Error 79 Inappropriate File Type or Format
Do you need to send 10 to 20 images as an attachment via email? Well, that is possible. Just attach the images directly and wait.
However, the process is often time-consuming, especially if large files are involved. To make sending multiple files or images easier and more convenient, add all of them to a ZIP file and send it.
What is a ZIP File?
A ZIP is an archive file format that allows lossless data compression. Simply said, it is a collection of one or more folders or files, compressed into one file.
Zip files are often used to store and share software, documents, images, videos and other types of digital data. The name “ZIP” comes from the word “compress,” which refers to the process that reduces the size of a file by removing unnecessary or redundant data.
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To create a zip file, you need an archive utility such as WinZip or 7-zip. When you unzip files on your computer, it may look like one long list with different types of files in it. This is because when you unzip file (or extract) all the contents from the compressed archive, they will be restored into their original individual folders for easy access.
You can also use .ZIP extension to send email attachments that are larger than what your email provider allows for sending attachments without getting them rejected because they exceed the maximum attachment size limit.
Although the ZIP file format is popular on Windows devices, it is actually supported on Macs. The only problem is that some Mac users encounter errors with it.
One of the most notorious errors associated with ZIP files on Macs is the error 79 – inappropriate file type or format. What is this error all about? Will it affect an app, folder, user account, or software on your Mac Catalina device? Read on.
What Is Error 79 on Macs?
Cannot unzip files on your Mac because of error 79? Relax. You are not alone. Some Mac OS users have also been complaining that they were unable to expand or unzip ZIP files on their computers because of this annoying error.
According to them, it surfaces whenever they double-click on a file they want to unzip. The error code even comes with the error message “Unable to expand filename.zip (Error 1 – Operation not permitted.”
But what triggers the error to appear? Well, there are many possible reasons. We’ve listed a few of them below:
- Damaged download file – Did you download the file via a web browser? There is a chance that the ZIP file you’re trying to open is damaged. You might have closed the website before the download process was even completed. So, when you try to unzip it, error 79 appears. In this case, the best solution is to download the file again and make sure you down close the website right away.
- Large files contained in the ZIP file – Another possible reason why the error 79 appears is that the file you are trying to unzip contains a very large file. Because your Mac’s Archive utility doesn’t allow you to decompress or unzip large files, it shows the error message instead. To resolve this, you need to use the Terminal utility to decompress the ZIP file.
- Permission issues – Sometimes, permission issues trigger the error 79 to show. The ZIP file’s directory might have been set with limited read/write permissions, keeping you from accessing its contents. To fix this, you will need a third-party tool.
- System junk – There are instances when system junk meddles with important system processes, causing error codes to pop up at random.
Now that you know what causes this error, how do you resolve it?
How to Fix the Error 79 on Your Mac
Unable to unzip file on MacOS? Below are more detailed solutions on how to successfully fix error 79 on your Mac:
Solution #1: Download the ZIP file again
As mentioned above, the error 79 may surface if the file you are trying to open is damaged. To solve this, just download the file again, making sure you don’t close the website you’re downloading the file from.
Solution #2: Unzip the file by using the Terminal utility
If double-clicking on the ZIP file does not work and you are still unable to unzip the file, try doing it using Terminal. By default, it is the built-in Archive utility that decompresses ZIP files. When it’s not able to decompress them due to size limitations, it throws the error 79. And in this case, you need to decompress the file in Terminal.
Many macOS Catalina users have tried this fix, and it worked for them. So, it’s worth trying on your end, too. Here’s how:
- Press and hold down the Command and Space keys to launch Spotlight.
- Into the text field, input Terminal.
- Hit Enter. This will open the Terminal utility.
- Next, execute the unzip command to unzip. Into the command line, enter this command: unzip filename.zip
- Press Enter. Wait as Terminal decompresses the file.
- In some cases, if you receive a “No such directory” message, you can use the “cd” command manually to access the directory. From there, unzip the file. For example, you can input the “cd Desktop” command, then enter “unzip file.zip”.
- If these two commands don’t work, proceed to the third solution.
Solution #3: Use Third-Party Decompression Utility Software
Sometimes, the problem is with the permissions of the zip file itself. And in that case, you can use a third-party decompression utility software program to unzip the files easily. This solution comes in handy when you cannot unzip the files using the Terminal app.
