Error code -36 when copying a photos library

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Level 1

4 points

Error code -36 when copying a photos library

Hi, I am trying to copy my photos library from an external HD to another external HD using my mac (OS ventura 13.1). After 2 hours of copying, it stops and sends this window message:

The Finder can't complete the operation because some data in "photos Library.photolibrary" can't be read or written. (Error code -36).

Somebody knows already how to solve this kind of error. I've tried many methods described in different websites, but it's still the same error coming out!!

PS. Both hard drives are formatted APFS. The photoslibrary size is about 440 GB and the message shows after 290 GB of copying..

Thanks in advance!

iMac 27″ 5K, macOS 13.1

Posted on Jan 20, 2023 5:15 AM

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Answer 1

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léonie

Level 10

195,151 points

Jan 21, 2023 8:04 AM in response to danielijah

Is the format of one of the drives case-sensitive and the other not? That could also cause copy problems.

Enable the "Ignore ownership on this volume" flag on both drives.

If you still cannot copy the library, try the method I outlines in my first post here: How to avoid the Error -36 when copying a Photos Library - Apple Community

Copying all the internal files separately will allow you to identify which of the files inside cannot be copied and you can skip it and copy everything else. sometimes ist just a cache created by external editors that cannot be copied.

Alternately, you could simply clone the library with cloning software like Carbon Copy Cloner, but then you will not know, which files are defective and should be removed.

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Answer 2

léonie

Level 10

195,151 points

Jan 20, 2023 5:50 AM in response to danielijah

Have you tried it as described here?

How to avoid the Error -36 when copying a Photos Library - Apple Community

Typically you are seeing this error, if the file system format of the destination volume is not compatible with MacOS. The can result in conflicting filenames along a path.

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Answer 3

danielijah Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 20, 2023 6:35 AM in response to léonie

Thanks Leonie. Actually, I did mention in my question that both hard drives are in APFS format.

The thing is that yesterday I had two drives:

A drive ( Formated EXFat with 8 TB)) and B drive ( formated APFS with 500 GB )

The photos library was at first in the A drive. In order to format the A drive in APFS, I copied the photos Library from A to B drive and then formated the A drive into APFS.

This morning, I wanted to copy the photos Library from B to A drive and it showed the Error -36 !!

Hope I explained exactly what happened and wish you would have a solution for that !! Thanks again..

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Answer 4

Jan 21, 2023 7:53 AM in response to danielijah

Since you have two drives, I wonder if one of them has been used for Time Machine. TM is very territorial, and the Photos Library can't be stored on any drive that has had Time Machine on it since it was formatted.

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Answer 5

danielijah Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 21, 2023 9:34 AM in response to léonie

No both drive are formated APFS, no case sensitive!

I just checked the "Ignore ownership on this volume" flag and it is already enabled on both drives.

Maybe I should try copying all the internal files separately as you mentioned in case I dont find other solution!!!

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Answer 6

danielijah Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 27, 2023 3:34 AM in response to léonie

Thanks a lot Léonie. Finally, I did use your method to detect the "bad files" that causing this error!! It was only one video (about 2 GB), all the other files were able to be copied. So I decided to delete this video and then copied the whole library at once with no problem this time :)

Fortunatly a copy of this video was already in my mac, so I imported it from mac to my A drive and voila ... :) it works....

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