Perfect timing once again. Just after we send out our issue on System 7 with information about a couple of problems it has, another pops up. Apparently a few people, not a lot, have been having files and folders disappear mysteriously from their hard drives. Using the Finder's Find command will make them temporarily reappear, but at first it seemed that the only way to fix the problem was to reformat the hard disk and restore from a backup. Now it appears that you can fix the problem by forcing the Mac to rebuild the Desktop DB and Desktop DF files manually (by using a utility like DiskTop to make them visible, renaming them differently and then rebooting, or by using the Desktop Reset utility that ships to registered users of Salient's DiskDoubler and AutoDoubler). I'm not sure why you can't use the normal method of holding down command-option when the Mac starts up to rebuild the desktop, but no one has mentioned that as a fix yet and I haven't lost any folders so that I can test it. For that matter, restarting under System 6 and then again under System 7 might have the same effect.

The bug does not appear to discriminate (that's what we like, equal-opportunity bugs) in that it affects users of System 7 and 7.0.1 on different types of Macs and different brands of hard drives. Once again, Apple knows about the bug and is working to fix it (what do you think - they'd just apologize and throw up their hands?). If you feel the need, you can call Apple Customer Service, but I'd recommend just fixing the problem.

Apple Customer Assistance -- 800/776-2333

Information from:
Mike Fessler -- MIKEF@brownvm.brown.edu
Alan Hewat -- Hewat@Frill.bitnet
Stephen C. Harmony -- sharmony@nova.ta52.lanl.gov

Related articles:
MacWEEK -- 03-Feb-92, Vol. 6, #5, pg. 3
MacWEEK -- 27-Jan-92, Vol. 6, #4, pg. 1