Major Issues Simply Trying To Copy & Paste From MBP To New HDD - Please Help!

[Bazzy]

Hi All,

I am having a major nightmare simply just trying to copy data from a 2TB second HDD (in Optibay) in my 2011 17” MBP to a Brand New external HDD - both are formatted to MacOS Extended Journalled & the MBP is running High Sierra.

When I try to simply copy/paste folders from the 2nd HDD to the external one, I keep getting an “error-36” message. I then have open each folder & try to copy paste the items either in batches or singularly - even then I still keep getting the errors. It will tell me a certain file in a selected batch has an error-36 but then when I copy/paste just that single file, it will usually copy/paste fine. I have many folders with many thousands of photos & many videos & movies etc so this is a major pain & taking a colossal amount of time - some files no matter what just give the error-36 message.

Some videos that were set as VOB files would always get the error but when I converted them to Quicktime, they copied over fine?

I checked that the HDD preferences were OK & did a first aid & all was OK. I searched online for help & there was a supposed solution which was to run the “dot_clean " process in Terminal but despite many tries on both folders & files, this simply does not work or I get a message on some like "Bad Pathway" or something like that.

I also learned that some had success by running a particular maintenance selection in Onyx which completely dealt with the problem. I attempted to do this but the options on how to do things & selections required in Onyx were not there in my version of Onyx so I did not know how to proceed any further.

I am beyond frustrated now & have spent well over a week just simply trying to copy/paste data & am unable to do so without this darned crippling error-36 popping up all over the place.

Please can anyone kindly help sort this out for me as I do not know why it is happening & what is causing it - PLEASE HELP!!

Many Kind Thanks!

 

[KeesMacPro]

I assume you could avoid the whole issue by cloning instead of copy/paste.
E.g. Carbon copy cloner trial version is for free (30 days trial version) , in case you've never used it..
After all these years I can tell it has always been 100% fail proof

 

[Bazzy]

I assume you could avoid the whole issue by cloning instead of copy/paste.
E.g. Carbon copy cloner trial version is for free (30 days trial version) , in case you've never used it..
After all these years I can tell it has always been 100% fail proof

Hi,

Thank you for the reply! I will take on heed surely your suggestion of cloning & will do so!

Having said that, I would still like to solve the issue as otherwise, it would keep happening at other times whenever I may need to copy/paste things in future - whatever is the problem & the causes of the error-36 messages, I would really like to resolve once & for all as on a mac, something as simple as copy & paste should really not be this much of a challenge!

Many Thanks!

 

[KeesMacPro]

on a mac, something as simple as copy & paste should really not be this much of a challenge!

I definitely agree on that!

 

[Bazzy]

I definitely agree on that!

Hi!

Any ideas on how to resolve please?

Thanks!

 

[KeesMacPro]

AFAIK (which is probably nothing new to you) is that this error can be caused by data from memory cards (camera's) ,usb drives and/or windows files...

The only thing I noticed in post#1 is that you format the new HDD to HFS+ case sensitive .
Is there a specific reason for this format?
I assume it could be related to that.

I'd reformat the new HDD to HFS+ (non case-sensitive) , clone all data and see if the new data can be copy/pasted..

EDIT: I remember vaguely from years ago I formatted to journaled accidentally and ran into similar issues
I meant case-sensitive sorry.

 

[Bazzy]

AFAIK (which is probably nothing new to you) is that this error can be caused by data from memory cards (camera's) ,usb drives and/or windows files...

The only thing I noticed in post#1 is that you format the new HDD to HFS+ case sensitive .
Is there a specific reason for this format?
I assume it could be related to that.

I'd reformat the new HDD to HFS+ (non case-sensitive) , clone all data and see if the new data can be copy/pasted..

EDIT: I remember vaguely from years ago I formatted to journaled accidentally and ran into similar issues

Hi!

