Wrong number of items displayed when copying/moving files in Finder

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Level 1

4 points

Wrong number of items displayed when copying/moving files in Finder

When copying or moving files in Finder the pop up window says the incorrect number of items:

e.g. "Copying 55 items to ..." when there is actually only 54 items.

I've noticed this happening within the past year or so but it may have started earlier, I can't remember. It never really bothered me because I thought it was probably extra hidden files or something...

Just recently I had a folder containing 110 files. I moved all the items into a new folder, but Finder said it was only moving 60 of them??? Once this was done I checked the new folder and all the items were there?

I'm just perplexed as to why this is happening... is there a plist I have to delete perhaps?

Thanks for any help.

MacBook Pro (13-inch Late 2011), OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Mar 31, 2017 11:29 PM

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Answer 1

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Apr 4, 2017 11:22 PM in response to susieeee

Tough to say, but to test the plist theory...

To find out if it's system wide or user specific, try this...

Open System Preferences>Users & Groups, unlock the lock, click on the little plus icon, make a new admin account, log out & into the new account.

Does it work in the new account?

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Answer 2

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Apr 5, 2017 12:10 AM in response to susieeee

I wonder if it's confusing PKGs, which are basically folders??

For instance the one item, Text Edit, right Click on it in Applications & choose Show Package contents, Do a Get Info on the Contents folder, you get 496 items!

Or are you seeing files & folders actually not copied?

If so do Get Infos on the not copied ones & see what rights you have.

If that isn't it, then...

EtreCheck is a simple little app to display the important details of your system configuration and allow you to copy that information to the Clipboard. It is meant to be used with Apple Support Communities to help people help you with your Mac.

http://www.etresoft.com/etrecheck

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Answer 3

susieeee Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 4, 2017 11:47 PM in response to BDAqua

I appreciate your help.

I'm not copying any packages, just normal folders. The files all seem to copy or move over, it just says the wrong number when it's preparing and then copying or moving the files.

For example, in the new admin user account I just made, I moved 1 screen shot file from the Trash and it said preparing 2 items.

Then when I moved 950 or so screen shot files from the desktop to a folder in Documents, it said it was copying over around 1,500 when there was only 950 images there...

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