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Level 1

1 points

operation can't be completed because an item of same name already exist

Hi, my first post. I've search the net for similar problems but nothing exact.

I have a Maxtor OneTouch 4 (1TB)that just returned cos I got it exchanged. While it was being exchanged, I used a Maxtor OneTouch (640GB). I had transferred everything from my 1TB to the 640GB.

Now that the 1TB's back, I want to transfer everything back. But when I try to transfer anything from the 640GB to the 1TB, an error message appears saying "operation can't be completed because an item "(of same name)" already exist."

After I click OK on the error message, only the folder gets copied over to the 1TB but NONE of its contents.

This only happens when I transfer folders. If I were to transfer individual files, e.g a picture, it's successful.

Things that do work:
- transferring files and folders from computer to both HDDs
- transferring files and folders from either HDDs to computer

So the only problem is transfers between both HDDs.

I read some thread that repairing permissions might help but when I enter Disk Utility, "Verify Disk permissions" or "Repair Disk Permissions" are both greyed out.

Does anybody have experience with this problem? Please help, the 640GB is exploding!

Thanks in advance!

Macbook (white), Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Nov 12, 2009 10:13 AM

Best reply

iBerzerker

Level 1

4 points

Posted on Mar 30, 2017 3:51 PM

Hello, I'm Dragon Berzerk.

There is a problem when you copy files from a Mac to a NTFS Disk, after time when you connect any NTFS Drive to a Mac, macOS make an index to entire disk, (When you can write a NTFS disk on macOS) so macOS make the invisible .DS_Store file type.

There is the problem the .DS_Store have a bug or something in NTFS file system…

The solution is on Terminal.

Open up Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal or press command + space and type "Terminal")
On Terminal type: cd
After cdpress space bar, drag and drop your folder you wish to copy into Terminal window. Hit enter/return

Like this example:

User-Mac-Pro:~ User$ cd /Volumes/SpecialDisk/Not\ is\ P0rn

4. Now type: find . -name '.DS_Store' -type f -delete

Would be look like this example:

User-Mac-Pro:Not is P0rn User$ find . -name '.DS_Store' -type f -delete

5. Press Enter… Wait some seconds.

6. Now in Finder close the window with your files and open it again, is just to update folders.

And thats all the .DS_Store files are deleted. Copy your files on Finder as normal.

macOS will create new correct .DS_Store into Mac Disk it's normal.

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134 replies

subcrapper Author

Level 1

1 points

Nov 13, 2009 9:28 AM in response to V.K.

Restore Failure

Could not get mount information for volume

i put my 640GB in the source and 1TB in the destination and I get that! I'm suspecting that its the drives that cannot communicate with each other properly. They're both maxtor so i guess i'll call them on monday. they're not open on the weekends which totally *****.

Thanks a million you two. 🙂 i'll check back in after THE CALL. I hope its nothing fatal.

goooffii

Level 1

4 points

Nov 21, 2009 7:33 AM in response to subcrapper

I have same issue.but instead,I get that error while copying from External HDD to my laptop HDD.External HDD is NTFS format.I repair permissions of HDD but that makes no sense. first I think it may be because of some failure in reading from hdd but try copying it in Windows OS,it didn't have any prob.So how could it be done?

Nov 21, 2009 9:03 AM in response to goooffii

Have the same problem. I need to copy my music as my external drive shows some signs of weakness but it is almost impossible as when copying for every folder I get a "The operation can’t be completed because an item with the name “xxxx” already exists. The folder is created but only with the first file. I have then to copy the remaining ones. My database is quite large so I guess I will be finished in 2012, or in any case after the HD is dead. Looks like an operating system issue rather than a disk problem as it occurs with several different HD that do work when connected to Windows PC!!

subcrapper Author

Level 1

1 points

Nov 21, 2009 9:17 AM in response to goooffii

for NTFS, unless you have installed a 3rd party software, it won't work. i tried it before but i didnt get this error msg. i got a "operation can't be completed" thats all. go find a 3rd party software so that ntfs can work on mac.

subcrapper Author

Level 1

1 points

Nov 21, 2009 9:19 AM in response to subcrapper

I have called maxtor and they said they'll get back to me. but its been 3 days, still no call. i'm gna wait till mon when i ahve time to call them. again.

Nov 21, 2009 9:56 AM in response to subcrapper

I would not think it depends on the HD. I noticed this happens to all the music files from my CD's, not from muisc i bought with iTunes or othe music. It seems strange. Could it be a sort of protection?

subcrapper Author

Level 1

1 points

Nov 21, 2009 10:02 AM in response to Marco Lux

i do not think so. is your hdd maxtor? the two problem hdd in question for me are both maxtors and i only have this problem when i'm transferring between both hdds. everything works fine when i'm transferring to other hdds/my desktop. so i'm guessing its a problem with maxtor. unless yours is a different make which means its a apple software problem which may be why maxtor/seagate is taking so long to call me back. they did say that my problem was not a regular one.

Nov 21, 2009 10:17 AM in response to subcrapper

No, my HD are Lacie. I tried to copy from the HD to the MacBook (it worked no problem) and then to the second HD (also back to the original HD) and the message was (!!) "The Finder can’t complete the operation because some data in “xxxx” can’t be read or written. Error -36". No error 36 when trying back to the original HD. This makes me believe it's a protection, but I could be wrong. I'm not a specialist

Nov 21, 2009 10:18 AM in response to Marco Lux

Also, I just reinitialized one of the two HD with the MacBook.

Nov 21, 2009 2:03 PM in response to Marco Lux

May have a partial answer. My HD was formatted FAT32. It always worked (I have this problem since this morning). I re-formatted it in Mac OS Extended and now it seems working fine. But I wonder how I will be able to maintain the music on my Windows PC up to date.

subcrapper Author

Level 1

1 points

Nov 21, 2009 4:58 PM in response to Marco Lux

our error is different from mine. you can try googling error 36. Apple usually has a list of what their errors mean. 🙂 i can't googling my error cos they didnt give me an error no.. that's why i'm sooo freaking frustrated.

subcrapper Author

Level 1

1 points

Nov 21, 2009 4:59 PM in response to subcrapper

I meant YOUR errors are different from mine. sorry.

subcrapper Author

Level 1

1 points

Nov 21, 2009 5:01 PM in response to Marco Lux

I'm very unwilling to format into mac os because i have games that i want to play on boot camp windows. and other docs that i may have to open in windows.

danegeld

Level 2

185 points

Nov 22, 2009 10:19 AM in response to subcrapper

I'm having the same issue. It doesn't seem to matter which of my many external HDDs I want to copy from or to, I get the same error. The drives range from HFS-formatted to FAT-formatted thumb drives. I've tried validating the disks, repairing permissions whenever it's possible (the button is grayed out for some drives). The problem has only shown up after the 10.6.2 update and it seems to be getting worse. It's maddening not to be able to copy whole directories.

subcrapper Author

Level 1

1 points

Nov 22, 2009 10:29 AM in response to danegeld

oh my gosh i think you're on to something. it just hit me that i sent my drive for servicing before i updated to 10.6.2. i only had the problem when the drive came back and i have already updated to 10.6.2! my, my. This is breakthrough!

but i wonder why it only affects my two maxtor drives. i just transferred 2 files out of my 640GB into another 20GB external HDD. that went smooth. and seagate still hasn't called back.

operation can't be completed because an item of same name already exist