MuzzyG

Q: Folders converted into exec files

Good evening, I have a memory stick with format MS-DOS (FAT32) where I usually put documents created in my computer (mac, OS X El Capitan) to print afterwards at my job. I printed a couple of documents today from a Windows computer and when I came back home and connected the memory stick in my mac half of the folders were converted into EXEC files.


I've read all the related threads and I can't find any solution to recover the folders. There's no virus in the memory stick, there's no hidden folders/files and I don't have a backup of some documents I created this week (the ones I need) since I make a copy once a week.


Thank you very much and I hope somebody can help. I include a screenshot of the info of one of the folders as example.


Screen Shot 2016-02-12 at 01.18.05.png

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.3)

Posted on Feb 11, 2016 11:31 PM

Close

Q: Folders converted into exec files

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Tony T1,

    Tony T1 Tony T1 Feb 12, 2016 11:05 AM in response to MuzzyG
    Level 6 (9,232 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 12, 2016 11:05 AM in response to MuzzyG

    Seems that this has happened to others.

    Take a look at:

          os x Folders converted into exec files

     

    (I didn't read through these posts, so I don't know if there is a solution)

  • by rccharles,Solvedanswer

    rccharles rccharles Feb 13, 2016 3:47 PM in response to MuzzyG
    Level 6 (8,464 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Feb 13, 2016 3:47 PM in response to MuzzyG

    I think you should try a full byte by byte backup.  See carbon copy cloner.

     

    With the copy try running some data recovery software.  Something specializing in fat recovery.  I suspect the data is there, but the filesystem entry for the directory go messed up.

     

    In the future, try exFat.

     

    These terminal commands will give you a hint on byte by byte copy too.

     

    dd if=/dev/disk0s10 bs=4096 | gzip | dd of=~/disk0-s10 bs=4096
    dd if=~/disk0-s10 bs=4096 | gunzip | dd of=/dev/disk0s10 bs=4096
    
  • by MuzzyG,

    MuzzyG MuzzyG Feb 13, 2016 3:53 PM in response to rccharles
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 13, 2016 3:53 PM in response to rccharles

    Thank you very much rccharles!

     

    I managed to get back the data, as you said they were still there. I used a data recovery software called "Do your data recovery" (as daft as it sounds) which allows you to recover up to 1GB for free (I actually used a few but all of them were trials and I just could see the files but not recover them).

     

    So problem solved!

     

    Thanks again

  • by MuzzyG,

    MuzzyG MuzzyG Feb 13, 2016 3:55 PM in response to Tony T1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 13, 2016 3:55 PM in response to Tony T1

    I read all the post I saw and couldn't find any solution but I finally managed with rccharles response.

     

    Thanks for trying anyways Tony T1