05-02-2012, 03:41 PM

Hello,
I've been having this unusual problem with source files disappearing when I delete files from a DVD compilation (iMac 10.6.8).

The process:
1) Insert a blank DVD
2) Open DVD in Finder
3) Open separate Finder window containing the files to burn.
4) Drag (or copy/paste: same result) files from source (network share) to DVD.
[Issue: files are too large to fit on the DVD. Need to remove some files.]
5) Delete excessive files from DVD Finder window.

Problem: files deleted from the DVD compilation are also deleted from source!
Has anybody ever experienced this problem? It doesn't always happens, but it does happen frequently.

Thank you very much!

05-02-2012, 04:16 PM

Are you always opening the dvd's Finder window, dragging files in and then burning, or do you sometimes use an ordinary Finder window and then use the Burn option?

If you use the dvd's window, the files will be aliases and have a small black arrow at the bottom lefthand corner. You can delete these and the source file should remain.

If you use an ordinary Finder window, then files will be moved to that window, not copied. If you then delete, you are deleting the source file.

05-03-2012, 01:37 AM

Hi MightyGem,

Thanks for the suggestion. I do always use the DVD finder window, so that wasn't the issue, but I discovered the problem was similar to your observation involving aliases.

I was dragging a folder full of files to the DVD. In the DVD Finder window, the folder had the alias arrow on its icon. However, I was opening that folder (alias), which was in the DVD Finder window, and I was deleting files from within, which did not have the alias arrow (because it was actually opening the source folder within that window since it is an alias).

The solution is to drag the contained files directly to the DVD Finder window instead of the entire folder. Then I can safely delete the files because they are aliases.

Thanks for your help!

05-03-2012, 05:24 PM

No problem.