Application files gone! Then reappeared

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Level 1

74 points

Application files gone! Then reappeared

I've never encountered this before. I ran repair disc in utility this morning. After it completed I had a document I wanted to delete. An error came up stating, "Operation could not be performed because function that allows this process is missing" or something to that nature i don't remember the exact error.

I decided to just run Disc Warrior & when I went into the Application folder hardly any programs were there. I found Disc Warrior warrior but instead the typical icon it was just a blue folder & when I opened that folder there was just a white piece of paper with a dot!???

I start looking for photo's music & other programs & it was all missing! I ended up just shutting down & restarting & everything came back??

Any thoughts on what may have happened to temporarily make 95% of my files/application & folders to disappear?

Macbook Pro w/Touch bar-OTHER, macOS Sierra (10.12.2), 2.9Ghz i5, 8GB

Posted on Dec 10, 2017 5:29 PM

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Answer 1

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Mac_slide

Level 3

605 points

Dec 11, 2017 10:15 AM in response to ibroker

Put it this way, it's happened to me THIS time and before. I just waited long enough for them to load which took multiple times and lots of patience and turning off everything trying to load... some installs that is the best course of action for me.

I just waited, have more personal hands on experience with a lot of various problems mac related with a couple demonic infested macs that did just about everything under the sun - have the same experience on the first 3 of the 5th iPhone I have, all had demonic like problems until I figured what to do.

Macs, some times take while to settle in the new environment or to install or boot or reboot the first time. Rushing it, can be disastrous.

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Answer 2

ibroker Author

Level 1

74 points

Dec 11, 2017 7:59 AM in response to Mac_slide

Okay but the problem happened after I ran "Repair Disc" under the Mac Utility program. So just to recap here is the sequence of what happened:

Ran Repair Disc as a normal "housekeeping" routine. I try to to do this once a quarter
After repair disc I noticed a Word document I wanted to delete I had no use for
Could not drag or right click to put in trash or delete. This is where error message popped up stating operation could not be completed due to missing program type or whatever
Tried to find another "utility" software Disc Warrior.
Noticed 99% of all Applications, folders, files were not there!
Certain folders that were there had 1 piece of paper titled as a "period" or "dot".
Shut all the way down, restarted.....everything is back??

I only tried to find & open Disc Warrior AFTER there was the problem trying to delete a standard Word document?

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Answer 3

ibroker Author

Level 1

74 points

Dec 10, 2017 7:43 PM in response to Mac_slide

Hey thanks for replying back I appreciate. But forgive me because I'm not quite understanding your response? So are you saying when I ran the First Aid in Disc Utility my Mac was just taking time to reformat everything?

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Answer 4

Mac_slide

Level 3

605 points

Dec 11, 2017 7:38 AM in response to ibroker

Some programs like "disk Warrior" & TechTool, Data Recovery/Rescue, Etceteras - can recover deleted files and corrupt files.

I had a G4 that was so corrupt - only that computer could read any of it's hard drive or backups - and we literally tried on dozens of computers. The recovery repair software repaired and recovered my drive... even found pics and docs that were from previous formats.

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Answer 5

ibroker Author

Level 1

74 points

Dec 11, 2017 10:05 AM in response to Mac_slide

Okay thanks.

I just think there's some lost in translation going on here. Disc Warrior is NOT the issue. The issue came in PRIOR to Disc Warrior. I only went to Disc Warrior to help force delete a Word document I have. It was when I was "searching" for my Disc Warrior in the Applications folder that I noticed all my programs, folders etc were gone!

Imagine If you open up your Applications, (And I'm not talking about while using Disc Warrior) you know all the programs that are sitting there? Those were 95% gone. Imagine everything from Launchpad, Adobe, Mission Control, Siri, Safari, all those app icons were all missing??

So it's okay, everything has re-appeared as the title stated. I just wanted to know if this was some type of virus, bug, hack or something serious to worry about.

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Answer 6

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Dec 11, 2017 10:14 AM in response to ibroker

ibroker wrote:

I'm not sure what this is up front so I researched what the APFS is & I just have to assume that it's the hard disc? I went back to Disc Utility & yes I have APFS Volume One

Do you have Sierra (as your post says) or High Sierra?

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Answer 7

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Dec 11, 2017 3:10 PM in response to ibroker

I have (once) seen all application files disappear, but only for as long as it took the screen to refresh, nowhere near enough time to run anything else.

So, I have no idea what just happened, but as all your apps are there I would just run a backup of them now.

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Answer 8

Mac_slide

Level 3

605 points

Dec 10, 2017 7:36 PM in response to ibroker

Those programs can find and piece back together pics and other files... even after a format.

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Answer 9

Mac_slide

Level 3

605 points

Dec 11, 2017 8:24 AM in response to ibroker

do you have Apple File System (APFS) disk?

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Answer 10

ibroker Author

Level 1

74 points

Dec 11, 2017 8:36 AM in response to Mac_slide

I'm not sure what this is up front so I researched what the APFS is & I just have to assume that it's the hard disc? I went back to Disc Utility & yes I have APFS Volume One

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