Can't WRITE to disk (unexpected error occurred (error code -50)

[DeXa]

hi guys!
I've had some FileSystem problems recently. I manage to fix some but left with this really really bad issue. I can't WRITE new data to one of my disks.
Using the normal utilities didn't help (Disk utility from installation disk, cmd + s on startup and "fsck").

From Finder:

The Operation Could not be completed.
An unexpected error occurred (error code -50).

From Terminal

Last login: Wed Apr 22 13:01:58 on ttys001
Studio:~ elad$ cd /Volumes/Storage/
Studio:Storage elad$ mkdir Folder
mkdir: Folder: Invalid argument
Studio:Storage elad$ 
Studio:Storage elad$ 
Studio:Storage elad$ sudo mkdir Folder
Password:
mkdir: Folder: Invalid argument

When I "Verify disk" from disk utility results are possitive: "The volume storage appears to be OK."

I ran all over google and MacRumors forums. Couldn't find something alike.
I'm hopeless, PLEASE ASSIST.

 

[MacBoobsPro]

Not sure if this will help as its lists OSX 10.1 but here you go:

http://support.apple.com/kb/TA20831?viewlocale=en_US

 

[DeXa]

I've seen it.
I'm on Leopard 10.5.6 so I thought that data wasn't relevant.
anyway, I've tried what they wrote there as a Solution (which was ridiculous...) and it didn't work as well.

Edit: With cpMac i've got:

Studio:~ elad$ cpMac -r /Users/elad/Desktop/terminalerror.png /Volumes/Storage 
could not create the destination file (-50)
Studio:~ elad$

 

[DeXa]

OK, I've tried using DiskWarrior to rebuild the MBT (or what ever you call it on a mac ). The following errors were on the DiskWarrior report:

Incorrect values in the Volume Information were repaired.

and when I click on Details I get the following information:

Repaired the Text Encoding Bitmap of the Volume Information.
Location: "Desktop"

But when I tried to click "replace", DiskWarrior reported that it can not WRITE to the disk. bahh

Seriously now, this issue is very very messy and starting to be really urgent.
I would appreciate any information that you will provide around "file system"s on the mac. Maybe something like viewing the partition's ACL will help or rebuilding the volume information data from external source or something like that!

I would really appreciate any kind of help, THANKS!

 

[gnasher729]

I think it is time to make a backup of all the data on that drive and reformat it in Disk Utility. Something is messed up. If you waste enough time you might get it to a state where it _looks_ as if it is working. But I wouldn't want to rely on that.

And after reformatting the drive, I would keep a close eye on it. It might have underlying hardware problems. If it plays up again, dump the drive.

 

[DeXa]

Hi gnasher729,

I found out lots of new information about the problem.
On single user mode (cmd + s) i typed the following:

fsck -f /dev/disk2s1 (which is my problematic disk).

fsck replied with the following:
BAD SUPER BLOCK: MAGIC NUMBER WRONG.

Then fsck tried to look for the "alternative super block" and failed: "SEARCH FOR ALTERNATE SUPER-BLOCK FAILED. SEE FSCK(8)."

With simple google search i've found many people facing this problem on BSD. I bet there is a solution and I can't back up my 500gb drive. I have a backup for the important files but still don't want to loss the rest of the files.

As I sad before i'm sure it's a FileSystem error and not defective hardware.
So far, I couldn't solve the problem but i'm sure I'm getting close to it.

THANKS!

 

[DeXa]

The problem was "solved" (?!)

I physically removed one of my disk (the backup disk which didn't had any problem) and then I was able to write to the disk again (how wired is that?!).

Before removing disks:
System Hard Drive - disk0
Backup Hard Drive - disk1
Storage Hard Drive - disk2

After removing the backup disk:
System Hard Drive - disk0
Storage Hard Drive - disk1

It seems that after removing a disk from the system the problematic disk got initialize (and was change from disk2 to disk1).

When I "fsck -fy /dev/disk1s1" to test the FileSystem I still got the same error:

BAD SUPER BLOCK: MAGIC NUMBER WRONG

LOOK FOR ALTERNATE SUPERBLOCKS? [yn]

and when I press yes, fsck can't find the alternate superblock:

SEARCH FOR ALTERNATE SUPER-BLOCK FAILED. YOU MUST USE THE
-b OPTION TO FSCK TO SPECIFY THE LOCATION OF AN ALTERNATE
SUPER-BLOCK TO SUPPLY NEEDED INFORMATION; SEE fsck(8).

So i've looked over "Expert Exchange" and find this thread. They recommending using the "newfs -n" command.I've tried that and all i've got is:

newfs: /dev/disk1s1: bad rotational layout count\n

It didn't leading me anywhere.

Will try to use the DiskWarrior now (It's possible to write to the disk again)... and if it will not help, will format the whole system.

This is really a serious issue. I never formated a Mac before!!

 

[rasjad]

Did anyone figure this out? I'm having the exact same issue with an external HD.

 

[CousinCocaine]

Error -50 in OSX Finder

The -50 error is (likely) a problem with unsupported characters in a file or folders name.
A ' or a / is not supported on every harddisk format, therefor it's likely these characters cause trouble.
So if a file has a / in it's filename and you want to change or copy that file, Finder will give you a -50 error.