What is Error -50 and how do I fix it?

Well can't tell you what error (-50) is, but can tell you about when I got it the other day. My system was real slow and I decided to replace it with a backup. During the restore I got the error (-50) and figured it was a corrupt file, and the restore was continuing, so figured small problem.

The restore was very slow, coming from firewire drive, and so I was not around when it ended. A normal end will show a log file, but I didn't see that, the restore application had ended. The files seem to all be there, so I just rebooted the system. On reboot, got message that the HD smart code was bad, and that the drive was about to fail.

So to make a long story short, I replaced the HD and then ran the same restore application to restore the same backup to the new drive. Never got any error, plus it was speedy. So I figure the error was bogus, due to the bad HD.

Sorry not much help for your problem, but I have seen the (-50) error before, and that time it was a corrupt file, which I deleted.

Well, for what it's worth [http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1618] says: "-50, paramErr, Error in user parameter list"

Possibly a permissions problem, as suggested by your repairs problem and [Mac OS X: Can't connect to iDisk, get "Error Code -50"|http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1429?viewlocale=en_US]. Have you tried repairing permissions while booted to Safe Mode?

[Mac OS X: Starting up in Safe Mode|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107393]

[What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode? (Mac OS X)|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107392]

[Safe Boot takes longer than normal startup|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107394]

Safe boot mode runs a directory check command similar to that used by Disk Utility's repair. In Tiger it ignores some stored information (cache) that is normally read that speeds up the boot process, and it moves some other caches to the trash. It also uses only System fonts and disables all Startup Items, third party items, and any Login Items.

Hi Giles,

-50 paramErr Error in user parameter list

You've got corruption somewhere, what failed to Repair?

Could be many things, we should start with this...

"Try Disk Utility

1. Insert the Mac OS X Tiger Install disc that came with your computer, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
*Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.*
3. Click the First Aid tab.
4. Click the disclosure triangle to the left of the hard drive icon to display the names of your hard disk volumes and partitions.
5. Select your Mac OS X volume.
6. Click Repair. Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk."

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214

Then try a Safe Boot, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, reboot when it completes.

(Safe boot may stay on the gray radian for a long time, let it go, it's trying to repair the Hard Drive.)

The usual reason why updates fail or mess things up, is if Permissions are not fixed before & after every update, with a reboot... you may get a partial update when the installer finds it doesn't have Permissions to change one obscure little part of the OS, leaving you with a mix of OS versions.

Some people get away without Repairing Permissions for years, some for only days.

If Permissions are wrong before applying an update, you could get mixed OS versions, if Directory is the slightest messed up, who knows!

If many Permission are repaired, or any Directory errors are found, you may need to re-apply some the latest/biggest updates.

May even need to do an Archive and Install if you have room on the HD, but saves all your files and gives a new OS...

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107120

I only use Software Update to see what is needed, then get them for real via...

http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/

That way I can wait a week or so, check the forums for potential problems, and get Permissions & such in order before installing.

If all the above fails, then it appears to be time for a relatively painless Archive & Install, which gives you a new/old OS, but can preserve all your files, pics, music, settings, etc., as long as you have plenty of free disk space and no Disk corruption, and is relatively quick & painless...

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107120

Just be sure to select Preserve Users & Settings.

Hi merchant express, and a warm welcome to the forums! 🙂

I think you have two choices...

Reset OS X Password Without an OS X CD...

http://theappleblog.com/2008/06/22/reset-os-x-password-without-an-os-x-cd/

It'll boot like a newly setup Mac, but all your stuff should still be there once filling out the stuff.

Or, an Archive & Install, which gives you a new/old OS, but can preserve all your files, pics, music, settings, etc., as long as you have plenty of free disk space...

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107120

Just be sure to select Preserve Users & Settings.

"Can anyone tell me what Error -50 is?"
You already did. 😉

+"Operation could not be completed: Error -50"+














Are you running the latest version of Entourage?
Which computer & OS is showing this error? Your system info shows 2 OS versions as well as computers.

"I repaired permissions (it showed some ownership discrepancies re the DVD drive which I just installed, and it seems unable to repair them)."
Then try running repair permissions & +repair disk+ from your software install DVD.
Repairing permissions from the Tiger or Leopard DVD

Boot up from your Tiger or Leopard Install DVD while holding down the "c" key.

Select the language you wish to use, and then choose "Disk Utility" from the menu bar.

Your HD should appear in a panel on the left hand side of the window which opens. Select it and then click on the "repair disk" button in the right hand section of the window.

If Disk First aid is able to complete the repair now click on the "Repair permissions" button.

Once this process has been completed restart your computer.

I had a HD crash several months ago... so you should seriously consider buying an external HD and backing up your files ... you can get 500GB - 1TB drives for $100 - $200.

Disk Warrior is a better disk repair utility and might fix it? If not you can use a file extraction program such as DataRescue, and there are others, to save some files from a crashed HD.

My 85GB HD had 15GB of of freespace when it crashed, I've always heard that you need to maintain at least 10% of freespace on your HD, don't know if this is still applicable to today's TB drives?

I've always heard that you need to maintain at least 10% of freespace on your HD, don't know if this is still applicable to today's TB drives?

My thinking is that it's even more important the bigger the drive...

Bigger drives will require more RAM for Disk Caches, which requires more VM.

Moving across 900 GB of used blocks to find the 100 GB that's free may take more time than moving across 90 GB to find 10 GB free space.

I consider 10% to be far too little, I shoot for 40% on Boot Drives as it'll always be going down, and below 30% I notice speed degradation. 🙂

If the seven pass somehow messed it up, a reformat/reinstall should cure it.