Trying to copy iPhoto Library to external hard drive for backup. Error message: The Finder can't complete the operation because some data in "iPhoto Library" can't be read or written (Error code -36).

That code is
-36
ioErr
I/O error (bummers)
Make sure the EHD is formatted OS X Extended (journaled) and run Disk Utilty on the EHD and repair the disk. If that fails to help I'd try the following:
Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
Download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.
Click on the Add Library button,
navigate to your Home/Pictures folder and select your iPhoto Library folder.
Now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the Library ➙ Rebuild Library menu option
In the next window name the new library and select the external HD as the location of the newly rebild library.
Click on the Create button.
Note 1: This creates a new library based on the LIbraryData.xml file in the library and will recover Events, Albums, keywords, titles and comments. However, books, calendars, cards and slideshows will be lost.
Note 2: Your current library will be left untouched for further attempts at a fix if so desired.
OT

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Cannot move any files into trash to delete them. I get a Trash warning box saying "The Finder cannot complete the operation because some data in 'file name' could not be read or written.(Error code - 36)".Macbook has so much data it is almost not working

Cannot move any files into trash to delete them. I get a Trash warning box saying "The Finder cannot complete the operation because some data in 'file name' could not be read or written.(Error code - 36)".Macbook has so much data it is almost not working.
I have tried reseting to factory settings by removing battery and holding down the power switch for more than 5 sec but this does nothing.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated as I think with so much unwanted data on the desktop and other places the whole os will crash very soon.
Thanks, Rick

The hard drive may be dying anyway, or the directory damaged because it is so full. You should never let the hard drive get over 85% full.
A -36 error is a read/write error.
All you did with the power is reset the SMC. Does nothing to reset everything to factory settings.
Do you have your original 10.4 installer discs for the MacBook?
Is your data backed up?

Help with "The Finder can't complete the operation because some data in "iPhoto Library" can't be read or written. (Error code -36)" Any ideas on how to fix this?

While trying to copy my iPhoto Library (49.61 GB) to an external hard drive, I receive the error message "The Finder can’t complete the operation because some data in “iPhoto Library” can’t be read or written. (Error code -36)"
I need to move my library because I have no more disk space. This was going to be step 1 followed by backing up to another EHD.
More details: iPhoto version 9.6 (910.29) OX X Yosemite Version 10.10.1 (Mid 2011 Mac Book Air). EHD= WD Elements 1 TB (purchased at B&H Photo where the sales associate formatted it for a Mac).
Any step by step ideas for help are appreciated! I've read through a few threads but need more step by step directions.

That error message is an I/O error which can mean a number of things, among them a bad file. Here's a couple of fixes you can try:
1 - use the free version of iPhoto Library Manager to rebuild the library with the rebuild being created on the EHD as follows:
Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
1 - download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.>Click on the Add Library button,
2 - select the library you want to add from those in the selection window.
3 - make sure that in the rebuild window the checkbox "Scavange orphaned photos" is checked.
4 - now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the Library ➙ Rebuild Library menu option
5 - in the next window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed. Click on the Create button.
Note 1: This creates a new library based on the LIbraryData.xml file in the library and will recover Events, Albums, keywords, titles and comments. However, books, calendars, cards and slideshows will be lost.
Note 2: Your current library will be left untouched for further attempts at a fix if so desired.
When iPLM finishes it will display a log file entry showing which files it was unable to use in the rebuild. Open the old library with iPhoto, locate and delete the photos that iPLM listed in its log. Then try dragging the library to the EHD again.
If the above fails continue with:
2 - create a new, empty library on the EHD. Use the paid version of iPhoto Library Manage to copy the events (1-2 at a time) to the new library on the EHD. At one point iPLM may run into the bad file and be unable to copy the event. You can check iPLM's log to see what file it is. Then open that library, delete the file and either try to copy the entire library by dragging and dropping or contine with the copying of events from the old library to the new library.

The finder can't complete the operation because some data on iPhoto Library can't be read or written. Error code -36

Hi,
Installed a new startup drive and cannot access my photos. While copying/pasting iPhoto library from old to new drive I get,
The finder can't complete the operation because some data on iPhoto Library can't be read or written.
Getting help from Apple senior advisor caused more problems, was unable to boot up for a while. Back up now but still can't transfer iPhoto Library.
Anyone seen this before?
Thank you

Linc and Larry, could you please have a look at this thread? Sorry, it is in German:
Re: Fehlermeldung beim Verschieben von iPhoto
The OP is trying to copy the iPhoto library to an external drive and getting "The finder can't complete the operation because some data on iPhoto Library can't be read or written. Error code -36". This happens even when copying to the same drive. The destination drive is correctly formatted.
The Console is showing a message I don't understand:
03.06.14 18:26:40,990 Finder[1154]: NSFileCoordinator: Sending of a providerCheckin message was interrupted. Details: Connection interrupted
Any idea what this means?

