Error -36ioErr I/O error (bummers)

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Level 1

9 points

Error -36ioErr I/O error (bummers)

well I have been getting this error whenever I try to copy a file or back up with time machine and also when trying to play certain songs in itunes..
pretty much itunes tries to play the song but it hangs until I restart if I am copying a file then the finder does the same exact thing but I get the error message -36 ..

any idea how to fix this ? hardware tests show no troubles and all the utilities I tried show nothing out of the ordinary... At first I thought the HD was failing and had bad sectors but that would show in first aid and Disk warrior.. Help

macbook 2ghz, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Apr 13, 2011 2:57 PM

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Answer 1

Király

Level 6

10,017 points

Apr 13, 2011 3:55 PM in response to poldo

The -36 input/output error could be a variety of things:

-bad cable
-bad controller
-failing hard drive (Disk Utility and Disk Warrior are not guaranteed to report accurately that a drive is about to fail

Is this error occurring only with a secondary drive?

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Answer 2

poldo Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 13, 2011 4:01 PM in response to Király

No unfortunately It's my main drive.. I can't even back it up because it stops as soon as it finds a file in a bad sector.. so far it's only having troubles with files in the itunes folder..

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Answer 3

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Apr 13, 2011 4:38 PM in response to poldo

Back up all data on the drive. If you want to continue using it, which I wouldn't recommend, boot from your installation DVD and launch Disk Utility from the Utiliities menu. Select the boot volume and in the Erase tab, open the "Security Options" pane. Select "Zero Out Data" and click OK. Erase. This will force all bad sectors on the drive to be mapped out. Then install, reboot, and run Software Update repeatedly until all available updates are applied. Restore your data.

Preferably, though, you should replace the drive, as it's likely to fail again. Some of your files may be corrupted already, and you have no easy way to determine which ones.

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Answer 4

poldo Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 14, 2011 6:39 AM in response to Linc Davis

That's exactly what I was trying to avoid but I might not have a choice I just hate loosing a lot of my music

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Answer 5

Király

Level 6

10,017 points

Apr 14, 2011 9:19 AM in response to poldo

You do have backups though; right?

It might also be a bad logic board. That means that a new hard drive might also have the same problem. You'll have to get the logic board replaced if that is the case. Have you run Apple Hardware Test?

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Answer 6

poldo Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 14, 2011 2:17 PM in response to Király

Yeah the Apple hardware test shows no issues with anything ....that's why I am puzzled
but I am almost positive it's the drive, the problem shows only when I play music form itunes or try and copy or backup files in the itunes folder.. so my theory is that there is an issue with a section of the drive where files cant be read or written

I am going through the tedious work of backing up small batches of mp3s at the time hopefully I won't lose too many

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Answer 7

Oct 23, 2011 6:23 AM in response to poldo

May I ask how you solved this problem Poldo?

A friend of mine is experiencing the same problem these days.

A reply from you would be mostly appreciated.

Thanks.

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