Mac OS X 10.2 through 10.3.9: Wrong folder moved to Trash when deleting in Finder in column view

Deleting a new, untitled folder without first renaming it (in column view) may inadvertently move the parent folder to the Trash under certain circumstances. This article applies to Mac OS X 10.2 through 10.3.9.

When you create a new folder, the name is immediately editable. If you move that folder to the the Trash via one of two specific methods before entering a name and the Finder window is in column view, then the parent folder will be moved to the Trash. (The parent folder is the one that contains the new folder.) This happens regardless of how you move the folder to the Trash. The two specific methods that result in this issue are:

• Using the Command-Delete key combination in the Finder
• Choosing Move to Trash from the File menu in the Finder

Solution

Use one of these solutions:

1. Click the Finder icon in the Dock.
   
2. Choose "Undo move of 'untitled folder'" from the Edit menu. (If you have done other tasks since deleting, this option may not be available.)

1. Click the Trash icon in the Dock to open it.
   
2. Drag the folder you inadvertently moved there to its original location.

Warning: If you empty the Trash, the folders and their contents will be deleted.

This issue does not occur if you edit names of folders that already exist. It only affects newly created folders.