High Sierra File and Finder Issues

You have serious issues, but it is not the fault of HS, but of your old system installation.

Possible Fixes for High Sierra

You should try each, one at a time, then test to see if the problem is fixed before going on to the next.

Be sure to backup your files before proceeding if possible.

1. Shutdown the computer, wait 30 seconds, restart the computer.
2. Resetting your Mac’s PRAM and NVRAM
3. Reset the System Management Controller (SMC)
4. Start the computer in Safe Mode, then restart normally. This is slower than a standard startup.
5. Repair the disk by booting from the Recovery HD. Immediately after the chime hold down the Command and R keys until the Utility Menu appears. Choose Disk Utility and click on the Continue button. Select the indented (usually, Macintosh HD) volume entry from the side list. Click on the First Aid button in the toolbar. Wait for the Done button to appear. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu. Restart the computer from the Apple Menu.
6. Create a New User Account Open Users & Groups preferences. Click on the lock icon and enter your Admin password when prompted. On the left under Current User click on the Add [+] button below Login Options. Setup a new Admin user account. Upon completion log out of your current account then log into the new account. If your problems cease, then consider switching to the new account and transferring your files to it - Transferring files from one User Account to another.
7. Reinstall OS X by booting from the Recovery HD using the Command and R keys. When the Utility Menu appears select Reinstall OS X then click on the Continue button.
8. Erase and Install OS X Restart the computer. Immediately after the chime hold down the CommandandRkeys until the Apple logo appears. When the Utility Menu appears:

1. Select Disk Utility from the Utility Menu and click on Continue button.
2. When Disk Utility loads select the drive (out-dented entry) from the Device list.
3. Click on the Erase icon in Disk Utility's toolbar. A panel will drop down.
4. Set the Format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.)
5. Click on the Apply button, then wait for the Done button to activate and click on it.
6. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu.
7. Select Install OS X and click on the Continue button.

I have the same issue with a brand new install of High Sierra and I think I can also reproduce it by running Disk Util First Aid. The files appear to be fine and I can see them in Terminal on the command line, but the Finder shows the folder as plain files without the directory icon. The files have an expand triangle next to them but it does not do anything.

Is everyone who is having this problem using Google Sync and Backup? I am wondering if it is broken and trying to add its annotations to the filesystem.

This has happened to me as well. Running High Sierra public beta 10.13.1 (build 17B42a). Files are all still there (phew!), but they are not necessarily visible in the Finder. A restart works to bring them back, but then they disappear again. I haven't done exhaustive testing (do they disappear across restarts? across sleeps?, etc). I'm waiting for the next build to see if this is just a transient issue. Fingers crossed that Time Machine backups are intact.

I'm having the same issue. In my case, I was able to determine that I could recreate the issue reliably by running Disk Utility -> First Aid. First Aid runs as expected with no errors, but after that files and folders are missing from Finder and clicking on aliases produces a "not found" error. Relaunching Finder generally fixes the problems but only a full reboot completely solves the problem. The probably does not occur again until I run First Aid.

Another BIG ISSSUE:

You can't copy a file bigger than 2GB over a FAT32 USB (limitation 4GB on FAT32, and it was possible before on Sierra).

So there is a issue with FINDER.

(If you try with another app, then is possible to save the file.)

hi as you say serious issues with high sierra ,suddenly google drive folder started showing zero bites in files in my picture file saved on hard drive , vastly different from what's saved on google drive on the web.

Just hoping the web version is downloaded, not the zero bit computer-drive file up loaded

lucky I have saved a separate backup on time machine but this is only done monthly so just hope things sort out

Its not as if we had any warning or option, it was going to change otherwise would have backed up earlier

I am having the same problem here. Purchased 2017 5K iMac and immediately updated to High Sierra before restoring my TM backup from my 2012 iMac.

Today after perhaps a week or two of uptime the Finder was acting completely flakey and not showing files. The machine hung when I tried to restart the Finder and I had to force reboot it.

Upon the reboot the machine asked a few things like it does the first time you set the OS up... but, my files are now showing.

