Help Please! Can't unzip vacations pics

ChuckFinley1 · ChuckFinley1 #1 (**permalink**)

05-16-2012, 04:38 PM

My MacBook can't unzip the zip file so I tried StuffIt Expander & MacZip & they didn't work either. Only WinZip Mac has given me some kind of explanation why it won't work but I don't know what it means or what to do about it. I'm hoping someone here on the forum can provide me some much needed help.
Here's the explanation it gives: "Fatal error: End-of-central-directory signature not found. Either this file is not a Zip file, or it constitutes one disk of a multi-part Zip file."
Can someone please help me unzip my pics?
Thanks in advance,
Chuck

RavingMac · RavingMac #2 (**permalink**)

05-16-2012, 06:40 PM

Where and how did you originally Zip them?

ChuckFinley1 · ChuckFinley1 #3 (**permalink**)

05-17-2012, 03:16 AM

On my MacBook by right-clicking the folder then clicking the "compress" option.

chas_m · chas_m #4 (**permalink**)

05-17-2012, 04:02 AM

Oh, if you'd said that in first place ...

Anyway, the zip file is corrupt. I doubt you'll be able to recover that. Sorry.

ChuckFinley1 · ChuckFinley1 #5 (**permalink**)

05-17-2012, 10:52 AM

I wonder how that happened? Thanks for letting me know.

chas_m · chas_m #6 (**permalink**)

05-18-2012, 03:17 AM

You know, I can't believe I didn't mention it in my last post, but if you still have the camera card and haven't put NEW photos over the old ones there's a good chance the old ones can be retrieved with card recovery software.

ChuckFinley1 · ChuckFinley1 #7 (**permalink**)

05-18-2012, 08:19 PM

Thats not possible, those pics were taken years ago. The file was originally on my MacBook, then I compressed it & transferred it onto iDisk thinking my pics were safe from being accidentally destroyed if something should happen to my laptop (ironic, isn't it?). I have no idea how or why the file got damaged....very frustrating!
Thanks for your help though, I appreciate it.

Dysfunction · Dysfunction #8 (**permalink**)

05-18-2012, 08:27 PM

iDisk? Probably dropped a packet during the upload, or download. Did you try redownloading the zip file?

ChuckFinley1 · ChuckFinley1 #9 (**permalink**)

05-18-2012, 08:31 PM

No I haven't but I will right now...I'll let you know what happens. Thanks!

ChuckFinley1 · ChuckFinley1 #10 (**permalink**)

05-18-2012, 08:46 PM

No, it still didn't work. "There was a problem while reading the contents of the file "Vacations.zip": Unknown error

GGRRRRRR!!!!!!!!

RavingMac · RavingMac #11 (**permalink**)

05-18-2012, 08:52 PM

I am assuming the transfer from your MacBook was some time ago as well. If it was fairly recent it would still be reasonably possible to recover at least some of your photos.
Providing you still have the computer.

ChuckFinley1 · ChuckFinley1 #12 (**permalink**)

05-18-2012, 09:05 PM

Yeah, I still have the computer but I transferred the file to iDisk when I was still using Leopard...a little while ago

Do you think it's an OS problem now that I'm using Lion?

RavingMac · RavingMac #13 (**permalink**)

05-18-2012, 09:34 PM

With that much time and doing an OS upgrade there probably isn't much hope. Just deleting a file doesn't get rid of it, so running file recovery software will often return most deleted pictures if they haven't been over written.

You can try using a file recovery package, but your chances don't look good. Still, may be worth a try depending on how important the pics are to you.

ChuckFinley1 · ChuckFinley1 #14 (**permalink**)

05-18-2012, 09:47 PM

I still have the compressed file containing the pics on iDisk so I can download it as many times as I want. The problem is that it won't extract properly.
It's not even a matter of looking at the pics anymore, I just want to do it now 'cuz the computer say I can't!!!

Rbcafe · Rbcafe #15 (**permalink**)

09-14-2012, 04:02 AM

Hi,

I found this thread by curiosity and discovered a solution to recover an archive...

1) Copy archive to desktop.
2) Open terminal.
3) Type this without quotes "zip -FF ~/desktop/archive-name.zip --out ~/desktop/archive-new.zip".
4) Is this a single-disk archive? (y/n): y (answering y).
5) Your new archive is created on the desktop.
6) In case the name is no coherent. Add .zip to produced file.
7) Uncompress new archive.

Step 1 is crucial...
===========================

Best regards

RavingMac #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 07, 2008 Location: In Denial Posts: 6,784 Mac Specs: 4GB Mac Mini, 13" MacBook, 15" MacBook Pro OSX 10.7, 32 GB iPhone 3GS, iPad2 64gb 3G	05-16-2012, 06:40 PM Where and how did you originally Zip them? Of course, I know everything . . . I just can't remember it all at once.
	QUOTE Thanks

chas_m #4 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 22, 2010 Location: Victoria, BC Posts: 13,696 Mac Specs: 2009 MacBook Pro, Black speakers, Black Benq second monitor, black iPhone 4, Black 2012 iPad, etc.	05-17-2012, 04:02 AM Oh, if you'd said that in first place ... Anyway, the zip file is corrupt. I doubt you'll be able to recover that. Sorry. Cheers, chas_m -- My essay for switchers and newbies
	QUOTE Thanks

chas_m #6 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 22, 2010 Location: Victoria, BC Posts: 13,696 Mac Specs: 2009 MacBook Pro, Black speakers, Black Benq second monitor, black iPhone 4, Black 2012 iPad, etc.	05-18-2012, 03:17 AM You know, I can't believe I didn't mention it in my last post, but if you still have the camera card and haven't put NEW photos over the old ones there's a good chance the old ones can be retrieved with card recovery software. Cheers, chas_m -- My essay for switchers and newbies
	QUOTE Thanks