Many kind thanks for the reply! The brand new HDD is a 4TB G-Technology Drive which was designed for Macs - it was factory set for the Mac Format as "MacOS Extended Journaled" so I did not reformat it & left it as it was & simply connected to the MBP via USB cable and then started to copy/paste (or tried to!).

There was another G-Technology tools folder that automatically also loads up on the desktop but I did not mess with that & have ignored it - might that have some impact on matters do you think?

I will check again tomorrow & see the exact format on the new external HDD & post screen-shots of this other folder that loads with the new HDD!

I have allowed file sharing & even set all users to 'Read & Write' via the Get Info pane - sometimes it works & others it will not! I again ran First Aid on both the Internal 2nd HDD & New external one & all was fine but still get the error-36 issues!

All these years using Mac's & I'm still a dunce about things! Will report back!

Many Thanks!

 

[KeesMacPro]

G-Technology Drive which was designed for Macs

This is unknown to me, but generally speaking ,as a standard procedure first thing I'd do with a new drive is format it (to HFS+ or APFS in case it's an SSD) ..

-File sharing shouldn't be necessary to copy/paste the content of a HDD.
-if you made different user accounts, you can copy/paste without issues (normally) the content of the user account you're logged in at that moment.

I'm convinced the error 36 is not related to file sharing and/or permissions and I recommend to set permissions to default and deactivate file sharing.

As you said: a simple copy/paste should work...
I'd format the HDD to HFS+ and give it a try...

 

[HDFan]

I'd format the HDD to HFS+ and give it a try...

That will also tell you if there is a hardware problem with the disk if you can't reformat it.

 

[Fishrrman]

Do not use "case sensitive" !

Use ONLY "case INsensitive"...

 

[Bazzy]

Hi All,

Thanks for the input so far & please forgive the number of screen-shots posted below - I wanted to provide as much info as I could since I am not technically savvy.

1) The Brand New Hard Drive used for the very first time to Copy/Paste - it was factory formatted to Mac so I used it like that:

2) The "Extra" Folder (& contents) from the HDD that loads on to the Desktop when HDD is connected named "G-Utilities" (it is formatted as MS Dos/Fat32):

I do not know what this folder is or if the contents inside were required or necessary so left it alone in case removing it adversely affected things since it was factory installed?

Should I have run the "G-Technology Format Wizard Installer.msi" inside it?

What about the "InstallParaginHFSPlusforWindows.msi"?

3) Get Info & Disk Utility showing format of 2nd Internal HDD in MBP:

4) Get Info & Disk Utility showing format of New 4TB HDD:

5) Formatting Options available (on Internal 2nd HDD or External HDD) - Only case "sensitive" options available - there are no case "insensitive" options?

I hope the above explains things better than I have been able to & shed some light as to any cues as to what might be causing the error-36's!

More info on next post!

Many Thanks!
[automerge]1593716455[/automerge]
Hi Again All,

I also referenced a detailed thread from another site which gave some options to resolve but none sadly worked. Another user who also experienced the same stated they were able to resolve by using "Onyx" & gave instructions by going into the maintenance pane & selecting certain options but my version on Onyx on High Sierra does not seem have have them so I was unable to try out:

How to Fix Error Code 36 in Mac OS X Finder

On some rare occasions when trying to copy files, Mac users may encounter “error code 36”, which completely halts the copy or move process in the Mac OS X Finder. The full error is usua…

osxdaily.com

1) Instructions given to remove error-36 issues from another user using Onyx:

2) When attempting to do the above was unable since the options/selections required are not there on my version on Onyx (MBP running High Sierra):

Can my version of Onyx still sort the issues out & if so, what exactly must I do?

This is the point where I contacted you good folks over here! It seems that these error-36 issues have stumped far greater minds than mine in the past so I had no chance to resolve by myself!

Many Thanks!

