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User profile for user: aroomberg
aroomberg Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Writing to USB Drive - An unexpected error occurred (error code -50)

So here's the deal, I've got an older model mac mini running OSX 10.5.8 with a USB external HD that holds my iTunes Library.


Space was running low on the 500GB external so I copied (using rsync) the drive to a 1TB USB


Everything worked fine at first, but then when I went to add some music the next day nothing happened in iTunes, so I went to copy the music directly to the drive and I got this error:


The Operation Could Not Be Completed

An unexpected error occurred (error code -50)


Restarting the Mac Mini Fixes the issue, as does ejecting and re-mounting the USB Drive, but it still happens at least once a day and I can't seem to find any ryme or reason when it happens. When it happens everything on the drive still plays fine, I just can't write to it.


Drive is Toshiba Canvio formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled) & permissions seem to be correct.


Any help would be most appreciated.


Thanks

Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Jun 5, 2012 11:19 AM

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9 replies
User profile for user: aroomberg
aroomberg Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Jun 5, 2012 12:57 PM in response to BDAqua

Thanks for the help BDAqua,


After the first time the issue occurred I did try to check the box "Ignore ownership on this volume", but that did not fix the problem. (Should I leave it checked or unchecked in this case?)


As far as other users files and incompatible charachters, I don't believe this is the case, since it gives me the error even if I just try creating a new folder on the drive.


I did see that old -50 info before posting my question, but I didn't think that it quite fit my issue since my issue isn't limited to copying, and that problem seems to be when copying from a remote disk to the startup disk.


Any other thoughts?


Thanks again for your assistance.

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User profile for user: BDAqua
BDAqua
User level: Level 10
238,997 points

Jun 5, 2012 6:14 PM in response to aroomberg

I think the old info was incomplete & just mentioned the first instance/cure, I think it works both ways.


Leave it checked I think.


#1. Safe Boot from the HD, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, when done trash this file, then reboot & try it...


/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist


#2, In System Preferences>Accounts, unlock the lock, click the little + icon & add a new Admin user, log into that account & see if it works.

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User profile for user: aroomberg
aroomberg Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Jun 8, 2012 2:51 PM in response to BDAqua

#1 - Disk Utility won't let me verify or repair disk permissions on any of the external drives (The button is grayed out) I was under the impression that the OSX tools for disk permissions only pertained to the system drive.


#2 - isn't really an option for me. I'm using this mac mini as a webserver and there is a lot tied into the main admin user.


Any other ideas?


What I find the most odd is that after re-boot or re-mount it works fine, and then after some not set period of time it stops allowing me to write to it....


Thanks Again

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Writing to USB Drive - An unexpected error occurred (error code -50)

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