I have hundreds of files that have Zero size or very small kb size

While organizing my files, I noticed that I have many files that have a very minimal file size and that if I’m able to open them, they are blank. I believe I’ve lost quite a bit of data and I’m in the process of trying to get it back with Time machine.

I’m using iCloud and I have been using DEVONthink to OCR my PDFs.

I know that’s not a lot of information to go on, but I was wondering if anybody else has seen anything like this?

I am just about to abandon DEVONthink as I’m not sure that the squeeze is worth the juice.

It seems every time I use it. I have to troubleshoot it first.

My primer case has been capturing information off of the web to PDF or using it as a Bookmark tool on steroids.

I’m not sure how to troubleshoot what is creating those files with zero length.

Any suggestions on troubleshooting

This post may be of interest.

@OogieM also lost data with DevonThink.

I do not use it so I have nothing else to offer, other than I hope you can get your data back.

I believe she was running here databases on a network share, which DT specifically say not to do. Judging by OPs last question about DT and tags, he seems to have something very odd going on though.

How were the files created? You had PDFs, and indexed them into DT? or you just had it OCR them without storing them there? Did you check before and after? Were they stored in DT and then exported? If so, how did you export them?

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It was a long time ago and I never got my data back. I’ve been on Obsidian now for almost 2 years.

No I was using the recommended sharing at the time. Using a Bonjour server following all the recommended setup for it per DT’s own documentation.

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Yes I have seen that. That is the symptom of a disaster with DT and why I left it. Freeze everything, go back to your Oldest BU and see what’s recoverable.

And then do weekly at a minimum verify DB.

My problem was not discovered for over a year so I was off the end of my oldest backups. It was data I only need to reference every 1-4 years and that I had had safely kept on multiple systems and operating systems and hardware upgrades for over 20 years. I was more than upset. Which is why I left DT.

Since we have almost zero information of what OP did, or how anything was done, it’s unfair to blame DT. The only thing we know is that it was used in some way but OP is unable or unwilling to provide more info.

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Completely agree. Extreme outlier if you consider DT3 and MPU posts going back over a decade.

And minimal information to confirm the issue.

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Have you opened a support ticket with us?

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I just indexed them and then OCRd them

Did you get assistance/advice from DEVON Technologies, per @DEVONtech_Jim’s question?

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