OSStatus Error -47? Rare error??

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Level 1

1 points

OSStatus Error -47? Rare error??

Hi, everyone,

I just switched to Mac and I am having a devil of a time. I am trying to manage files using Finder and I'm seeing some really weird behaviour. For instance, when I try to delete a directory, I get this error. The OS thinks the file is busy, even though the DIR is empty.

Here is error 36:

http://i.imgur.com/QKaH1.png

I also get error 61 a lot:

http://i.imgur.com/aKOa8.png

I tried to Google this error but found only three instances of this, mainly having to do with burning a DVD, or Time Machine. I have Time Machine working, but it's on another volume.

I do have a pretty good understanding of how machines work and was an extremely advanced Windows user in my day. I have installed Onyx, bought MainMenu, run the Disk Utilities thing to repair permissions from the DVD a few times as well. I have even tried apps like "Force Delete Trash" and whatnot. Nothing helps. What is wrong?? I get these errors ALL the time and have lost a LOT of files. Almost all my pictures from 2010.

C5

Message was edited by: catsfive

Macbook i7, Mac OS X (10.6.5), Crap Experience So Far

Posted on Nov 17, 2010 10:22 AM

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Answer 1

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Top-ranking reply

baltwo

Level 9

62,380 points

Nov 17, 2010 12:07 PM in response to William-Boyd-Jr

-47 is the file busy error.

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Answer 2

baltwo

Level 9

62,380 points

Nov 17, 2010 11:48 AM in response to catsfive

Since you're new, see:

Switching from Windows to Mac OS X,
Basic Tutorials on using a Mac,
Mac 101: Mac Essentials,
Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts,
Anatomy of a Mac,
MacTips, and
Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Snow Leopard Edition.

Additionally, *Texas Mac Man* recommends:

Quick Assist,
Welcome to the Switch To A Mac Guides,
Take Control E-books, and
A guide for switching to a Mac.

As for the file busy, download and run *Whats Keeping Me*. As for the other two, the first indicates you're running windoze, which I don't, and the third indicates that you've dumped your spotlight index on the Safe volume and don't have permission to delete it. For other trash issues, see http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/trash.html

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Answer 3

Nov 17, 2010 11:54 AM in response to catsfive

catsfive wrote:
Here is error 36:

Besides "baltwo"'s good advice, I've noticed that Windows under VMware Fusion tends to keep a lock on files that have been opened. The easiest solution I've found is to shut down Windows and Fusion. There may be some way to tell Windows to release files, but I don't have any incentive to learn how to do that.

I noticed that the subject of your post mentions error -47, although you never discussed that in the post itself.

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Answer 4

Nov 17, 2010 1:12 PM in response to baltwo

baltwo wrote:
-47 is the file busy error.

Thanks for clarifying. I read the text below, but didn't make the connection to the subject.

when I try to delete a directory, I get this error. The OS thinks the file is busy, even though the DIR is empty.

The OP didn't provide any additional information about what file(s) were involved with that, so it's difficult to offer advice.

Are those error explanations collected in one place anywhere? A search of Apple's knowledge base reported some hits for error codes related to OS 9. Some of those documents were updated in 2008!

Years ago I had an application what would decode Mac error codes, but the Internet and OS X have made that doubly-obsolete.

I thought that those error codes might relate to the error numbers in /usr/include/sys/errno.h, but no such luck.

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Answer 5

baltwo

Level 9

62,380 points

Nov 17, 2010 1:33 PM in response to William-Boyd-Jr

Most error codes are available via the Terminal: *macerror XXXX* where you include the negative sign, if applicable:

EX:
*$ macerror -36*
*Mac OS error -36 (ioErr): I/O error (bummers)*

Alternatively, most are contained in the MacErrors.h file included with Xcode Tools. Others are obtained by searching for errors.h with Spotlight, including system files. Here's a few:

AppKitErrors.h
AutomatorErrors.h
bindings-errors.html
CalendarStoreErrors.h
CFNetworkErrors.h
CFOpenDirectoryErrors.h
CoreDataErrors.h

Another search for error.h, reveals more, such as:

AVError.h
CFError.h
CMError.h

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Answer 6

Nov 17, 2010 4:30 PM in response to baltwo

baltwo wrote:
Most error codes are available via the Terminal: *macerror XXXX* where you include the negative sign, if applicable:

Thanks. That should be useful. It seems that macerror is a perl script. Since I'm not used to perl, I was unable to decipher where it got the information it reports.

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OSStatus Error -47? Rare error??