One popular decompression utility software for Macs is StuffIt Expander, and here’s how to use it:
- Launch the Mac App Store by clicking on its icon in Dock. Then type StuffIt Expander into the search field and hit Enter. Check the results and click on the most relevant one. Click Get and hit Install. Alternatively, you can visit the software manufacturer’s website to get it.
- At this point, the app will be installed on your Mac device. Wait for it to be completed.
- Once installed, launch it by going to Spotlight and searching for StuffIt Expander. Click on it to launch the StuffIt Expander application.
- Now, find the zip file that you like to unzip.
- After that, select the folder where you want to unzip the files.
Another third-party application you can use is PowerMyMac Unarchiver. To use it to unzip files, do this:
- Download and install PowerMyMac. You can visit the official manufacturer’s website to download it.
- Once installed, check the running status of your Mac.
- Go to ToolKit, then select Unarchiver.
- Now, select the Zip file you wish to unzip. You can directly drag the files to the blank section of the window or click the Browse button to select a file.
- Then compress the file by pressing the Compress button. The compression process should then begin.
- To decompress the files, simply drag the Zip file into the blank section again or hit the Browse button to choose a file. Finally, hit the Decompress button.
Solution #4: Scan your system
The sad truth is that junk files accumulate on your Mac without you knowing. As you surf the web or even do nothing, cache and unnecessary files are generated, taking up valuable system space and impacting system efficiency.
Free your Mac from all sorts of junk that cause problems like error 79 to occur. Scan it with a Mac repair tool.
A Mac repair tool is a software program that can be used to optimize your Mac and repair the most common macOS errors. It scans your device for any performance issues and security threats, as well as junk files and unused applications that consume a huge chunk of your space. And most of the time, this tool does everything automated. Users are only given straightforward options to complete various optimization tasks.
Tips to Avoid Error 79 and Other Zip File Problems
Assuming you have already resolved the error 79 at this point. So, allow us to give some effective tips to avoid seeing this error and other Zip file-related problems in the future:
- Do not exit a website or close your browser while a zip file is being downloaded.
- In the event of unexpected shutdowns during the compression process, try to compress the file again first.
- Be sure that you have a stable internet connection when downloading a Zip file.
- Check the permissions of the Zip file before extracting or unzipping it.
- Do not change the Zip file extension to a format that is not supported by your device.
Summary
Every day we are confronted with potential data breaches, malware attacks, and other cyber events. To protect yourself from these threats, you should always use .ZIP extension to store your sensitive data on your account.
Though ZIP files are extremely handy, especially if you need to send multiple files via email, you should know that issues are also inevitable. The best way to get through issues like error 79 in the future is to simply be familiar with the solutions we have presented above.
First, you may try to download the program or software once again. Make sure you don’t close the source site to ensure the download completes.
If it does not work, use the Terminal utility. Execute the unzip command and wait for the process to complete.
Finally, scan your system. It is possible that unwanted programs and app exist on your current Catalina user account. Getting rid of them could resolve the problem in some cases.
Have any of the solutions helped resolve the error 79 on your Mac? Do you have any comments about this article? Let us hear you and your experience in the comments!
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Vic is the one in charge of keeping our website running smoothly and efficiently, to make sure that our readers have a wonderful experience while visiting the website. He’s good at troubleshooting errors and fixing Windows issues that come up either when playing games or working on the computer.
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Tags: download file, mac error, mac error code, mac error solutions, permission issues, system junk, system scan, terminal utility, zip file format
FAQs
How do you expand an unsupported format on a Mac? ›
Method 1: Unzip File by Using Terminal
Firstly, hold Command and press the Spacebar to access Spotlight. There, you need to type “Terminal” to search and Enter. After that, use the unzip command to open the zip file. You can drag and drop the zip file here.
On your Mac, do any of the following: Compress a file or folder: Control-click it or tap it using two fingers, then choose Compress from the shortcut menu. If you compress a single item, the compressed file has the name of the original item with the . zip extension.
How to unzip file in Linux? ›To unzip files, open File Manager, as explained in the Zipping Files via GUI section. Right click the ZIP package you'd like to extract, and select Extract Here, as shown below. Once you click Extract Here, Linux will extract all files in the ZIP package in the working directory.
How do I fix a corrupted Mac disk? ›- In the Disk Utility app on your Mac, choose View > Show All Devices. ...
- In the sidebar, select a volume, then click the First Aid button .