Dysfunction #8 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 17, 2008 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 6,515 Mac Specs: 2008 and 2011 15" mbps, late 11 iMac, iPhone 4s, and too many ipods and other stuff	05-18-2012, 08:27 PM iDisk? Probably dropped a packet during the upload, or download. Did you try redownloading the zip file? mike This machine kills fascists Got # ? phear the command line!
	QUOTE Thanks

RavingMac #11 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 07, 2008 Location: In Denial Posts: 6,784 Mac Specs: 4GB Mac Mini, 13" MacBook, 15" MacBook Pro OSX 10.7, 32 GB iPhone 3GS, iPad2 64gb 3G	05-18-2012, 08:52 PM I am assuming the transfer from your MacBook was some time ago as well. If it was fairly recent it would still be reasonably possible to recover at least some of your photos. Providing you still have the computer. Of course, I know everything . . . I just can't remember it all at once.
	QUOTE Thanks

Help Please! Can't unzip vacations pics

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ChuckFinley1 #1 (permalink)
Member Since: May 03, 2012 Posts: 8	05-16-2012, 04:38 PM My MacBook can't unzip the zip file so I tried StuffIt Expander & MacZip & they didn't work either. Only WinZip Mac has given me some kind of explanation why it won't work but I don't know what it means or what to do about it. I'm hoping someone here on the forum can provide me some much needed help. Here's the explanation it gives: "Fatal error: End-of-central-directory signature not found. Either this file is not a Zip file, or it constitutes one disk of a multi-part Zip file." Can someone please help me unzip my pics? Thanks in advance, Chuck
	QUOTE Thanks

ChuckFinley1 #5 (permalink)
Member Since: May 03, 2012 Posts: 8	05-17-2012, 10:52 AM I wonder how that happened? Thanks for letting me know.
	QUOTE Thanks

ChuckFinley1 #7 (permalink)
Member Since: May 03, 2012 Posts: 8	05-18-2012, 08:19 PM Thats not possible, those pics were taken years ago. The file was originally on my MacBook, then I compressed it & transferred it onto iDisk thinking my pics were safe from being accidentally destroyed if something should happen to my laptop (ironic, isn't it?). I have no idea how or why the file got damaged....very frustrating! Thanks for your help though, I appreciate it.
	QUOTE Thanks

ChuckFinley1 #9 (permalink)
Member Since: May 03, 2012 Posts: 8	05-18-2012, 08:31 PM No I haven't but I will right now...I'll let you know what happens. Thanks!
	QUOTE Thanks

ChuckFinley1 #10 (permalink)
Member Since: May 03, 2012 Posts: 8	05-18-2012, 08:46 PM No, it still didn't work. "There was a problem while reading the contents of the file "Vacations.zip": Unknown error GGRRRRRR!!!!!!!!
	QUOTE Thanks

ChuckFinley1 #12 (permalink)
Member Since: May 03, 2012 Posts: 8	05-18-2012, 09:05 PM Yeah, I still have the computer but I transferred the file to iDisk when I was still using Leopard...a little while ago Do you think it's an OS problem now that I'm using Lion?
	QUOTE Thanks

RavingMac #13 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 07, 2008 Location: In Denial Posts: 6,784 Mac Specs: 4GB Mac Mini, 13" MacBook, 15" MacBook Pro OSX 10.7, 32 GB iPhone 3GS, iPad2 64gb 3G	05-18-2012, 09:34 PM With that much time and doing an OS upgrade there probably isn't much hope. Just deleting a file doesn't get rid of it, so running file recovery software will often return most deleted pictures if they haven't been over written. You can try using a file recovery package, but your chances don't look good. Still, may be worth a try depending on how important the pics are to you. Of course, I know everything . . . I just can't remember it all at once.
	QUOTE Thanks

ChuckFinley1 #14 (permalink)
Member Since: May 03, 2012 Posts: 8	05-18-2012, 09:47 PM I still have the compressed file containing the pics on iDisk so I can download it as many times as I want. The problem is that it won't extract properly. It's not even a matter of looking at the pics anymore, I just want to do it now 'cuz the computer say I can't!!!
	QUOTE Thanks

Rbcafe #15 (permalink)
Member Since: Sep 14, 2012 Posts: 3	09-14-2012, 04:02 AM Hi, I found this thread by curiosity and discovered a solution to recover an archive... 1) Copy archive to desktop. 2) Open terminal. 3) Type this without quotes "zip -FF ~/desktop/archive-name.zip --out ~/desktop/archive-new.zip". 4) Is this a single-disk archive? (y/n): y (answering y). 5) Your new archive is created on the desktop. 6) In case the name is no coherent. Add .zip to produced file. 7) Uncompress new archive. Step 1 is crucial... =========================== Best regards Last edited by bobtomay; 10-19-2012 at 08:14 AM. Reason: op request
	QUOTE Thanks

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