Can't copy files from CD/DVD to Desktop

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Can't copy files from CD/DVD to Desktop

All of a sudden, last night, my Mac stopped copying files that I had backed up onto CDs and DVDs back onto the desktop. If I use applications on the computer, they access the files on the disks just fine, but it won't allow me to simply drag and drop them to the desktop, the finder, or anywhere. When I do, instead of the little green plus sign that says it's okay to do so, I get a white circle with a line through it.

According to the ownership and permissions info, I have permission to read and write the files, and they are unlocked. I am not aware of changing anything, and I did not have any problem dragging and dropping files before yesterday.

Can someone please help?

iMac Mac OS X (10.4.9)

Posted on Apr 19, 2007 5:41 AM

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Answer 1

a brody

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Apr 19, 2007 5:56 AM in response to Penelopecat

Welcome to Apple Discussions!

Try repairing permissions with Applications -> Utilities -> Disk Utility.

Verify your Users -> yourname -> Desktop folder is not gone and that its permissions are good to be written to.
That folder contains the contents of whatever was on the desktop except for mounted volumes and disks.

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Answer 2

Penelopecat Author

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Apr 19, 2007 7:30 AM in response to a brody

I have tried that, and the permissions for my desktop say I can read and write. But I still can't copy anything from any mounted volumes or disks (if I'm understanding what that means; such a novice, sorry). I hadn't checked earlier, but I am also not able to copy anything from my USB drive.

Just to be sure that I am doing this correctly, after opening the Disk Utility, I clicked on the Repair Disk Permissions button.

When that was finished, I went into the finder, went to Users -> myname -> Desktop, saw that it was there, and used Get Info to look at the permissions, which say I have read and write permissions.

As I say, if that was what I was supposed to do, it did not resolve the problem.

iMac Mac OS X (10.4.9)

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Answer 3

a brody

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Apr 19, 2007 10:04 AM in response to Penelopecat

This sounds like one of the cache files got corrupted. See if the issue persists in another user by creating a new admin user with Apple menu -> System preferences -> accounts, and logging out via the Apple menu.

If issues persist there, then you have a systemwide problem, if they don't the problem is limited to the original user's library folder. Please let us know which one this is?

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Answer 4

Penelopecat Author

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Apr 19, 2007 10:46 AM in response to a brody

I created a new account, and was able to copy one file from a CD (that I had copied from my computer, originally) and several from my USB drive. So it would appear it is limited to my original library folder.

Where do I go from here?

(Thank you, by the way, for taking the time to help me.)

iMac Mac OS X (10.4.9)

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Answer 5

Penelopecat Author

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Apr 19, 2007 10:53 AM in response to a brody

If it is of any help, the most recent activity I have done on the computer was to edit video using iMovie and create and burn a DVD using a program called VisualHub. I had done these things recently, and still been able to drag and drop files from CDs and my USB drive, but last night that seemed to change.

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Answer 6

Penelopecat Author

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Apr 19, 2007 11:01 AM in response to a brody

Okay, I take it back. After I was successfully able to copy files under the new login, I went back to the original login and discovered I could now drag and drop files from a CD onto my desktop. It worked twice, then went back to the earlier problem. So I went back into the new account, where I had successfully been able to copy the files, and discovered that now I cannot copy files to the desktop under that login.

So maybe it is a systemwide problem after all.

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Answer 7

a brody

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Apr 19, 2007 6:24 PM in response to Penelopecat

Are you using any cache cleaning software? Because if you are, stop. It may be corrupting your system wide cache. Those include Macaroni, Cocktail, Onyx, Applejack to name a few.

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Answer 8

Penelopecat Author

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Apr 19, 2007 10:01 PM in response to a brody

No, I am not using anything like that.

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Answer 9

a brody

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Apr 20, 2007 4:22 AM in response to Penelopecat

How full is your hard drive? How much space is there on it for you to put data on?

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Answer 10

Penelopecat Author

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Apr 20, 2007 6:12 AM in response to a brody

A little over 82 GB.

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Answer 11

a brody

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Apr 20, 2007 6:15 AM in response to Penelopecat

82 GB out of how much is filled up?

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Answer 12

Penelopecat Author

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Apr 20, 2007 6:18 AM in response to a brody

232.57 GB

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Answer 13

a brody

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Apr 20, 2007 6:30 AM in response to Penelopecat

I would contact the authors of VisualHub and ask them if they are aware of any bugs which may have caused this.

Also is your data backed up from before this happening?

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Answer 14

Penelopecat Author

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Apr 20, 2007 6:41 AM in response to a brody

Most of my data is backed up, yes. Not all.

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Answer 15

a brody

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Apr 20, 2007 6:51 AM in response to Penelopecat

If you can repair permissions again, and copy the stuff to an external hard disk that is Firewire that hasn't yet been backed up that would be useful. See my FAQ on backing up*:

http://www.macmaps.com/backup.html

Once you are satisfied you are backed up, we can examine other causes of your problem.

* Links to my pages may give me compensation.

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