Does this help?
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2433 Common System Error Messages: What they Mean and What Might Help Resolve the Problem
+"Type -39 error (Logical
End-of-file reached during read operation)+
+The Macintosh was expecting a marker to show it where the end of the file is on the disk. That marker is either missing or is in the wrong place. A crash is the most common cause, however a disk error or corrupt file can also cause this.+
+
Solutions: Recovering the file frequently fixes the problem. If it does not, make a clone of a backup, open the clone and try to import from the file that is giving the -39 error message.+
+In other applications, using an Import or Insert command from inside a new document frequently works around the problem. You also might move/copy the file to another volume."+