Copied and restored files name locked

[weirdsmith]

I just got an M2 Mini which is running Ventura 13.5. I restored a file from a TimeMachine recently and it was name locked - no obvious way to rename it. I just did a Finder copy (duplicate) and noticed the same issue. Did it a few times with different files to verify.

• Selecting the filename and waiting does nothing;
• "Rename" does not appear in the contextual menu;
• The file name is greyed out in the Get Info window.

I am the owner of the files and have read/write access. I am in an account with Admin privileges. Disk Utility didn't find any errors.

I can work around this, but it's a bit of a hassle. Have searched the web. Any thoughts?

 

[Slartibart]

I am the owner of the files and have read/write access.

You checked this via the Get Info -window in the Finder?
What does the Get Info-window report for the folder this file is located in?

Somehow did not see that you can copy the file in Finder - what type of file? Please open a terminal and type ls -l@ then drag the file on the terminal window and press return. Post the output here.

 

[weirdsmith]

Thanks for your response.

Yes, checked ownership in the Get Info window. All the same ownership and privileges for the enclosing folder, which I can rename.

 

[Slartibart]

The file size is correct? That is, it’s not - for whatever reason - a partial restore?

 

[weirdsmith]

Post the output here.

-rw-r--r--@ 1 MyUserNameHere staff 50579 7 Aug 15:58 /Users/MyUserNameHere/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox/xxxxx/Prospects/System/zzzzz/zzzzz System Sizer 2.3.1 LFP.xlsx com.apple.lastuseddate#PS 16 com.apple.macl 72 com.apple.metadata:_kMDItemUserTags 42 com.apple.quarantine 15 com.dropbox.attrs 26 com.dropbox.internal 0 Users-M2-mini:~ MyUserNameHere$

This is an Excel file. Had the same issue with Pages files.

And the file sizes of the restored file and the copied ones are correct - same number of bytes.

 

[weirdsmith]

I kept checking and have noticed a few more things:

• The name locked files won't go into the Trash - they are deleted immediately as if they're on a network share, which they aren't;
• Existing files in the problem folders can be renamed, problem is just copies;
• Other copied files in the same parent folder can be renamed. Can't see a pattern yet.
Path/to/Folders/Bad files/ <- Cannot rename duplicate files in this folder
Path/to/Folders/Other Files/<- Can rename duplicate files in this folder

Edit: I ran the Terminal command on a file that can be renamed, but will produce locked copies, and all the attributes appear identical to the output I posted above.

 

[Slartibart]

Can you rename it in the dropbox-desktop app (or mobile/web interface)?

 

[weirdsmith]

Can you rename it in the dropbox-desktop app (or mobile/web interface)?

I was able to rename it in Dropbox online and the change propagated to the local file more or less immediately.

Edit: It still wants to delete immediately rather than go to Trash after renaming.

 

[Slartibart]

I was able to rename it in Dropbox online and the change propagated to the local file more or less immediately.

Is this a file you share on dropbox?

 

[Slartibart]

can you execute sudo chmod 777 your-local-file in the terminal and check wether after that can you rename it?

 

[Slartibart]

Just related to #9: did you try to rename after a restart of your Mac?

 

[weirdsmith]

Is this a file you share on dropbox?

Yes. And the files that can be copied are too. All are stored locally as far as I can tell - no cloud logos on any folders.

can you execute sudo chmod 777 your-local-file in the terminal and check wether after that can you rename it?

No change in file behaviour after this.

 

[Slartibart]

you can try wether removing the quarantine attribute allows for renaming - execute
xattr -d com.apple.quarantine your-local-file in the terminal.

 

[weirdsmith]

Just related to #9: did you try to rename after a restart of your Mac?

Yikes! I just rebooted and everything seems to be working as designed now. I would have tried that before posting, but it really didn't seem to be that kind of problem.

Also, I ran ls -l@ on the file again and it doesn't look as though any of the attributes, or anything else, has changed.

Guessing it was maybe a Dropbox glitch, but not entirely clear.

Thanks very much for your help sorting this, Slartibart! Really appreciated.

 

[0339327]

Is this with all TM files or just this occurrence?

How about if you do the restore in Safe Mode?

Can you open the file and do a Save As to rename?