- In the First Aid dialog, click Run, then follow the onscreen instructions.
- When the First Aid process is complete, click Done.
Mac's Built-In Repair Shop
Open up your Applications folder, and click “Utilities.” Open up the Disk Utility application in that list to have access to the repair tool. Now simply drag your damaged DMG file onto the Disk Utility window. Click the damaged file, and then select “Repair Disk” in the First Aid tab.
Hold down the Command and R keys as soon as you hear the Mac tone indicating a reboot. Wait for the macOS Utilities screen to appear, then click Disk Utility. Choose your Mac's system drive, usually named Macintosh HD, then click Erase. Select the Format option Mac Extended (Journaled) or APFS.
How do I force a Mac to unlock a file? ›Apple's apps and those of third parties that support the convention also let you lock and unlock documents from the titlebar: click the downward-pointing arrow to the right of the file name and then select or deselect the Locked checkbox.
How do I change an unsupported file format? ›- Solution 1: Reboot your Android phone.
- Solution 2: Convert image file format on Android.
- Solution 3: Reduce picture size on Android.
- Solution 4: Use photo repair software.
- Solution 5: Check network connection.
- Open Terminal. You can use the Mac search at the top right and start typing Terminal. ...
- Type “unzip” and a space, then drag/drop the zip file into the Terminal window.
- Press Enter and the zip file will be unzipped, storing all files on your computer.
- Step 1 Open an administrator Command Prompt window.
- Step 2 Right click the start button.
- Step 3 Click Command Prompt (Admin)
- Step 4 Change directories to the folder where the corrupted Zip file is located.
- Step 5 Type: "C:\Program Files\WinZip\wzzip" -yf zipfile.zip.
- Step 6 Press Enter on the keyboard.
Can Linux run ZIP files? ›
zip. zip is used to compress the files to reduce file size and also used as file package utility. zip is available in many operating systems like unix, linux, windows etc. If you have a limited bandwidth between two servers and want to transfer the files faster, then zip the files and transfer.
How to extract a zip file? ›- On your Android device, open Files by Google .
- On the bottom, tap Browse .
- Navigate to the folder that contains a . zip file you want to unzip.
- Select the . zip file.
- A pop up appears showing the content of that file.
- Tap Extract.
- You're shown a preview of the extracted files. ...
- Tap Done.
Using Vim. Vim command can also be used to view the contents of a ZIP archive without extracting it. It can work for both the archived files and folders. Along with ZIP, it can work with other extensions as well, such as tar.
Can Corrupt hard disk be repaired? ›You can fix a corrupted hard drive by running the CHKDSK command in Command Prompt. Caution: The CHKDSK command known for scanning and repairing drive, allow to use /f and /r attributes to fix the corruption in the hard disk.
Can I repair my Mac myself? ›Is the Self Service Repair Program Available for Mac? Yes! Starting on 23 August 2022, the Self Service Repair program from Apple is available for some MacBook devices. You can use the program to make more than 12 types of repairs, including the display, top case (which includes the battery), and trackpad.
Can you restore from an corrupted files on a Mac? ›Recovering the corrupted file requires patience, as you need to download software. Word files on Mac, whether deleted or corrupted, can be repaired with 4DDIG Mac Data Recovery software. It is available for data recovery from iPhone devices and Mac.
Why does my Mac keep corrupting files? ›Most Mac corruption issues occur because of unexpected power failures, physical damage, RAM problems, and hardware failure. Malware can also create corruption problems on a Mac hard drive.
How do I manually fix a corrupted file? ›- Enter "cmd" in the Windows search bar.
- Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
- Enter the command "SFC /scannow" and press Enter. ( Be sure to add a space between "SFC" and "/scannow")
It's a worst case scenario—an important file on your Mac has had parts of its data become disorganized or go missing, and now the file is corrupted and unreadable. This may have happened because of an app crashing and ruining a save, or because of malware or buggy software.
How do I force a hard drive to format? ›Right click on the drive and select Format. Enter a name for the drive in Volume label and select the format type in the File system dropdown box. Click OK. It will take a short while to delete all the files and change the format of the disk.
How do I fix a corrupted hard drive that won't boot Mac? ›
- Launch Disk Utility. Launch Disk Utility from the Utilities folder under your Application folder. ...
- Choose your hard drive. Go to Choose View > Show All Devices. ...
