nicole991
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Can't copy files to external hard drive

I have had both my MacBook and external hard drive for over three years now, and have never had a problem. In the last week, my external hard drive stopped letting me copy files onto it. When you try to drag and drop it just comes up with the blocked symbol. I have tested this with other hard drives as well and keep getting the same error. I've read other forums where it seems the answer is just to reformat the hard drive to the correct format, but I've never had a problem before so it seems strange that the format would just suddenly change.

 

All suggestions welcome!

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.7.3)

Posted on May 26, 2012 1:39 AM

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nicole991

Q: Can't copy files to external hard drive

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  • by X423424X,

    X423424X X423424X May 26, 2012 2:51 AM in response to nicole991
    Level 6 (14,237 points)
    May 26, 2012 2:51 AM in response to nicole991

    In all this testing with other drives have you rebooted and then retested?

     

    Also repair/verify the drives with Disk Utility (assuimg it will let you after reboot).

  • by ieleven,

    ieleven ieleven May 26, 2012 11:52 AM in response to nicole991
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 26, 2012 11:52 AM in response to nicole991

    me to no problem until nowdays

     

    and the file is movies 1080 so is one file 7-8-9-10 gb

     

    the weird is i see the movie from memory stick

     

    but i cant copy

     

    i restared but i cant format the memory stick becouse i use it in windows

     

    helppppppppppppp

  • by nicole991,

    nicole991 nicole991 May 26, 2012 8:30 PM in response to X423424X
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 26, 2012 8:30 PM in response to X423424X

    Update to my issue - my external hard drive is no longer showing up in either Finder or Disk Utility. I tried connecting it to a PC as well, it installed the device driver software but wouldn't let me open the hard drive. Is it possible that my hard drive is corrupted?

  • by X423424X,

    X423424X X423424X May 26, 2012 9:58 PM in response to nicole991
    Level 6 (14,237 points)
    May 26, 2012 9:58 PM in response to nicole991

    It is possible the hard drive has failed, not corrupted.  Even a corrupted drive would usually be sensed by Disk Utility and show in its device list.  Disk Warrior is another possible drive rescue program but I doubt it will help here.

     

    Having said that, it cannot be rulled out that the enclosure itself has failed.  That's a more rare case but still possible.

  • by Deep1917,

    Deep1917 Deep1917 Oct 4, 2015 4:33 AM in response to X423424X
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 4, 2015 4:33 AM in response to X423424X

    I am having the same problem....after upgrading to el capitan, i can't copy files into my external hard drive...People who are talking about reformatting the hard drive, earlier in Yosemite the files could be copied to the external hard drive, so it's not a problem with the hard drive.

    Apple please find a fix for it asap.