Error copying files to other drives: "Could not copy file "XXXXXX.XXX" because it's being used."

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Error copying files to other drives: "Could not copy file "XXXXXX.XXX" because it's being used."

Since I upgraded my iMac i5 21.5" from OSX Lion to Mountain Lion, I've being facing problems by copying files from my HD to another drives. When I try to copy one or more files to my Time Capsule, or Flash Drive, or SD Card (for example) I frequently receive the message "Could not copy "xxxxxxx.xxx" file because it's being used." after insist some times, the file is transfered. This error is being more and more frequent each time. Curiously, this only happens when copying from my HD to another drive. Never had that copying to the same HD. I have other Macs runing M.L. and S.L. which are doing fine. The only machine that's giving this kind or error is this one. Any tip?

OS X Mountain Lion

Posted on May 14, 2013 5:03 AM

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Answer 1

Eric Ross

Level 6

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May 14, 2013 5:08 AM in response to detonart

Try using disk utility to verify/repair your hard drive also repair permissions.

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Answer 2

detonart Author

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May 14, 2013 9:46 AM in response to Eric Ross

Yep. I already tried that, but it didn't work.

The Disk Utility performed some (minimum) corrections but the problem persists.

I also tried to change the read/write permissions to each file/folder that I try to copy.

That didn't work either.

The performance of this machine also got sensibly worst!

Sometimes I feel like I was running Windows Vista

I'm thinking about formating this machine and reinstall everything from the ground.
That's the last thing I still haven't tried!

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Answer 3

putnik

Level 4

1,179 points

May 14, 2013 10:29 AM in response to detonart

May I ask if you transferred your User Account from another disk during the upgrade, using Migration Assistant? Then the other thing is to start in Safe Mode, to eliminate possible interference from third party apps that may still require updating.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1455?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

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Answer 4

Eric Root

Level 10

684,039 points

May 14, 2013 10:31 AM in response to detonart

Try setting up another admin user account to see if the same problem continues. If Back-to-My Mac is selected in System Preferences, the Guest account will not work. The intent is to see if it is specific to one account or a system wide problem. This account can be deleted later.

Isolating an issue by using another user account

General information.

Isolating issues in Mac OS X

Troubleshooting Permission Issues

Step by Step to Fix Your Mac

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Answer 5

detonart Author

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May 14, 2013 10:40 AM in response to putnik

This is a one year old machine. It came originaly with OSX Lion. I've set it up out of the box and after 3 months I upgraded to Mountain Lion. Since then, this has been happening. I have other machines running Mountain Lion and Snow Leopard that doesn't give this kind of error.

I'll try to create another user to see if it helps. But I'm not so hopeful about that.

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Answer 6

Eric Root

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684,039 points

May 14, 2013 1:04 PM in response to detonart

What happened when you tried the Safe Mode?

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Answer 7

detonart Author

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May 14, 2013 2:03 PM in response to detonart

Same thing on the Safe Mode. I put 12 files to transfer (565 MB total) it took almost 5 minutes and gave the error in the 8th file. So I tried to transfer each one at a time and had the error 3 times again (twice with the same file and once with another). I tried a couple times again and could complete all the transfers. I created a new admin. account now... will try to transfer under that. Will be back soon to tell what happened.

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Answer 8

Eric Root

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684,039 points

May 14, 2013 2:19 PM in response to detonart

It sounds like you may have corrupted files.

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Answer 9

putnik

Level 4

1,179 points

May 14, 2013 2:26 PM in response to Eric Root

I wonder if it could be a permissions problem stemming from the initial installation. This is why I asked about the use of Migration Assistant. Maybe Pondini's guide on this can give a clue?

http://pondini.org/OSX/MigrationProblems.html

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Answer 10

Eric Ross

Level 6

11,807 points

May 14, 2013 2:26 PM in response to detonart

Could you tell me the format of the external hard drive? go into disk utility and click on your external hard drive then click the info icon.

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Answer 11

detonart Author

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May 15, 2013 3:46 AM in response to Eric Root

I set up another admin account and it looks like the problem doesn't happens on that. I transfered 8 GB of data from Time Capsule to my HD and after, transfered that to other drive and everything wents fine. It may be some kind of weird config in my account. I'll try to move my stuff to this new account to see what happens. Thanks for the tip!

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Answer 12

detonart Author

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May 15, 2013 3:50 AM in response to Eric Ross

Eric there's not an unique kind of format. ANY kind of external drive is giving error, even transfers over the network to my Time Capsule. External HDs, Flash Drives, SD Cards... any media gives the same error. It only doesn't happens when I transfer files FROM that TO my HD or from the same source to the same source.

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Answer 13

putnik

Level 4

1,179 points

May 15, 2013 5:47 AM in response to detonart

Try copy/pasting this command into Terminal, both in the account you are using and the old computer account. The UID needs to be the same for accessing files.

dscl . -list /Users UniqueID

Here is mine for the Account Name "Mick"

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Answer 14

Eric Root

Level 10

684,039 points

May 15, 2013 9:57 AM in response to detonart

You may need to rebuild permissions on your old user account. To do this,boot to your Recovery partition (holding down the Command and R keys while booting) and open Terminal from the Utilities menu. In Terminal, type: 'resetpassword' (without the 's) and select the admin user. You are not going to reset your password. Click on the icon for your Macs hard drive at the top. From the drop down below it select the user account which is having issues. At the bottom of the window, you'll see an area labeled Restore Home Directory Permissions and ACLs. Click the reset button there. The process takes a few minutes. When complete, restart.

http://osxdaily.com/2011/11/15/repair-user-permissions-in-mac-os-x-lion/

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Answer 15

detonart Author

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May 15, 2013 10:45 AM in response to Eric Root

GREAT!

This seems to be solved the issue!

I transfered a folder with 941 files (4.5 GB) from my HD to the Time Capsule and no errors ocurred.

Actualy, the machine looks pretty faster now!

Thank you so much!

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