- Repair volumes, containers, and disks.
Command (⌘)-R: Start up from the built-in macOS Recovery system. Or use Option-Command-R or Shift-Option-Command-R to start up from macOS Recovery over the internet.
Can a locked Mac be unlocked? ›If you can't unlock your Mac
If you can't remember that passcode, you have three options: Sign in to iCloud.com/find, then select your Mac from the Devices menu. Select Unlock and follow the steps to verify your identity. Unlock your Mac from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Apple Watch using your device passcode.
Right-click a file (or click the ellipses (...)) to open the More Options menu. Click Unlock.
How do I remove file format error? ›- Right-click the Windows Start button and choose "Disk Management".
- Find and right-click the problematic hard drive partition and choose "Format".
- Set the volume label, file system, and click "OK" to start formatting the drive.
This issue may occur for one or more of the following reasons: One or more Windows Media Player files are missing or damaged. You are trying to play a media file that has a file format that Windows Media Player does not support.
How do I enable file format? ›Click the “Organize” button on Windows Explorer's toolbar and select “Folder and search options” to open it. Click the “View” tab at the top of the Folder Options window. Disable the “Hide extensions for known file types” checkbox under Advanced settings.
How do I unzip a file that won't open? ›Right-click on the zip file and choose Open with... Select Windows Explorer. If Windows Explorer is not an option, select Choose default program... and select Windows Explorer, then click OK. Click Extract all files at the top of the window or in the sidebar.
How do I give permission to unzip a file? ›Select user/group from permission windows or click “Add” to add other user or group. d. Under Permission, check “Full Control”under the “Allow” column to assign full access rights control permissions.
What app do I need to open a zip file on Mac? ›The Unarchiver is a small and easy to use program that can unarchive many different kinds of archive files. It will open common formats such as Zip, RAR (including v5), 7-zip, Tar, Gzip and Bzip2. It will also open many older formats, such as StuffIt, DiskDoubler, LZH, ARJ and ARC.
Can Mac users open zip files? ›
Zip files are also universal, so if you client has a Windows PC and you have a Mac, you can send and receive the files and open them easily. On a Mac computer, you can open zip files without installing any extra software. Compressing and uncompressing zip files has been part of a Mac's built-in software for years.
Is Mac compatible with zip files? ›Zip files are a collection of various files that have been compressed into one file. Zip files are easy to send and transfer since they decrease the file size. Both Mac and Windows come with an inbuilt compression feature that enables you to zip files. The zip files put all your files in one place.
Can a zip be a virus? ›Are Zip files dangerous? Zip files are not dangerous. However, it is essential to take caution when opening files you have imported from unknown sources or the files you have downloaded from the internet. Some may contain a virus, zip bombs, Trojans, or other malware.
Can a virus run from a zip file? ›When you receive a Zip file as an email attachment, double-clicking the attachment will open the Zip file in WinZip (or whatever Zip utility is installed on your system). If, within your Zip utility, you then double-click the virus-infected file, the virus can run and your computer can become infected.
Can you remove a virus from a zip file? ›On a manual scan or scheduled scan SEP should be able to delete the malware from inside the . zip while leaving the . zip alone. (It won't delete the whole archive, just the malware inside it.)
Is 7Zip on Linux? ›7Zip is available as a package named as p7zip in the Ubuntu repository. It can be installed with apt or any other package manager on other Linux based systems too. First of all, let's update our Ubuntu system. To install 7zip on your Ubuntu server or Desktop, open terminal (Ctrl + T) and enter the following command.
How to install a file on Linux? ›- Log in to the target Linux or UNIX system.
- Go to the directory that contains the installation program.
- Launch the installation by entering the following commands: chmod a+x filename.bin. ./ filename.bin. Where filename.bin is the name of your installation program.
Just like regular digital folders, you can easily open a ZIP file on almost any computer or operating system.
How do I convert a zip file to normal? ›To unzip a single file or folder, open the zipped folder, then drag the file or folder from the zipped folder to a new location. To unzip all the contents of the zipped folder, press and hold (or right-click) the folder, select Extract All, and then follow the instructions.
How do I open a zip file without software? ›- Double click the zip file you wish to extract to open the file explorer.
- At the top part of the explorer menu, find “Compressed folder tools” and click it.
- Select the “extract” option that appears below it.
- A pop up window will appear.
- Click “extract” at the bottom of the pop-up window.
