[comp.sys.mac] How to delete file with empty data and resource forks

markham@rho.cs.unc.edu (Andrew Markham) (02/07/90)

Here is one of those "I can't delete this file" problems, with a new 
twist (I think).  There is this Excel file that seems to be giving us a little
problem.  First of all, if you try to open or delete the file from within
Excel, you get a "Can't read file: filename. File not found" error.  Ok, so
let's try just deleting the file.  Throw it in the trash and empty it and the
file returns with no error messages.  How about Disk First Aid:  "Unable to
verify volume".  Next, we will rebuild the desktop:  nothing changes, file
still cannot be deleted.  Try to look at the file with FEdit and you get
"This file cannot be displayed because neither the data fork or resource fork
have disk sectors allocated."  Now try to delete file with FEdit and get a
"Disk Error: -43     Disk Sector: 0   File not found."
I used HexDump to view the contents of the file and got:
"Data Fork:
 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
 Resource Fork:
 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000"


Any ideas????
Or better yet, any suggestions????

Please e-mail all responses.

Thanks in advance!

_|_o		Andrew W. Markham	<markham@wsmail.cs.unc.edu>
| V \O		Computer Science Department	UNC-CH
|    |\		"Nobody in the world can cover my main man Michael Jordan.
|   / \ 		 No, No, Nobody." 	-Mars Blackmon

ar4@mace.cc.purdue.edu (Piper Keairnes) (02/08/90)

<11887@thorin.cs.unc.edu> markham@rho.cs.unc.edu (Andrew Markham) writes:

   [ stuff deleted]

>I used HexDump to view the contents of the file and got:
>"Data Fork:
> 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
> Resource Fork:
> 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000"
>
>Any ideas????
>Or better yet, any suggestions????

I thought this should be posted as well as sent to Andrew...
One program that I have found particularly useful is SUM Tools from the
SUM II package. You can display a file map and a volume map in SUM Tools.
On each map you can click down on a sector from the disk and hold the mouse
down until a pop-up menu arrives. From this menu you can de-allocate your
problem sectors one by one.

I have only found this useful when all other possibilities have been exhausted
because if the file is of any respectable size, you'll be de-allocating sectors
for a while. Since it sounds like you have a pretty empty file, you may have
a short session.

Be sure to rebuild the desktop after you de-allocate the sectors from the
problem-file. (You may even want to try this before trying SUM Tools).

BTW, if you don't have SUM II you should consider buying it. It is a fabulous
product...

--Piper Keairnes
ar4@mace.cc.purdue.edu