Copying a SPECIFIC FOLDER onto a SPECIFIC external SSD, results in ejecting THAT SPECIFIC SSD, but not ANY OTHER external SSDs.

[MacPap]

Hi everyone.

I suddenly out of the blue, have run into a very strange problem and I wonder if it has occurred to anyone else.

So here it goes.

Wanting to backup my thunderbird folder on my mac mini (~/users/xxxxx/Library/thunderbird) I dragged it to an external SSD, I use to backup all sorts of folders and files. Note it was not the first time I did this. All the other times till today there was NO problem doing that.

While copying, at some point my mac-mini ejected the ssd drive with the message:

"You can’t copy the item “030 Archived Business Mails” because its name is too long or includes characters that are invalid on the destination volume."

(“030 Archived Business Mails” being a subfolder in my thunderbird local folder)

II tried to copy the same thunderbird folder (~/users/xxxxx/Library/thunderbird) by dragging it to another external ssd and to my surprise it did it without a peep.

However every time i try to copy this folder or its contents TO THIS particular external SSD the same thing happens.Other than this strange problem the SSD shows no problems at all copying ANY folder.

Mac = Macmini M4
OSX = 15..6.1
The ssd is an WD_BLACK SN850X NVMe SSD 4TB Internal SSD placed in an Acasis Swappable High-Speed SSD Storage & 10-In-1 Hub Docking Station same as the other external ssds I use.

BTW when placing any other NVMe SSD in that housing all works flawlessly. As does the specific ssd when copying ANY other file or folder onto it.
All SSDs used are AFPS formated

Any ideas anyone?

thx

 

[Fishrrman]

I'd consider it to be an "incompatibility" between the SSD and the hub/docking station, and perhaps just "let it go at that".

What happens if you put the problematic WD SSD into a "standalone" nvme external enclosure, and connect it to the Mac that way?

You wrote:
"BTW when placing any other NVMe SSD in that housing all works flawlessly"

Somehow, I "see the solution" in your discovery above...

Fishrrman's "Mac Rule Number 2":
Use what works for you. Don't waste your time trying to use what doesn't.

 

[Basic75]

Have you rebooted?

 

[MacPap]

Have you rebooted?

Having been around since 1984 with mac its one of the things I did. But did not give anyresults.

But Thx for you time and advice anyway.

 

[MacPap]

I'd consider it to be an "incompatibility" between the SSD and the hub/docking station, and perhaps just "let it go at that".

What happens if you put the problematic WD SSD into a "standalone" nvme external enclosure, and connect it to the Mac that way?

You wrote:
"BTW when placing any other NVMe SSD in that housing all works flawlessly"

Somehow, I "see the solution" in your discovery above...

Fishrrman's "Mac Rule Number 2":
Use what works for you. Don't waste your time trying to use what doesn't.

Thank you @Fishrrman for your help suggestion.

However I probably did not highlight enough the problem.

ONLY COPYING the SPECIFIC folder onto the SPECIFIC SSD creates the problem.
If you copy ANY OTHER folder to that drive OR
If you copy THAT FOLDER to ANY OTHER external SSD drive. there is NO PROBLEM
ONLY IF you copy THAT SPECIFIC folder to THAT SPECIFIC ssd (in ANY directory) the problem arises.

I hope its clear now.
I did not put the problematic WD SSD into a "standalone" nvme external enclosure. And I do not see why for the reasons I mentioned above.

YOur rule maybe good but the drive has not presented and does not present ANY other problem whatsoever ever. Just with that particular folder. Which btw isnt even a big one. 250Mb.

thx anyway

 

[Patrice Brousseau]

Thank you @Fishrrman for your help suggestion.

However I probably did not highlight enough the problem.

ONLY COPYING the SPECIFIC folder onto the SPECIFIC SSD creates the problem.
If you copy ANY OTHER folder to that drive OR
If you copy THAT FOLDER to ANY OTHER external SSD drive. there is NO PROBLEM
ONLY IF you copy THAT SPECIFIC folder to THAT SPECIFIC ssd (in ANY directory) the problem arises.

I hope its clear now.
I did not put the problematic WD SSD into a "standalone" nvme external enclosure. And I do not see why for the reasons I mentioned above.

YOur rule maybe good but the drive has not presented and does not present ANY other problem whatsoever ever. Just with that particular folder. Which btw isnt even a big one. 250Mb.

thx anyway

Is it formatted in HFS+ or APFS? Something similar happens randomly (no ejection though, just errors) to me when I copy to NTFS formatted drives. I have Paragon NTFS installed BTW.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

Open the drive you want to copy TO (on the desktop).
Create a NEW folder on that drive, with any name you wish.
Now, go back to the original folder, the one you're trying to copy FROM (but can't).
Open it.
Click on a file to select it.
Try copying THE FILE from "the bad folder" to the new one.
Does the file copy over without problems?

If so, "command-click" on 4 or 5 more files and then try copying THEM over as a group.
What happens?

IF the files will copy individually or in small groups (even though you couldn't copy the entire folder at once) -- well, sometimes you have to do, what you have to do.

So... just do it.

One other thought...
It's possible that one or more files in the folder are corrupted.
IF that's the case -- even if it's only one file -- the finder may refuse the entire "copy".
That's why trying a few files at a time might work.
If you come upon one file (or group) that WON'T copy, then that file (or one file within a group) is "bad", and that's why the finder is choking on it...

 

[MacPap]

OP:

Open the drive you want to copy TO (on the desktop).
Create a NEW folder on that drive, with any name you wish.
Now, go back to the original folder, the one you're trying to copy FROM (but can't).
Open it.
Click on a file to select it.
Try copying THE FILE from "the bad folder" to the new one.
Does the file copy over without problems?

If so, "command-click" on 4 or 5 more files and then try copying THEM over as a group.
What happens?

IF the files will copy individually or in small groups (even though you couldn't copy the entire folder at once) -- well, sometimes you have to do, what you have to do.

So... just do it.

One other thought...
It's possible that one or more files in the folder are corrupted.
IF that's the case -- even if it's only one file -- the finder may refuse the entire "copy".
That's why trying a few files at a time might work.
If you come upon one file (or group) that WON'T copy, then that file (or one file within a group) is "bad", and that's why the finder is choking on it...

Thank you @Fishrrman for your suggestion.

However I tried it but the folder refuses to copy anywhere. Even to the root directory of the external disc. Including new folders as you suggest.

I tried to copy the contents of the problematic folder one by one to the external drive and indeed some refuse to copy ejecting the drive. BUT the DO copy without problem to any other drive. As does the problematic folder.

Its realy a strange puzzle hahahha there must be a ghost in there. I wonder if i should not call the Ghostbusters.

 

[Fishrrman]

Something else to try.

Get a USB flashdrive.
Connect it to the Mac.
Now, go to the "bad folder".
Can you copy that folder, or any of the files inside, to the USB flashdrive?

If you can...
Can you then copy files from the flashdrive to A DIFFERENT DRIVE?

(what this is doing is using the flashdrive as "an intermediary" between the bad folder and the desired target drive)