 

[KeesMacPro]

Hi,
I can only give you general recommendations so,
listed as you posted:
1- format the HDD("G-Drive mobile") to Mac OS extended(journaled)
2- I seriously doubt this folder contains anything that the Mac OS lacks/you need so : format =delete=ignore it
looks like windows crap anyway
3-i recommend default permission settings for HD 2 , format is ok already
4-there are 4 partitions (why?), format to 1 clean Mac OS extended(journaled) by doing point 1.
5-see point 4, case Insensitive = when not mentioned case sensitive ( joke by fishrrman).

I don't think Onyx will solve the issue error-36.
It can be a useful (and risky) app, but not for this kind of problems.

My conclusion so far is that if ,after formatting the new HDD, it still is impossible to copy/paste , clone it with CCC so at least you got a copy=backup, and live with the fact that there's a lot of files on the HDD the OS doesn't like ...

 

[Bazzy]

Hi,
I can only give you general recommendations so,
listed as you posted:
1- format the HDD("G-Drive mobile") to Mac OS extended(journaled)
2- I seriously doubt this folder contains anything that the Mac OS lacks/you need so : format =delete=ignore it
looks like windows crap anyway
3-i recommend default permission settings for HD 2 , format is ok already
4-there are 4 partitions (why?), format to 1 clean Mac OS extended(journaled) by doing point 1.
5-see point 4, case Insensitive = when not mentioned case sensitive ( joke by fishrrman).

I don't think Onyx will solve the issue error-36.
It can be a useful (and risky) app, but not for this kind of problems.

My conclusion so far is that if ,after formatting the new HDD, it still is impossible to copy/paste , clone it with CCC so at least you got a copy=backup, and live with the fact that there's a lot of files on the HDD the OS doesn't like ...

Hi!

Thanks kindly for the reply - much appreciated!

1) Thanks for letting me know that it is safe to delete that G-Utilities file - was scared to mess with it!

2) Can you kindly run by me what the default permission settings should be for the internal HD2 please?

3) I bought a large capacity 4TB HDD as I did not want even more separate drives as I plenty already.

I partitioned it in 3 (2 x 1TB & 1 x 2TB) so I could do a both a TM & SuperDuper Back Up of the Main 1TB SSD that is used normally & to back up the additional 2nd 2TB HDD inside the MBP where I store lots of other stuff. The other partition just stayed there as it was factory done.

4) Will give the Onyx option a miss for now then as you suggest.

5) Sorry I was too thick (or stressed) to get the joke!

6) Just to let you know both the TM & SuperDuper Back Up procedures of the main 1TB SSD went fine with the new HDD - it was just went trying to copy/paste from the 2nd 2TB HDD in the MBP to the new HDD did I encounter the "error-36" issues.

7) I know you asked me to wipe the new external HDD entirely so it is back to being a single partition & then try again -

May I ask, if I do that, can I then partition again later to allow for both TM & SuperDuper back ups of the main SSD & so that a) I do not waste 2TB of space on it & b) so I do not have to go out & buy more external HDD's to back up the main SSD? This assuming that transferring the Data this time round goes smoothly?

Many Thanks!

 

[KeesMacPro]

Hi ,no problem at all!

1-no worries.
2-HD 2 is not your OS disc, so it may not be that critical, but permissions set as you did, anybody could read/write your data. Default for non-OS disc: user: read+write, staff: read+write, everybody: read only.
Don't forget to deactivate File Sharing in preferences.
3-after formatting G-Drive mobile, you can make as many partitions as you like,no problem .
Note that if you got a TM and a SuperDuper clone on the same disc, in case the HDD dies, you'll lose both backups.
Thats why its common to have different discs for different purposes.
I understand the reasons for multiple partitions though.
4-Onyx is a powerful tool for advanced options, which involve some risks.
Especially since SIP I stopped using it, and don't miss it either.
5-
6-Good to know! So the new HDD is fine, nevertheless I'd reformat it just to get it 100% free of "funny" stuff and format issues.
7-After deleting the HDD called G-Drive Mobile, make all the partitions you need, and enjoy

 

[Bazzy]

Hi ,no problem at all!

