Cannot move iPhoto Library: error code -36

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Cannot move iPhoto Library: error code -36

I am trying to move my iPhoto (V9.2.3) Library from MacBk Air (running 10.6.8) to an eternal HD formatted Extended (Journaled), and it quickly hangs and gives me the following: The Finder can’t complete the operation because some data in “iPhoto 2014malc Library” can’t be read or written. (Error code -36).

Same thing happens when I try to transfer the Library over the wireless network to my iMac.

I cannot find this error code online, except for a reference suggesting it is an I/O error.

Can I repair something? Delete a cache and rebuild?

(I already have a TimeMachine Backup which seems to have gone okay, but I want a second copy of the Library, which will become my new working source as I retire this laptop.)

Thanks for your suggestions 🙂

MacBook Air (13-inch Late 2010), Mac OS X (10.6.8), null

Posted on Oct 9, 2015 3:27 AM

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Answer 1

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Yer_Man

Level 10

162,242 points

Oct 21, 2015 1:49 AM in response to NP9

This can be caused by anything from a damaged metadata file to a locked one or just a permissions glitch.

The easiest solution is to use a back up application to - essentially - back up the Library to the new location. Any back up app that stores the data is in the same format will do (so that rules out Time Machine.) An App like Chronosync will do the job, but there are many others too

http://www.econtechnologies.com/about/products.html

This will make care of the little glitches as it does the job.

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Answer 2

NP9 Author

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Oct 21, 2015 2:15 AM in response to Yer_Man

Thank you! This seems to have done the trick. I actually used iPhoto Library Manager from Fat Cat Software because I was planning on getting it anyway, but I think it handled the data roughly the same way Chronosync would?... I successfully 'rebuilt' the library onto an external HD, and also successfully used the 'duplicate' library to make a copy on another computer. (Though toward the end of the rebuild process iPhoto did freeze with an 'unrecognized selector sent to instance...." message). Despite this, both seem to have all photos and open normally.

Now for the scary step of trashing the original library.

Thanks again for that speedy help 🙂

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