Unix Executable File Problem

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Level 5

4,344 points

Unix Executable File Problem

Hi all - when I download photographs from my Sony camera via a FAt32 formatted photo storage portable hard drive, accompanying the photo files is a "MEMSTICK.IND' file. It shows as a black rectangle. At some stage I have copied this from the portable drive to my desktop and into a folder. Nothing I do seems to remove it. It shows as being zero KB, but once in the trash, it refuses to be trashed and blocks the clearing of some other files as well. If I drag it out of the trash it copies! It shows as being locked. If I unlock it, it still will not disappear. Now in my efforts to get rid of it, I seem to have duplicated it several times! More puzzling is that Spotlight shows it to exist in some folders that when opened are empty!

By the way, I am unable to re-format the storage drive - it is fixed as Fat32, as are the memory stick storage cards.

Any help would be gratefully accepted!

G5 Dual 2.0 ghz, Mac OS X (10.4.3), 1.5 GB RAM; VidCam: Sony DCR TRV80E

Posted on Sep 2, 2006 11:45 PM

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Answer 1

Dr. Smoke

Level 9

56,586 points

Sep 3, 2006 3:09 PM in response to catspaw

Hi, catspaw.

You wrote:

"...once in the trash, it refuses to be trashed..."

See my "Solving Trash Problems" FAQ. In particular, you may find the utilities recommended therein for dealing with stubborn files especially helpful. The FAQ also discusses a number of techniques for dealing with Trash problems.

As to why this file is being created and what it is for, as a guess it is some kind of index (.ind) file being used by the firmware of the non-Apple devices in question. You might want to discuss Mac compatibility with the manufacturer of the unnamed "FAt32 formatted photo storage portable hard drive."

Good luck!

😉 Dr. Smoke
Author: Troubleshooting Mac® OS X

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Answer 2

catspaw Author

Level 5

4,344 points

Sep 3, 2006 3:41 PM in response to Dr. Smoke

Hi Dr. Smoke - Thank you very much! The Option key method cleared that stubborn file from the Trash.

I do have the remaining problem that a copy of that MEMSTICK.IND file still exists in one of my folders. 'Trashing' it merely copies it to the Trash - does not remove it! It is a locked file. When I unlock it in Get Info, it quickly re-locks itself. Is there a tactic for removing it from my HD?

[The photo storage drive in question was an X'S-Drive by Vosonic, but I now think that had maybe nothing to do with it. That file is on the Sony Memory Stick, and appears on screen along with the photos folder when downloading from the camera. At some stage I had inadvertently copied that to the HD as well as the photos folder.]

Thanks for your help - much appreciated.

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Answer 3

Dr. Smoke

Level 9

56,586 points

Sep 3, 2006 4:00 PM in response to catspaw

An immutable flag may be set on the file.

1. Launch Terminal, located in the Macintosh HD > Applications > Utilities folder.

2. Open the Finder window containing the bad file (not the Trash, but the folder containing the file).

3. Position the two windows so you can see both simultaneously.

4. In the Terminal window, at the Terminal prompt (where the cursor appears) type

chflags nouchg

followed by a single space but do not press Return yet!

5. Drag and drop the bad file from its Finder window to the Terminal window. The command you typed in the step 4 should now read

chflags nouchg /pathto_badfile

where /pathto_badfile is the UNIX® directory format of the path to the file, i.e. where it resides on your hard drive.

6. Press Return.

7. Now see if you can unlock the file (if it still shows locked in Get Info) and trash it once and for all.

8. If that all works, then end your Terminal session, as follows:

8.1. At the Terminal prompt, type exit and press Return.

8.2. Quit (Command-Q) Terminal.

Good luck!

😉 Dr. Smoke
Author: Troubleshooting Mac® OS X

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Answer 4

catspaw Author

Level 5

4,344 points

Sep 3, 2006 4:23 PM in response to Dr. Smoke

Hi Dr. Smoke - I may have put you to unnecessary trouble! I decided to try once more to trash the file, having unlocked it. This time it did disappear from the folder, and using your Option key method it has now finally been deleted.

Not sure why it behaved differently this time, but all's well that ends well!

Thank you once again.

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Answer 5

Dr. Smoke

Level 9

56,586 points

Sep 3, 2006 9:40 PM in response to catspaw

You're most welcome. Glad to help.

Good luck!

😉 Dr. Smoke
Author: Troubleshooting Mac® OS X

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