1-no worries.
2-HD 2 is not your OS disc, so it may not be that critical, but permissions set as you did, anybody could read/write your data. Default for non-OS disc: user: read+write, staff: read+write, everybody: read only.
Don't forget to deactivate File Sharing in preferences.
3-after formatting G-Drive mobile, you can make as many partitions as you like,no problem .
Note that if you got a TM and a SuperDuper clone on the same disc, in case the HDD dies, you'll lose both backups.
Thats why its common to have different discs for different purposes.
I understand the reasons for multiple partitions though.
4-Onyx is a powerful tool for advanced options, which involve some risks.
Especially since SIP I stopped using it, and don't miss it either.
5-
6-Good to know! So the new HDD is fine, nevertheless I'd reformat it just to get it 100% free of "funny" stuff and format issues.
7-After deleting the HDD called G-Drive Mobile, make all the partitions you need, and enjoy

Hi Again!

Awesome of you!

I will follow your instructions - wipe the entire external HDD & start over from fresh & PRAY that the Copy/Paste now works glitch free on the 2nd Internal HDD! I have a bunch of stuff on there that is not on the main SSD & which I share with others & do not want to have to have the error-36 issues in future each time I to Copy/Paste anything!

If the issue still persists then I guess, I will just have to accept it & will try some other route to copy stuff over - will report back when able!

Many Thanks!

 

[Bazzy]

Hi Again!

Update - I wiped & reformatted the new external HDD as instructed via disk utility (no more G-Utilities Folder). Turned off File Sharing & set Permissions as also instructed. Finally, ran a First Aid & all was fine with the drive - no partitions - just a single 4TB volume.

Tried to Copy/Paste again from 2nd Internal HDD & low& behold, within a short time, that darned freaking error-36 popped up again.

Beyond frustrated now - so fed up!

I read somewhere that this issue can be caused by something called hidden ".DS_Store" files - is this true? If so, can they be safely removed without issues - is there any easy way for a novice to remove them?

Any other ideas?

Many Thanks!

 

[Fishrrman]

You might try browsing some of these:

mac os disk error-36 at DuckDuckGo

duckduckgo.com

 

[Bazzy]

You might try browsing some of these:

mac os disk error-36 at DuckDuckGo

duckduckgo.com

Hi,

Many thanks & Yes, I had previously tried many/most of those references previously & just tried a few more taking on their suggestions & what worked a select few - tried the same where I could but no joy.

Some users found/stated that:

• Moving Folders & Files to the Desktop & then copy/pasting.
• Creating new Folders & transferring all contents from from existing Folders to new ones with a different name.
• Turning energy usage to max.
• Moving the folders/files to trash & moving them back again.
• Restarting Finder.
• File Permissions set to Sharing.
• Setting Read/Write privileges.

I tried all of the above but no joy sadly - I get error-36 messages each time.

Even though the 2nd Internal HDD is FINE according to Disk Utility & First Aid, it seems that it is very prone indeed in creating many error-36's when trying to Copy or Move anything from within it whether to the Main SSD in the MBP, Desktop or to an External HDD?

What the heck is going on here?!!

Many Thanks!

 

[hobowankenobi]

This may not solve your issue...

When moving large amounts of data, I typically don't use the Finder. Lots of reasons...and to be fair, the Finder keeps getting better with every OS. But:

When moving many TB of small files, it used to be common to get at least a few errors. As it could take hours, it was always difficult to be sure where the errors were as well as what had been copied, and what had not. Years ago this was a deal-breaker, especially when migrating data on a server that only had a short window of down time.

There are better tools that give reports, as well as some that will not stop (hang) on the error. They will move copy everything else, and then report the problem files that could not be copied, so you can investigate, or ignore only the problematic files. Sound useful?

Most of the good backup and sync tools will do this. I like the interface to move files with Get Backup, and CCC. Both have a free trial, so it might be worth trying. I love how Get Back will scan the directories and compare, so you can see what, if anything is different or missing. You get to check out exactly what is going to sync (copy) with a scan first, before proceeding (if you choose to). Sooooo much better than Finder.