This is really disconcerting considering this is a $2800 computer I just purchased and these are complete amateur hour bugs we are seeing.

I have the same issue with files and folder just dissapearing for no reason. A system reboot or finder relaunch fixes the problem temporarily. I am running a fresh install of HS on a 2015 MBP 15" retina.

Has there been any fix to this issue? It appears to have been in existence for more than three months now. This happened to me after running FirstAid. After my next reboot, my files no longer appeared under documents; however, you can search for them.

Similar problem here. When I try to rename a file using Finder, you can still see the old name from Finder. If I use the terminal, I can see the updated file name. Problem is resolved with a computer restart. Relaunching Finder does not work. It hangs and I have to force restart my computer. I cant believe this is taking so long to fix!

High Sierra has been a disaster for me. First it killed the Nik filters Photoshop plugin. Now I'm finding that it's screwing with external hard drive names so that Lightroom no longer recognizes file paths stored in the catalog. I see one name for the external drive in the finder and another name in the Get Info box for that drive. I'm loath to convert my external drive to APFS format because I don't have confidence in the the High Sierra OS. I already ditched iPhone for a Pixel 2. I'm thinking maybe it's time to get a Windows computer, and this from an Apple 2+ and forward enthusiast who has literally owned every piece of Apple hardware thru iPhone 7 and Apple Watch 2. I'll keep my Apple stock because it's making money, but for my own personal use Apple has become a disappointing computer solution.

Just don't do it. I recommend to stay with Macintosh. I switched to a WIN-PC a year ago and regret it so much. WIN 10 is crap and not intended to work in favor of effectiveness. I miss so much from OS X that I started working on my Macbook for all tasks that don't need speed and power. I will soon change back to a Mac and dump the PC, now that Apple is offering powerful iMacs for ambitious non-professional users like me. After all Apple is not perfect but OS X is still way better than Windows 10!

Me too. As another IT pro that's been a dedicated Apple customer since my first 'PowerMac' with a whopping 8MB of RAM, my faith in the company's products & customer service has all but vanished. I just bought a brand new Macbook Pro and am still digging out of the mess of issues caused by my malfunctioning iPhone. My brand new Macbook Pro that I actually had to borrow money to purchase, has been a headache since I opened the box. iOS 11 & High Sierra represent the worst software I've seen in 25 years of using Apple products. If I thought I could deal with Windows or Android, I'd have already switched.

While I've always had Macs as my personal machine (and for 10 years supported my own Mac network in the hospital) I finally threw in the towel at work and adopted the PC network used by the rest of my medical practice. Once I figured out the essentials, Windows was okay. Now that it's evolved to Win10, I suspect it will be even more tolerable. Right now a Win10 machine is sharing files with my iMac sitting side by side to migrate content and so far it's been fine. I'm going to set up a two computer solution sharing a single monitor using the HDMI out from both a Mac mini and the Dell PC and a single wireless keyboard that lets me jump between computers on the fly. I think it will be a strong solution for my scenario. As for phones, I am loving the Pixel 2. It did take me several months to adapt to Android, but now I use Android Auto in my new Chevy Bolt and it works great. I love just saying, "Okay Google" to the car and having it do my bidding. The ONLY fly in the ointment in moving to Android? Text messaging. Apple does texting right and Android simply hasn't caught up. While everyone in my family has learned to just text with me from phones, my wife still hates that she can't text me from her iPad or computer. It is what it is. I got her an iPhone X and even when I play with it I end up preferring my Pixel 2 despite it's slightly dated lack of edge to edge screen. So many other features are superior to the X (camera and general use of AI) I just can't bring myself to go back.

Same.

Switching iPhones to Pixel 2s by end of year (just paid off the iPhones, but SO done with them!) I'm a HUGE proponent/defender of Macs only for computers (esp. as I do a lot of graphics and video work); but High Sierra has slowed my daily file management to a grind and I'm PEEVED! Getting ready to hire another creative soon, and if the issues are't resolved by then, this new employee will likely use a PC.