How do I change a zip file to JPG? ›
- Open our free ZIP to JPG converter website.
- Click inside the file drop area to upload ZIP file or drag & drop ZIP file.
- Click on Convert button. ...
- Download link of result files will be available instantly after conversion.
- You can also send a link to the JPG file to your email address.
Zip files may refuse to open if they are not properly downloaded. Also, incomplete downloads occur when files get stuck due to issues like bad internet connection, inconsistency in network connection, all of which can cause transfer errors, affect your Zip files, and make them unable to open.
How to install zip and unzip in Linux? ›- Navigate to Folder with Zip File. Let's say you have downloaded your zip file program.zip to /home/ubuntu folder. ...
- Unzip Zip File. Run the following command to unzip your zip file. ...
- View Readme file. ...
- Pre-Installation Configuration. ...
- Compilation. ...
- Installation.
- Open the terminal application.
- For remote systems use the ssh command for log in purposes.
- To decompress .gz files, use: gzip -d filename.gz.
- One can unzip and open gz file using: gunzip archive.gz.
- For .tar.gz/.tgz file try the tar command: ...
- Run the ls command to list the files.
Go to System Preferences… > Language & Region. Make sure the correct region is set for your Mac (i.e. the one you are physically located in). Another way you can try to fix this Mac clock error is by removing the checkmarks in Date & Time settings for automatic date and time zone selection to do it manually.
How do I remove administrator restrictions on Mac? ›- Click the Apple () symbol in the top left corner of your Mac's screen and select System Preferences....
- Click Users & Groups.
- Click the lock in the lower left corner of the window.
- Type in your admin password if prompted.
- Click Unlock.
- Select an account in the column on the left.
- On your Mac, navigate to Utilities>Audio MIDI Setup.
- Go to Window>Show MIDI Studio.
- Make sure your MIDI device is unplugged.
- After you've unplugged your MIDI device, click on it and choose Remove Device.
- Plug your MIDI device back into your computer.
To change these settings, choose Apple menu > System Settings, click Network in the sidebar, then click Firewall on the right. (You may need to scroll down.) Prevent unwanted connections from the internet or other networks. Choose how much to block incoming connections.
How to factory reset your Mac? ›From the Apple menu in the corner of your screen, choose System Settings. Click General in the sidebar. Click Transfer or Reset on the right. Click Erase All Content and Settings.
How do I bypass the clock is behind error? ›- Click on the date and time on the taskbar.
- After that click on "Date and time settings."
- If you have windows 10 then make "Set time automatically" to "On."
How do I bypass administrator block? ›
Step 1: Right-click on the file and select Properties. Step 2: In the General tab, check "Unblock" under "Security". Step 3: Click Apply and then Ok.
How do I force administrator on Mac? ›- Boot into the newly created admin account, then pull down the Apple menu and choose “System Preferences”
- Go to “Users & Groups” and click the padlock icon to be able to modify user accounts.
- Select the original user account that you want to modify to Admin account privileges.
- Sign in to your Google Admin console. ...
- From the Admin console Home page, go to Devices.
- Choose an option: ...
- Point to the device in the list and click Unblock Device.
Erase your Mac using Erase Assistant. Restart your Mac. Choose Apple menu > Shut Down, press and hold the power button until “Loading startup options” appears, select Options, click Continue, then follow the onscreen instructions.
How do I fix MIDI on my Mac? ›- Make sure the MIDI device is properly connected to your Mac, or to a MIDI interface that's connected to your Mac.
- Make sure the device is turned on.
- Make sure you installed any software provided by the manufacturer. ...
- Make sure the app you're using is compatible with Audio MIDI Setup.
Why is this happening? This is most likely occurring because you have a misconfiguration of a Windows Firewall rule that is explicitly blocking whatever access or app you are using to browse the Internet on TCP port 80 or 443 or maybe even blocking an entire subnet which is required to access the network or Internet.
Is it safe to turn off Mac firewall? ›Well, yes and no. Chances are that your computer is behind the firewall that's part of your router, so having macOS's firewall turned off makes it easier to set up connections with other Apple devices. But if you use a laptop and hop onto untrusted networks frequently, you should enable the firewall.
Is Mac firewall necessary? ›A firewall can protect your Mac from unwanted contact initiated by other computers when you're connected to the internet or a network. However, your Mac can still allow access through the firewall for some services and apps.