New Error Code -36 on Snow Leopard - will Lion fix this?

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New Error Code -36 on Snow Leopard - will Lion fix this?

Guys - I know that this has been asked before - but I've not seen a solution that works. Basically, I used my PNY City USB Flash Drive as an "on the go" container for movies, music and work files. I happily was (and still am) to move all content from the PNY to my PC and view all on my Toshiba Portable DVD player. Until last night, I could happily transfer movies at whim from either my iMac or my Macbook Air to PNY to watch on the go. Last night the dreaded error code -36 arrived, stopping me from writing ANY content from my two apple computers to the PNY. Then, I surfed the net for 3 hours and tried:

Disk Utility (Repair etc)

Terminal dot_clean

Jumping on the PNY stick, then my iMac, finally my Macbook Air

Breaking PNY stick in two.

Obvs, kidding about the last two. Nothing works. I've now ordered my Lion thumb drive as I've heard tell that this is a Snow Leopard-specific issue. It better be at £55 an upgrade.

Now everything except movie files (.mkv, .avi etc) can be moved from the apple computers to the PNY - but not what I need - the movies! I need the content on the PNY because this is what I stick in to my Toshiba to view content on my commute.

I use a PC at work and I've just copied items from the PNY to the PC which works, but has a write-protection error message preventing me. Seems like the PNY has flipped to write-protection? I can't remove it at the moment as at work and big brother does not give me permissions here to do that - I'll try it at home. BUT would be great to know:

(a) why this happens

(b) is there a solution

(c) has this been addressed by Lion - have any Lion users had this issue too?

Apple support says that it's 10.6.8 update fixed error code -36 - but it surely didn't on mine!

Cheers guys.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jan 12, 2012 3:45 AM

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Answer 1

Emzelld Author

Level 1

0 points

Jan 12, 2012 3:48 AM in response to Emzelld

PS guys, none of the files exceed 4GB

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Answer 2

WZZZ

Level 6

13,220 points

Jan 12, 2012 7:13 AM in response to Emzelld

Hi, if you've looked around, you've probably already seen this huge thread. But maybe not. You can start at the end and work your way to the beginning. Might also search "error code -36 OS X 10.7 Lion" to see if it's been resolved there. I think I"ve come across some -36s there too.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2231572?start=135&tstart=0

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Answer 3

fane_j

Level 4

3,697 points

Jan 12, 2012 4:08 PM in response to Emzelld

Emzelld wrote:

the dreaded error code -36 arrived

Error -36 is not a specific error or bug. It simply means input/output error, and nothing more. If it occurs when copying a file, it doesn't even tell you whether the issue is with the source or the target. It can be caused by any number of problems.

Apple support says that it's 10.6.8 update fixed error code -36

Where exactly does it say that? I can't find anything about an "error code -36" in the "about" doc

<http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4561>

Until last night, I could happily transfer movies at whim

In that case, it's not likely you're dealing with a bug in the OS.

from either my iMac or my Macbook Air […] PC which works, but has a write-protection error message preventing me. […]

So, let me get this straight.

You get an I/O error when you try to copy from one Mac.
You get an I/O error when you try to copy from another Mac.
And you get some kind of error or unexpected issue when trying to copy from the PC.

What exactly do all these three have in common?

First, that there's an error; second, that it occurs with the same "PNY City USB Flash Drive".

So what's your conclusion? That you've encountered some bug in Mac OS X? Or that there's some problem with the drive?

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