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Level 1

4 points

Cannot copy files from iMac to Macbook pro over network

I am having an issue with Lion OS X 10.7.5 on both my MacBook Pro and iMac.

When trying to copy an .rtf file from iMac to MacBook Pro, over the network, and vice versa, I get the message that "Finder wants to make changes. Type your password to allow this."

Below this message window is another window showing a swirling progress bar and states "Preparing to copy to "desktop" and the name of the file.rtf I am trying to copy to the target machine. Simultaneously the .rtf icon and name of the file appears on the target machine desktop (which is the destination for the file to be copied) but the .rtf icon is empty (zero bytes) and cannot be opened.

So I ignore this and continue. When I submit my password I am then met by a message stating that, "A newer item named "xxxxxxx.rtf" already exists in this location. Do you want to replace it with the older one you're moving?" and I am given the 3 choices of "Keep both files" or "Stop" or "Replace".

If I chose "Keep both files" then over 6000 copies of the .rtf file appeared on the desktop of the target machine and the only way I can stop the copies being reproduced is by turning off Airport. Clicking the "Stop copy" only leaves the message that it is "stopping", but it does not, and the progress bar continues swirling and producing an infinite number of copies on the target machine until I turn off Airport.

If I choose "Replace" I get the message "The operation can't be completed because an item with the name """" already exists." and gives me no choice but to click OK.

The .rtf icon and name of the file on the source machine contains 1453 bytes but on the target machine the .rtf icon looks different and contains zero bytes and cannot be opened. The same goes for all the over 6000 copies that had been produced on the target machine. It is as if the outer shell of the file is copied but not the content!

I also have a Macbook running OS X 10.6.8 and there is no issue between MacBook Pro and Macbook, and there is no issue between iMac and Macbook, ONLY between MacBook Pro and iMac when attempting to copy by dragging, or by copy and paste, over the same network (all 3 machines are within a few meters of each other).

I've tried Restarting and Restarting with PRAM, on both machines. Stopping and Starting Airport. Tried with .jpg files as well as the .rtf files. Repaired Permissions. All to no avail. I put the rtf file onto a USB drive and then I can transfer from machine to machine without any problem - it just refuses to do so over the network.

Anyone know of a solution to this?

iMac (24-inch Mid 2007), Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on Oct 20, 2013 1:14 PM

24 replies

Oct 23, 2013 5:17 PM in response to Ronaldus

In the past.. I had to use a Flash stick to transfer something from one computer to another computer, until the problem got straightened out. I was in the middle of trying to getting something finished and completed in a hurry. If the file isn't too large or you have a large enough flash stick..this is a short term Quick Fix...

Ronaldus Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 24, 2013 4:49 AM in response to LondonTime

Hi London Time,

Thanks for your suggestion, which is a good short-term fix as you put it, but I'm looking for the permanent fix on this issue.

Cheers.

Ronaldus Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 24, 2013 4:55 AM in response to Linc Davis

Hi Linc,

Thanks for the suggestions.

No I apparently don't have an OD server (whatever that is).

I diligently went through the remaining 5 suggestions and regret to say that none of them solved the issue.

I have known for quite some time that the wireless network connection between MBP and IMAC often drops out, and I have to turn Airport Off and On again every time to re-establish the connection, but otherwise nothing to comment.

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Oct 24, 2013 7:21 AM in response to Ronaldus

the wireless network connection between MBP and IMAC often drops out

There is no direct wireless connection between them. Each one has connection to your router. If they are both losing connectivity to the router, then the router is likely at fault.

Ronaldus Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 24, 2013 8:04 AM in response to Linc Davis

Right, I am sure that this is the case, and in the new year we will be going over to Fibre network.

However, up until I installed a new hard disk on 18th October and then reinstalled Lion both on the 18th October and then again 23rd October, I had no problems copying to and from between MBP and IMAC. So I can't see that the router and my unstable network connection can be causing the copying problem.

Perhaps I have to live with this fault........

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Oct 24, 2013 10:10 AM in response to Ronaldus

Did you reinstall the OS on both machines? I don't mean restoring from a backup.

Ronaldus Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 24, 2013 10:53 AM in response to Linc Davis

I only reinstalled the OS X 10.7.5 on the iMAC, since that had the hard drive that had died on me. I did a clean install from the DVD that I burnt after downloading Lion from Apple, and prior to installing it for the first time, in August 2011. I also made a USB copy of Lion too, at the same time.

On the 18/10/13 I did a clean install of Lion, from the DVD, onto my new hard drive. Then, yesterday, I reinstalled Lion again from the same DVD to see if that would help resolve this issue. All files were then transferred to the iMAC from the MBP using a Firewire connection. Everything else functions properly on both machines.

Though the Account name is different on both machines the User Home Folder has the same name on both machines, can that cause a conflict?

As I said, prior to replacing the hard drive on the iMAC there was no issue between MBP and IMAC, but then the User Home Folder had different names on each machine.

Since my iMAC is from sept 2007 it should be compatible with the new Mavericks OS. Would installing that solve the problem or do you have any other suggestions?

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Oct 24, 2013 2:40 PM in response to Ronaldus

The short user name should be the same as the home folder name. I don't know what the effects of changing it would be.

Nov 28, 2013 12:22 PM in response to Linc Davis

I was having the same problem.

In short, I could copy FROM another remote Mac to the one I was sitting at.

But I could not copy TO that same, other remote Mac from the one I was sitting at.

I'd get the rapidly populating 0 byte file problem on the remote Mac until I killed the Finder.

FWIW, I too had the same short user name on both Macs, having migrated. But the UIDs were different. In retrospect, this is at least annoying, because when you mount the remote user folder on your local mac it has the same name as your own local user folder. Not sure if this generates the problem, but it makes it easy to misplace things and seems not ideal practice. But changing the short user name is a bit of a hassle.

In any case, my problem went away with a simple restart of the router I was using (AEBS). I hasn't returned. I had noticed I was unable to log out of the remote Mac as well; I'd hit the button in Network in the Finder but it would almost immediately sign back in, or at least remain signed in.

Cannot copy files from iMac to Macbook pro over network