The Finder can't complete the operation because some data in "iPhoto Library" can't be read or written.(Error code -36)

I have a backup from Time machine of my iPhoto and I get the above error when I try to restore them. Thae backup was done with Mountain Lion and I upgraded to Mavericks. The backup is on an external drive.
Again this is the error:
The Finder can’t complete the operation because some data in “iPhoto Library” can’t be read or written.(Error code -36)
I have also tried going to earlier dated backup and get the same error.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank You

That error message is an I/O error which can mean a number of things, among them a bad file. Here's a couple of fixes you can try:
1 - use the free version of iPhoto Library Manager to rebuild the library with the rebuild being created on the EHD as follows:
Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
1 - download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.>Click on the Add Library button,
2 - select the library you want to add from those in the selection window.
3 - make sure that in the rebuild window the checkbox "Scavange orphaned photos" is checked.
4 - now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the Library ➙ Rebuild Library menu option
5 - in the next window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed. Click on the Create button.
Note 1: This creates a new library based on the LIbraryData.xml file in the library and will recover Events, Albums, keywords, titles and comments. However, books, calendars, cards and slideshows will be lost.
Note 2: Your current library will be left untouched for further attempts at a fix if so desired.
When iPLM finishes it will display a log file entry showing which files it was unable to use in the rebuild. Open the old library with iPhoto, locate and delete the photos that iPLM listed in its log. Then try dragging the library to the EHD again.
If the above fails continue with:
2 - create a new, empty library on the EHD. Use the paid version of iPhoto Library Manage to copy the events (1-2 at a time) to the new library on the EHD. At one point iPLM may run into the bad file and be unable to copy the event. You can check iPLM's log to see what file it is. Then open that library, delete the file and either try to copy the entire library by dragging and dropping or contine with the copying of events from the old library to the new library.

HT1229 what is the best method for using a iphoto with an external hard drive for greater capacity?

what is the best method for using a iphoto with an external hard drive for greater capacity?

Moving the iPhoto library is safe and simple - quit iPhoto and drag the iPhoto library intact as a single entity to the external drive - depress the option key and launch iPhoto using the "select library" option to point to the new location on the external drive - fully test it and then trash the old library on the internal drive (test one more time prior to emptying the trash)
And be sure that the External drive is formatted Mac OS extended (journaled) (iPhoto does not work with drives with other formats) and that it is always available prior to launching iPhoto
And backup soon and often - having your iPhoto library on an external drive is not a backup and if you are using Time Machine you need to check and be sure that TM is backing up your external drive
LN

Trying to use a new, larger external hard drive for my Time Machine backup. However, every time I start the backup, it gets started then fails. And, I can't delete the few files that did save on the external. Sort of a catch 22. Any ideas?

Trying to use a new, larger external hard drive for my Time Machine backup. However, every time I start the backup, it gets started then fails. And, I can't delete the few files that did save on the external. Sort of a catch 22. Any ideas?

Is it a USB hard drive? USB hard drives have the problem of not giving full speed if they are hooked up on the same bus as keyboards and mice. Double check your profiler to make sure that is not a problem. If it is Firewire, make sure there aren't other firewire devices in use at the same time. I recommend not only keeping a Time Machine backup, but also a clone, and if you do use Time Machine, to make sure the Time Machine drive or partition is at least twice the size of the original drive.

I bought a new external hard drive for backups, but time machine won't do a full back up. I think it is remembering backing up onto previous external hard drives, which I don't own anymore. How do I do a new full backup?

I bought a new external hard drive for backups, but time machine won't do a full back up.
I think it is remembering backing up onto previous external hard drives, which I don't own anymore. How do I do a new full backup?
When I bought the new (used) iMac, I also bought an external hard drive for backups. It worked fine, but my husband stole it.
Then I bought a new external hard drive (Seagate) and it worked fine for three weeks, then died.
So I just got a new external hard drive, which was put together from an internal hard drive and a hard drive enclosure.
Time machine did the first backup today, and it should have taken 9 hours like it did on the previous first time full back up. Instead, it took 30 minutes. That can't be right. I want to start over and do a full backup to make sure everything gets onto my new external hard drive, but I can't figure out how to do that. Please help.

Triple-click anywhere in the line below to select it:
tmutil compare -E
Copy the selected text to the Clipboard (command-C).
Launch the Terminal application in any of the following ways:
☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Terminal in the icon grid.
Paste into the Terminal window (command-V).
The command will take at least a few minutes to run. Eventually some lines of output will appear below what you entered.
Each line that begins with a plus sign (“+”) represents a file that has been added to the source volume since the last snapshot was taken. These files have not been backed up yet.
Each line that begins with an exclamation point (“!”) represents a file that has changed on the source volume. These files have been backed up, but not in their present state.
Each line that begins with a minus sign (“-“) represents a file that has been removed from the source volume.
At the end of the output, you’ll get some lines like the following:
Added:
Removed:
Changed:
These lines show the total amount of data added, removed, or changed on the source(s) since the last snapshot.

The Finder can't complete the operation because some data in "Adobe Acrobat" can't be read or written. (Error code - 36)

I recently did a clean install on a 2011 MacBook Pro with Mavericks. Went to install Adobe Acrobat 9 with the DVD media and about 3/4 of the way through the install, the install stopped and the following window appeared: The Finder can't complete the operation because some data in "Adobe Acrobat" can't be read or written. (Error code - 36). I've tried to install a few times and get the same message. Is Adobe Acrobat 9 incompatible with Mavericks. I've seen some posts on Apple Support Communities indicating that it is indeed compatible, but no explanation why the error pops up.

