Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Will the View Options of a Folder on an External HD Always Reset on Restart?

C

Corey Grandy

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 12, 2009
279
0
Nova Scotia, Canada
So, I spent hours yesterday re-organizing every movie and TV series on my external HD and giving each and every folder for every movie, movie series, TV show (and every season within) the shelving background that I'm sure you've all seen a million times.

Early this morning I used Software Update to download a Safari Update I hadn't got yet and upon restart, the icon view of every folder I slaved over yesterday has returned to the default white background, 48x48 icons, etc.

My question is concerning whether or not I should go back and do it all again or if there is no use. Also wondering if there is a way to keep it from changing.

Thanks in advance,
CG
 
I'm not sure what step you might have missed, but I do have a suggestion.

As an aside, my Flash Drive windows "remember" their SVO settings.

So, did you make sure to check "Always open in icon view"? Maybe that's not the key, but I can't think of anything else at the moment.
 
Corey Grandy said:
My question is concerning whether or not I should go back and do it all again or if there is no use. Also wondering if there is a way to keep it from changing.
Click to expand...
Usually it works... but sometimes it might not, depending on what sort of privileges the user has within the folders in question. If the user cannot write to those folders, or if perhaps the (invisible) .DS_Store files themselves are owned by some other uid (and group-write access is not granted), then Finder will cache all your changes in RAM so that things appear to work. Then the next time you connect that disk, you're back to square one.

It's possible to tinker around with those privileges using Finder 'Get Info' windows, but i usually prefer to use Terminal for poking around (as it will also list those .DS_Store files). Whichever user is trying to set views permanently needs to have some sort of write access to both the folders themselves (as well as their parent folder, usually) and the .DS_Store files hiding inside.

I don't quite know what to say next, but... that's the gist of the view options deal.
 
@Gregg2 - I did that, I'm sure. So, that's not the trouble.

@Hal Itosis - I would assume though, that since only one user exists on the computer, that I would be fine. I have full write access to the entire drive and all the folders within. Just can't seem to get this...
 
Corey Grandy said:
@Gregg2 - I did that, I'm sure. So, that's not the trouble.

@Hal Itosis - I would assume though, that since only one user exists on the computer, that I would be fine. I have full write access to the entire drive and all the folders within. Just can't seem to get this...
Click to expand...

What format is the drive? Windows NTFS? FAT32? Or Mac formatted?
 
Corey Grandy said:
I believe it was formatted for Mac. I could be wrong though, it might be FAT32. I don't have it nearby right now as I'm not at home.
Click to expand...

Yea, it should save if it's either of those two... Basically if you can write to the drive then it should save. You can try to delete the .DS_Store files manually so that when you make changes it re-create the file correctly.
 
Corey Grandy said:
I would assume though, that since only one user exists on the computer, that I would be fine. I have full write access to the entire drive and all the folders within.
Click to expand...
Given the very nature of the problem you're having, plus the way view options work... i don't think that assumption is correct. The only mechanism to preserve views is those .DS_Store files (plus the finder plist for certain special folders).

Corey Grandy said:
I have full write access to the entire drive and all the folders within.
Click to expand...
The entire drive? Hmm, did you list the problem folders with Terminal yet? Who owns them (which uid)? And what's your uid? Many times it's the old 2nd user account scenario (original user =501, 2nd user =502). Names don't mean squat. Uid numbers are what matter, under the hood.
 
@ViViDboarder: Tried, but no such luck. Thanks anyway.

@Hal Itosis: Re-checked all permissions, through Terminal. All are 501, which is my current and only account.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back