Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

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.

View in context

134 replies

Dec 13, 2009 4:18 PM in response to subcrapper

Hmm... I just tried to do that to copy 136 GB from my internal to my external backup drive which is FAT32, and I got the same problem. I selected all, hit copy, and then went to that folder and hit paste... and I still have the problem?

KJK555

Level 4

2,900 points

Dec 13, 2009 11:14 PM in response to sparky456

Is it giving you error 36 or what?

Kj

subcrapper Author

Level 1

1 points

Dec 14, 2009 12:39 AM in response to subcrapper

ALRIGHT! I finally had time to call Seagate (Singapore) back today and a really helpful guy named Paul solved it for me even though it was a new problem to him! 🙂 here's what he did:

Because my external HDDs are larger than 500GB, normal formatting using the Erase tab in Disk Utility will not work as well. The recommended way is to do a partition using Partition in Disk Utility. TAKE NOTE THAT PARTITIONING THE DISK WILL WIPE EVERYTHING FROM THE HDD AS IF YOU DID A FORMAT.

- Open Disk Utility
- Click on the root partition of the external HDD
- Click the Partition tab
- In the dropdown menu under Volume Scheme, select 1 Partition
- Select Options
- Select GUID Partition Table and Apply. Then Apply again.

Please remember that this will wipe every information from the drive. This Partition is the recommended work-around for drives larger than 500GB.

One downside is that this format is Mac-extended format. Which means not using the same external HDD on both Mac and PC. Oh well, looks like the games have to go into another drive.

I hope this helps all of you who have the same problem!

Dec 14, 2009 7:19 PM in response to subcrapper

I am not sure, I didnt pay that much attention. It said what it normally says, The operation can't be completed because an item of the same name already exists. Hmm, others say its working but I don't understand how it would work for them and not for me?

subcrapper Author

Level 1

1 points

Dec 14, 2009 10:30 PM in response to sparky456

sparky456's problem is not error 36. its the same problem i used to have and it doesn't have an error code which is what made it frustrating. but my instructions solved my transferring problems. i'm guessing the bug doesn't like FAT much.

I was trying to transfer from a FAT to a FAT. then i changed 1 of it to MacOSX-extended and i could do the transfer already.

Dec 15, 2009 12:14 AM in response to subcrapper

I experience the same problem ("+File cannot be copied because item already exists+") with random occurences.

Reading this topic helped me alot, I tried to operate copies from Terminal, which worked flawlessly, then I downloaded Path Finder as suggested by Cebecker. Unfortunately it's a shareware and I didn't want to pay just for the ability of copying files from an HD to another.

Then, since the problem was about Finder's bug, it gave me another idea. If anyone knows the wonderful Forklift ( http://www.binarynights.com/forklift), it was my solution. Forklift is basically an FTP client, but it's much more than that (it supports SSH and other stuffs like that), but it's also a Finder browser, and since you can have two locations (local or distant) on the same windows...

Well, it worked like a dream. I did all my backups without any error. I even had the fun to make copies with Forklift on a screen and by Terminal (ditto command) on the other...

I hope Apple will fix that problem soon, anyway I know I'll use Forklift twice as much now 🙂

PS- Forklift license is less than $10 and it worths the money 😉

KJK555

Level 4

2,900 points

Dec 15, 2009 3:23 PM in response to Corlaix Vincent

Hi Corlaix:
Thanks for the ForkLift tip.
I tried it and I Love it!
I don't care if Apple ever fixes finder or not. 😉
Finder has been a pain in the rear since
OS X was invented, and it isn't much better
now (even if you completely overlook the bugs).

I never used some of the other Finder replacement
apps (such as Rixstep's Xfile) because I thought they
too outrageously expensive.
Forklift is priced much more sensibly and does more than most
of the other Finder replacements.


Kj ♘

Jane Knox

Level 3

691 points

Dec 15, 2009 5:51 PM in response to subcrapper

I had the same problem using Finder. When I use ChronoSync, everything copies just fine. I use ChronoSync a LOT.

See: http://www.econtechnologies.com/pages/cs/chrono_overview.html

Dec 16, 2009 1:04 AM in response to KJK555

Hey thanks!
Glad to have helped, really 🙂
.V

KJK555

Level 4

2,900 points

Dec 16, 2009 12:27 PM in response to Corlaix Vincent

You're welcome.

I have seen forklift before, but I, in my haste, thought it was "just another" ftp, sftp client, so I
passed it by like a real estate broker doing a 35 mph appraisal (BPO) in a bad neighborhood. 🙂

I have to admit, Finder, overall, is better now that it is rewritten, but it sure could have used more
than just a "facelift". At least the "get info" permissions part works properly now. I like the new
"show hidden file" in open/save dialog feature (though I never can remember the strange key
combo to activate it). The handful of features, improvements and fixes are appreciated,
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacOS_X_Snow_Leopard#Refinements_to_the_userinterface)
but it still just a basic way to stumble around the file system. Then again, only a basic interface
is generally what all OS manufacturers provide with their OS. They leave the chore of producing
elegant interfaces, such as ForkLift, to third party software vendors.

Kj ♘

V1to

Level 1

0 points

Dec 24, 2009 5:42 AM in response to KJK555

Hi guys,

same problem for me. I even sent back a new WD My Passport Essential, because I thought it was a "hardware" problem.
These days I tried to use my USB Stick (4GB), which always worked fine, and I experience the same problem, that the file already exists. After that I started searching for the problem and found this thread.

It defenitely FAT32, NTFS in combination with the finder (OSX 10.6.2).

Using forklift helps until the bug is fixed.

AhmadNo

Level 1

8 points

Dec 30, 2009 7:22 AM in response to subcrapper

Hey friend,, I didn't read the whole things and I don't know if this may help you but today I faced the same problem.. I looked for a solution but found nothing.. then I tried something of my own:
run the terminal
right the following command: cp -r <source folder> <destination folder>
it is easier to drag source and destination folder into the terminal window.
I was amazed that it worked 🙂 can you give it a try and let me know what happens with you?

Jan 1, 2010 8:21 AM in response to AhmadNo

i really think apple should come out with a solution/update for this problem ASAP.
i just can't understand how such a good OS has been released with this big bug without no one noticing...

Jane Knox

Level 3

691 points

Jan 1, 2010 8:53 AM in response to guillealv

i just can't understand how such a good OS has been released with this big bug without no one noticing...

Millions of lines of code, installed on millions of computers: = 10^36 possibilities for something to go awry. Even if Apple hired one million beta testers, they'd only have a 1:10^6 chance of catching every bug in every possible configuration and application. 🙂

Everyone who has experienced this bug should report it to Apple at

http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html

If we do that, the engineers can be looking for the bug and a resolution in the next maintenance release.

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Jan 1, 2010 12:14 PM in response to Jane Knox

Better, if you want to report this issue to Apple's engineering, is to send a bug report or an enhancement request via its Bug Reporter system. To do this, join the Apple Developer Connection (ADC)—it's free and available for all Mac users and gets you a look at some development software. Since you already have an Apple username/ID, use that. Once a member, go to Apple BugReporter and file your bug report or enhancement request. The nice thing with this procedure over submitting feedback is that you get a response and a follow-up number; thus, starting a dialog with engineering.

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