A free tool worth considering is Smart Backup. Notice that you can sync two folders. It does give reporting, though not as simple to read and verify as Get Backup. I just used Smart Backup to sync contents of about 5 HDs down to one archive yesterday, and it went really well. Worth checking out.

I'm sure there are many other sync tools too.

 

[Bazzy]

This may not solve your issue...

When moving large amounts of data, I typically don't use the Finder. Lots of reasons...and to be fair, the Finder keeps getting better with every OS. But:

When moving many TB of small files, it used to be common to get at least a few errors. As it could take hours, it was always difficult to be sure where the errors were as well as what had been copied, and what had not. Years ago this was a deal-breaker, especially when migrating data on a server that only had a short window of down time.

There are better tools that give reports, as well as some that will not stop (hang) on the error. They will move copy everything else, and then report the problem files that could not be copied, so you can investigate, or ignore only the problematic files. Sound useful?

Most of the good backup and sync tools will do this. I like the interface to move files with Get Backup, and CCC. Both have a free trial, so it might be worth trying. I love how Get Back will scan the directories and compare, so you can see what, if anything is different or missing. You get to check out exactly what is going to sync (copy) with a scan first, before proceeding (if you choose to). Sooooo much better than Finder.

A free tool worth considering is Smart Backup. Notice that you can sync two folders. It does give reporting, though not as simple to read and verify as Get Backup. I just used Smart Backup to sync contents of about 5 HDs down to one archive yesterday, and it went really well. Worth checking out.

I'm sure there are many other sync tools too.

Hi!

Wow, that was a very useful post & most helpful - many thanks indeed!

After reformatting the external HDD as instructed & also following the other procedures mentioned which sadly did not work - out of desperation, I reformatted it again but this time in ExFat in the hope that this might do the trick as I read that transferring files between Mac & Windows etc can sometimes cause these errors. I was hoping for too much it seems as like clockwork, they still appeared!

I have SuperDuper (like CCC) but it does not give any detailed info on file transfers or errors - you just get a message that the Back Up failed - this can be infuriating if such happens when one might have been waiting many hours for the back up to complete or if it happens right near the end of a large transfer/back up.

As the "Smart Back Up" is free, I will surely get it but may I ask, out of CCC & Get Back - & any others - which do you feel is better & easier for an average person to use please? I would prefer the one that does the most complete job & tells you exactly what has not worked etc - comparisons between the two so one can see things exactly sounds great!

This error-36 issue has stumped so very many it seems from all the referencing I have done!

Many Kind Thanks!

 

[HDFan]

Carbon Copy cloner has a 30 day trial. See if it fixes your problem.

Carbon Copy Cloner: macOS Backup Software - Bombich Software

bombich.com

 

[hobowankenobi]

Are you using the free version of SD? The paid version should let you sync folders too, though I have not used it, can't say.

All 3 (CCC, GetBackup, and Smart Backup) are good. CCC is the best Mac backup tool...but as you trying to copy files from one folder to another (not create a bootable backup), I think SmartBackup is the easiest to setup and understand to do a sync. But all 3 work, and as mentioned, the two paid tools have free demos.

If you go with Get Bakcup, I would use the sync. I found this older demo that walks through the choices. The interface has been cleaned up, but is mostly the same on the latest version.

Whichever you pick, I suggest you do a few sample/test folder syncs before diving into the big job. Good to get a feel for the process, and watch and verify it is doing what you expect, before you set up a multi-hour job, only to find the results were not what you expected.

If you don't like those 3, there are tons of file sync tools out there. Here is another with a free trial, though I have not used this one. The demo is very similar to most others, like Get Backup.

 

[Morod]

I sure hope you get this figured out. I use the same G-Tech drive for my MBP. Worked fine right out of the box for Time Machine & SuperDuper clones. That's all I use it for.
I get the same G-Utilities folder displayed when the drive is connected and I have external disks selected in Finder Preferences. I never worried about it.
Best of luck!