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From: sek@nvuxr.cc.bellcore.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.system,comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Invisible files in System Folder
Message-ID: <1991Feb1.194623.29049@bellcore.bellcore.com>
Date: 1 Feb 91 19:46:23 GMT
Sender: usenet@bellcore.bellcore.com (Poster of News)
Reply-To: bcr!nvuxr.cc.bellcore.com!sek
Organization: Bell Communications Research
Lines: 49

This is a very strange problem that I've been wrestling with for a while now. 
In essence, no files whose name begins (alphabetically) beyond L appears in the
system folder.  

Setup:  Mac II, 40Mb internal hard disk, System 6.0.3

The details follow.

By all outward appearances the Mac works fine.  However if you open the System
Folder the last file displayed is LaserWriter.  It makes no difference how you
choose to view the files (i.e. name, icon, date, color, etc.) no file whose
name cames after laserWriter (alphabetically) is displayed.  

Despite this all CDEV's appear in Control Panel (Monitor, Sound, etc.).

Find File does not find any file in the System Folder beyond L.  For example if
Find File is asked to locate System, Multifinder, Mouse, or any other file in
the System Folder that begins with M-Z it fails.  As far as Find File is
concerned these files do not exist (yet they obviously do!)

Rebuilding the Desktop has had no effect.  The invisible files are still
invisible.

If a new file that begins with M-Z is copied into the System Folder the file
will appear for as long as the folder is open.  If I close the folder and
reopen it, the once visible file is now invisible.  If I then attempt to copy
the same file into the System Folder again, I receive the dialog warning me
that a file by that name already exists.

If I copy the entire folder only files beginning with A-L (i.e. the visible
files) are copied to the new folder.  Watching both the names and count of
files in the System Folder as it's being copied also verifies that only the
"visible" files are being copied.

Opening the System Folder under ResEdit again only shows the visible files. 
Nothing past L is displayed by ResEdit either.  

As I mentioned despite all this the Mac appears to work fine.  Hence the System
File is being found at Startup, all inits are loading (even those that begin
with M-Z), and all resources are available.  Every other folder is fine (i.e.
all files are visible) as are folders within the System Folder that are
visible.  For example, the folder After Dark Files is visible in the System
Folder.  Opening that folder displays all the files.  It's only the System
Folder in which this is happening.

Before I take more drastic measures (i.e. upgrade the OS) does anyone have any
clues what may be causing this and a solution.

Thanks.