The hard drive may be dying anyway, or the directory damaged because it is so full. You should never let the hard drive get over 85% full.
A -36 error is a read/write error.
All you did with the power is reset the SMC. Does nothing to reset everything to factory settings.
Do you have your original 10.4 installer discs for the MacBook?
Is your data backed up?

The Finder can't complete the operation because some data in "FILE NAME" can't be read or writen. (Error code -36)

I have a RAID that my Mac says is damaged. It does mount, so I want to copy as much of the data as I can. I tried SuperDuper!, but it crashed (or gave me error and stopped). I tried copying and pasting entire drive (1.75TB) but it stopped with this error, and same error happens with some of the files when I try to copy and paste (Drag and Drop) them individually.
I get this error: The Finder can't complete the operation because some data in "FILE NAME" can't be read or writen. (Error code -36)

Well, in pure Apple File System talk... -36 ioErr I/O error (bummers)
Not very helpful, but generally means a Drive quit being Readable or Writable since starting the operation...
http://fuzzy.wordpress.com/2006/12/10/ioerror-36/
If Disk Utility or fsck should fail to repair it, your best bet is DiskWarrior from Alsoft, you'll need the CD to boot from if you don't have another boot drive...
http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/
Might try the free trial of my favorite, Tri-Backup, it does a better copy/clone job in that it usually doesn't quit copying at every error, & has a nice log afterwards to try certain files agin if you wish....
http://www.tri-edre.com/english/products/tribackup.html

Transferring hard drive files to external hard drive for backup have old tiger osx 10.4

how do I copy and transfer hard drive to external hard drive for backup of everything?

You can clone the entire drive to the external, provided you have more space available on the external drive than the total of your used filespace on the main drive.
Carbon Copy Cloner will perform the clone for you.
Matt

The finder can't complete the operation because some data in "VIDEO_TS.BUP "can't be read or written (error code-36)

the finder can't complete the operation because some data in "VIDEO_TS.BUP "can't be read or written (error code-36)

I faced the same problem and i fixed it by going to applications - utility - disk utility and fixing the errors.

While transferring several files to the G-Raid, the G-Raid device locks up with the following warnings: "The Finder can't complete the operation because some data in (whatever file) can't be read or written (Error code - 36)."

While transferring several files to the G-Raid, the G-Raid device locks up with the following warnings: "The Finder can't complete the operation because some data in (whatever file) can't be read or written (Error code - 36).” NOt sure this is a G-Raid problem, can anyone help?

This is likely a problem with the drive itself. This error indicates unspecified I/O errors with the drive, which can be from a hardware fault, or a formatting issue. If the drive has valuable data on it, then try connecting it to another PC to get the data off, and then try fully partitioning and formatting the drive with Disk Utility. If this corrects the error then you should be able to use the drive again as it was likely a formatting issue, but if the problem continues then it is likely a hardware fault and the best solution is to be safe and replace the drive.

I bought an external hard drive for backups to use with Time Machine, but however when I try to connect it with the other windows laptop it doesn't work ? intact it doesn't work on any other device except my MAC ?

I bought an external hard drive for backups to use with Time Machine, but however when I try to connect it with the other windows laptop it doesn't work ? intact it doesn't work on any other device except my MAC ?

Do not worry about it.
Time Machine needs that your external drive is formatted in HFS+, or better known as "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)". This filesystem is used by Apple on Macs and Windows cannot read or write drives formatted with this filesystem, being this the reason why all your devices do not read the external drive except your Mac.
You can only use your external drive to make Time Machine drives. If you store anything different, you may damage the Time Machine structure, so it is better not to use it as a drive to store other data. Instead, get another external drive to do it or create a second partition on the external drive formatted in FAT32 by using Disk Utility > http://pondini.org/OSX/DU3.html FAT32 can be read by Windows PCs

What external hard drives for backup are compatible with Yosemite?

I have an early 2013 MBP Retina 15" and have installed Yosemite. I want to purchase an external hard drive for backup via Time Machine. I have read that Western Digital drives were associated with data loss with Mavericks; I do not know if that has been corrected. Has anyone backuped successfully on an external hard drive with Yosemite installed, and if so, can you let me and others know the brand and model. Many thanks.

Understood.
I don't receive any compensation for promoting any product from any computer, hard drive or computer peripheral manufacturer. I don't receive any compensation from any of those manufacturers or sellers for any reason. In fact I was not promoting any product, I was responding to the poster's query and was stating that I have observed the drives in use and working with the Mac OS.
My workplace is a consumer of these items and we buy and use thousands of PCs, Macs, WD and non-WD drives, and so forth. I was providing information about whether WD drives work with Macs running various operating systems. I don't promote any particular brand, we use many different ones here.

Trying to copy iPhoto Library to external hard drive for backup. Error message: The Finder can't complete the operation because some data in "iPhoto Library" can't be read or written (Error code -36).

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