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I am unable to copy any files to my external drive. I get the error---The finder can't complete the operation because some data can't be read or written. Error code 36.
MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 12.4
Sometimes, when you try to copy files or move them to another location on your Mac system, your finder will display “Error Code 36” that won’t let you perform any data transfer. Usually, Error Code 36 indicates that there might be a problem with the file or folder you are trying to copy, or with the destination drive. Here are some possible solutions that you can try to fix the issue:
1. Check the file/folder permissions: Make sure that you have the necessary permissions to access the file/folder you are trying to copy. You can do this by right-clicking on the file/folder and selecting "Get Info". Check the "Sharing & Permissions" section to make sure that you have the necessary read/write permissions.
2. Check the destination drive: Make sure that the external drive is formatted correctly and is not damaged. You can check the drive for errors using the Disk Utility app. Open the app, select the drive, and click on "First Aid" to check for any errors.
3. Copy the files using Terminal: If the above solutions do not work, you can try copying the files using the Terminal app. Open the Terminal app and use the "cp" command to copy the files. For example, if you want to copy a file named "example.txt" from your Desktop to an external drive named "MyDrive", you can use the following command: cp ~/Desktop/example.txt /Volumes/MyDrive/
4. Use a third-party file transfer tool: If none of the above solutions work, you can try using a third-party file transfer tool to copy the files to the external drive.
If you lost your data while troubleshooting Error Code 36 or otherwise, then try using reliable data recovery software such as Stellar Data Recovery for Mac that helps you scan your drive and recover your lost data.
Hope it helps!
[Link Edited by Moderator]
Sometimes, when you try to copy files or move them to another location on your Mac system, your finder will display “Error Code 36” that won’t let you perform any data transfer. Usually, Error Code 36 indicates that there might be a problem with the file or folder you are trying to copy, or with the destination drive. Here are some possible solutions that you can try to fix the issue:
1. Check the file/folder permissions: Make sure that you have the necessary permissions to access the file/folder you are trying to copy. You can do this by right-clicking on the file/folder and selecting "Get Info". Check the "Sharing & Permissions" section to make sure that you have the necessary read/write permissions.
2. Check the destination drive: Make sure that the external drive is formatted correctly and is not damaged. You can check the drive for errors using the Disk Utility app. Open the app, select the drive, and click on "First Aid" to check for any errors.
3. Copy the files using Terminal: If the above solutions do not work, you can try copying the files using the Terminal app. Open the Terminal app and use the "cp" command to copy the files. For example, if you want to copy a file named "example.txt" from your Desktop to an external drive named "MyDrive", you can use the following command: cp ~/Desktop/example.txt /Volumes/MyDrive/
4. Use a third-party file transfer tool: If none of the above solutions work, you can try using a third-party file transfer tool to copy the files to the external drive.
If you lost your data while troubleshooting Error Code 36 or otherwise, then try using reliable data recovery software such as Stellar Data Recovery for Mac that helps you scan your drive and recover your lost data.
Hope it helps!
[Link Edited by Moderator]
Mac error -36 is I/O error.
While that sounds generic, it is actually VERY specific.
Bad Blocks were encountered, almost always on the READing of the source file. even after re-trying 1,000 times using error-correction Hardware, it could not be read without error.
The file you want to copy is irreparably damaged. You will need to restore it from your backup, or get along without it.
If this is a copy of a Group of files, copy them is small sub-groups instead to isolate which file is sitting in the Bad Blocks.
I have tried copying different files to different external drives and none of that worked.
Unable to copy files to external drive. Get error code 36. (MacBook Pro 13")
