeed able to back up my most important files via firewire onto my iBook, which I am using now. Tekserve told to recover the data on the hard drive would be an additional $600.00 !!!

One strange thing is that while backing up using firewire, I looked at the "corrupted" files from the iMac hard drive using my iBook as the "master", the files appeared fine. There was no gobbledegook names of files or ghost file. All the dates seemed to be correct. Go figure.

Moral of the story?

1. always back up everything all the time
2. computers still suck

I will let you know what happens when I get my iMac back from the shop next week. They are going to give me the old hard drive back, but what good will it do me? $600 is way too much for me to spend to recover not so important files.

Thanks again for you help.

Harry

Reply

Answer 6

Peggy

Level 8

41,601 points

Aug 31, 2006 3:16 PM in response to Harry Frederick

A dead PRAM battery can keep a Mac from booting & has nothing to do with a hard drive failure. Although it's possible your Mac had a hard drive fault, you're right that it does seem suspicious that everyone else is told the same thing. In all of the Macs I've had I've only had one internal hard drive failure & one external FireWire drive fail. The symptoms you've described are just more indicative of the battery &/or software rather than hardware. I'm glad you were able to get your files backed up.

Since you're in NYC, did you consider taking your Mac to the Apple Store & have one of the geniuses look at it. I know it can be difficult, but you can make same-day appointments for the Genius Bar. Here's a link where you can choose which store you'd like to go to & make a reservation - http://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/.

Reply

Answer 7

Chris CB

Level 3

631 points

Sep 1, 2006 12:05 AM in response to Harry Frederick

Hi Harry,

• Regarding your iMac repair and your comment "They are going to give me the old hard drive back, but what good will it do me?"

I'd say most likely no good. But you could try the following:

Buy a hard drive case and put the hard drive in it (it's usually fairly easy to do). Then try using it as an external hard drive. If you're lucky you may be able to rescue some of your other files (you said you already backed up the most important files, so whether this is worth trying, I don't know).

{{{ Notes: A hard drive case is an external hard drive with the hard drive itself missing. You need to put an internal hard drive in it yourself. Obviously, as an empty case, it shouldn't be too expensive.

If you decide to buy a case, then check the following:
1. Physical size: You need 3.5 inch, which is the most common size
2. Connections: They come in FireWire and USB. For an iMac G4 FireWire is best.
3. Drive Type. Two types are ULTRA and SERIAL. The iMac G4 has an ULTRA.

(Just to make sure, I'd take the iMac HD to a shop and say, "Give me a (firewire) case for this".) }}}

Whether the data rescue works or not, the HD case can still continue to be useful: You can remove your old iMac HD, buy a new internal HD of your own choice and use it for backup.

• Regarding the repair guy's comment about hard drive failure "... it just happens...", well that's right in the sense that there's usually no warning. (Occasionally hard drives make odd mechanical noises before they finally give up the ghost. Basically, any sound out of the ordinary is bad)

You can check some aspects of the condition of the hard drive in Disk Utility (In Applications > Utilities folder). Open Disk Utility, select your hard drive in the left hand column, then look at the centre bottom.

It should say S.M.A.R.T. status: Verified

If it doesn't, then your hard drive is in trouble and needs to be backed up and replaced.

(Mind you, even if it says "Verified" this is not an absolute guarantee it won't fail, because the S.M.A.R.T. system only checks certain things.)

MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.7) iMac G4 (10.3.9)

Reply