Old files show as exec

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Level 1

54 points

Old files show as exec

I have a bunch of files of various types that were created in older versions of OS X by applications that no longer exist. They are of various file types (music notation, text, audio, etc . . . ) is there any way to get the info out of these files, export them to new software, or is that a lost cause. Perhaps I'm at the point with OS 10.11 that I should just delete them, but I know what's in many of these and to recreate them all with modern software would be virtually impossible.

Thanks!

iMac (21.5-inch Mid 2011), OS X El Capitan (10.11.6)

Posted on Sep 7, 2016 2:25 PM

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Answer 1

Kurt Lang

Level 9

69,901 points

Sep 7, 2016 2:37 PM in response to Neil Kaplan1

When there is no association for a file suffix, or if it has no suffix and the OS has to resort to reading the Type and Creator codes (if it has them), then it gets the EXEC icon. Which means, "I have no idea what this is."

Without an app that does run in El Capitan that can properly import this older data, you'd have to open them in an older OS that can run the app that created them, and then see if there are file formats you can export them to that can be opened in newer apps under El Capitan.

Failing that, you can purchase Snow Leopard Server (call Apple and ask for it, though they may not have any left), then install that in a VM such as Parallels or VMware. Once you have Snow Leopard running in a virtual machine, you can then run those older apps within that. You'd end up having OS X running with OS X.

If Apple has no copies of SL Server, you'll have to resort to eBay or some other source for a copy.

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Answer 2

Rysz

Level 8

44,461 points

Sep 7, 2016 2:40 PM in response to Neil Kaplan1

If you have modern versions of these or compatible apps, you would have a chance.

Without, the best you can do is to drag the document onto the Teach Text app icon and fish out any text strings that look like they're in English.

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