Error Code-36 while copying files from MacBook to WD External Hard Drive

[bhushansonawne]

Hello,

I have a MacBook Pro with OSX Lion, I am unable to copy files onto the external harddrive due to the Error Code-36. I have already formatted the hard drive to FAT32 format hence have read/write access to the hard drive. I have tried dot_clean in the Terminal but did'nt work.

Is there a way out as I have to backup my music projects onto the harddrive.
Please Help!!!

Bhushan

 

[GGJstudios]

Hello,

I have a MacBook Pro with OSX Lion, I am unable to copy files onto the external harddrive due to the Error Code-36. I have already formatted the hard drive to FAT32 format hence have read/write access to the hard drive. I have tried dot_clean in the Terminal but did'nt work.

Is there a way out as I have to backup my music projects onto the harddrive.
Please Help!!!

Bhushan

If you plan to use the external drive only with your Mac, format it as HFS+ and use Carbon Copy Cloner to backup your data.

If you plan to use the external drive with both Mac and Windows PCs, install Paragon on your Mac and format the drive as NTFS. Then use Carbon Copy Cloner to back up your user files.

Format A Hard Drive Using Disk Utility (which is in your /Applications/Utilities folder)

Choose the appropriate format:

HFS+ (Hierarchical File System, a.k.a. Mac OS Extended (Journaled) Don't use case-sensitive)

• Read/Write HFS+ from native Mac OS X
• Required for Time Machine or Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper! backups of Mac OS X system files.
  [*]To Read/Write HFS+ from Windows, Install MacDrive
  [*]To Read HFS+ (but not Write) from Windows, Install HFSExplorer
• Maximum file size: 8EiB
• Maximum volume size: 8EiB
• Mac OS X: Mac OS Extended format (HFS Plus) volume and file limits
• You can use this format if you only use the drive with Mac OS X, or use it for backups of your Mac OS X internal drive, or if you only share it with one Windows PC (with MacDrive installed on the PC)

NTFS (Windows NT File System)

• Read/Write NTFS from native Windows.
• Read only NTFS from native Mac OS X
  [*]To Read/Write/Format NTFS from Mac OS X, here are some alternatives:
  • For Mac OS X 10.4 or later (32 or 64-bit), install Paragon (approx $20) (Best Choice for Lion)
  • For 32-bit Mac OS X, install NTFS-3G for Mac OS X (free) (does not work in 64-bit mode)
  • For 64-bit Snow Leopard, read this: MacFUSE for 64-bit Snow Leopard
  • Some have reported problems using Tuxera (approx $36).
  • Native NTFS support can be enabled in Snow Leopard and Lion, but is not advisable, due to instability.
• AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Time Capsule do not support NTFS
• Maximum file size: 16 TB
• Maximum volume size: 256TB
• You can use this format if you routinely share a drive with multiple Windows systems.

exFAT (FAT64)

• Supported in Mac OS X only in 10.6.5 or later.
• Not all Windows versions support exFAT. See disadvantages.
• exFAT (Extended File Allocation Table)
• AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Time Capsule do not support exFAT
• Maximum file size: 16 EiB
• Maximum volume size: 64 ZiB
• You can use this format if it is supported by all computers with which you intend to share the drive. See "disadvantages" for details.

FAT32 (File Allocation Table)

• Read/Write FAT32 from both native Windows and native Mac OS X.
  [*]Maximum file size: 4GB.
• Maximum volume size: 2TB
• You can use this format if you share the drive between Mac OS X and Windows computers and have no files larger than 4GB.

 

[bhushansonawne]

If you plan to use the external drive only with your Mac, format it as HFS+ and use Carbon Copy Cloner to backup your data.

If you plan to use the external drive with both Mac and Windows PCs, install Paragon on your Mac and format the drive as NTFS. Then use Carbon Copy Cloner to back up your user files.

Format A Hard Drive Using Disk Utility (which is in your /Applications/Utilities folder)

Choose the appropriate format:

HFS+ (Hierarchical File System, a.k.a. Mac OS Extended (Journaled) Don't use case-sensitive)

• Read/Write HFS+ from native Mac OS X
• Required for Time Machine or Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper! backups of Mac OS X system files.
  [*]To Read/Write HFS+ from Windows, Install MacDrive
  [*]To Read HFS+ (but not Write) from Windows, Install HFSExplorer
• Maximum file size: 8EiB
• Maximum volume size: 8EiB
• Mac OS X: Mac OS Extended format (HFS Plus) volume and file limits
• You can use this format if you only use the drive with Mac OS X, or use it for backups of your Mac OS X internal drive, or if you only share it with one Windows PC (with MacDrive installed on the PC)

NTFS (Windows NT File System)

• Read/Write NTFS from native Windows.
• Read only NTFS from native Mac OS X
  [*]To Read/Write/Format NTFS from Mac OS X, here are some alternatives:
  • For Mac OS X 10.4 or later (32 or 64-bit), install Paragon (approx $20) (Best Choice for Lion)
  • For 32-bit Mac OS X, install NTFS-3G for Mac OS X (free) (does not work in 64-bit mode)
  • For 64-bit Snow Leopard, read this: MacFUSE for 64-bit Snow Leopard
  • Some have reported problems using Tuxera (approx $36).
  • Native NTFS support can be enabled in Snow Leopard and Lion, but is not advisable, due to instability.
• AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Time Capsule do not support NTFS
• Maximum file size: 16 TB
• Maximum volume size: 256TB
• You can use this format if you routinely share a drive with multiple Windows systems.

exFAT (FAT64)

• Supported in Mac OS X only in 10.6.5 or later.
• Not all Windows versions support exFAT. See disadvantages.
• exFAT (Extended File Allocation Table)
• AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Time Capsule do not support exFAT
• Maximum file size: 16 EiB
• Maximum volume size: 64 ZiB
• You can use this format if it is supported by all computers with which you intend to share the drive. See "disadvantages" for details.

FAT32 (File Allocation Table)

• Read/Write FAT32 from both native Windows and native Mac OS X.
  [*]Maximum file size: 4GB.
• Maximum volume size: 2TB
• You can use this format if you share the drive between Mac OS X and Windows computers and have no files larger than 4GB.

Thanks for the info. I have formatted the drive to NTFS and installed paragon, but while copying files onto the drive, still get the same 'Error Code-36'.

Any idea what the problem could be???

 

[quasinormal]

File corruption. I've found the only way around it is to isolate the corrupt file (the last file copied) and restart copying from the following file. Hopefully you'll have a back up of the corrupted file.

To avoid this in the future check out this new file back up ZFS protocol, Zevo Silver, which is supposed to guarantee bit perfect back ups to a single external drive for $20.

http://tenscomplement.com/our-products

 

[GGJstudios]

Thanks for the info. I have formatted the drive to NTFS and installed paragon, but while copying files onto the drive, still get the same 'Error Code-36'.

Any idea what the problem could be???

Did you try Carbon Copy Cloner, as I suggested?

 

[bhushansonawne]

Did you try Carbon Copy Cloner, as I suggested?

Ya....tried it...but displays and error saying: There was an error while reading data from or writing data to destination.......

 

[pscraig]

You never stated in your posts if you need Windows compatibility, but is there any reason you chose NTFS for the drive reformat? Using it with a Mac I would wholeheartedly suggest using HFS+.