[Andrej]

I am trying to burn a 4 GB folder to a DVD for backup.

I cannot do so, in either Finder or Toast, because when either program goes to scan each file, about a third of the way through either program will crash/restart. I will then get back an error message in Toast with a crash log, and/or Finder will tell me that I have just inserted a blank disc.

What's going on?


Mac OS X 10.5.8
New blank DVD-R (already burned one successfully)
Toast 7.0.2 Titanium

[Cold Warrior]

Try zipping the folder and see if it'll burn the zipped folder.

[Andrej]

Backing up my zipped archive seemed to work.

So, what happened?

[Cold Warrior]

I'd check your HDD for errors. Maybe a bad or corrupt part of the platter.

[Andrej]

Well I already did a repair permissions. That didn't seem to help.

So, under iceClean, there are like 8 different ways I can check my hard drive. I recall using all these functions like two months ago, so maybe I'm not checking my HD correctly. What function should I use?

[Thorzdad]

What is in that folder? Any shortcut/alias to a different directory that isn't mounted? Or links to a directory that puts the burn over the size limit of a dvd?

[Andrej]

Inside of that folder is my life's work.

That means up to 20 folders deep worth of:

Artwork, graphics, photoshop files, educational files, movies, media, pictures, photo albums, text files, software, various java programs, website code, simulations, birthday lists/reminders, gift cards, and so on.

There may be any number of folder aliases in any of my subfolders.

[Andrej]

[one month later]


Guys, I need help again! I'm still getting the same problems when I record all my data to a DVD.

Toast crashes... and when I burn with the Finder, I get to about 10% of the way through, and then I get the following error message:


"The operation could not be completed because a required file could not be found error -43"


That disc is now completely useless!
I have no way to back up my data, other than chopping things up into like 8 different CDs, and I have no external hard drive (just a 2 GB flash drive).

How do I troubleshoot this? I feel like this "bug" (virus?) is haunting me.

[Cold Warrior]

If your life's work is on that single drive, relying on DVDs isn't commensurate with the value most people place on their data.

I recommend getting an external drive and using Time Machine to make incremental backups of your data.

Or you could keep zipping it up, then use something like ez7z to multipart (split) the zipped file into CD- or DVD-sized pieces.

did you try any of our suggestions like checking your HDD for errors (not permissions) and deleting any aliases/links to other drives or directories that would take the size beyond a DVD?

[Andrej]

Originally Posted by Cold Warrior 

did you try any of our suggestions like checking your HDD for errors (not permissions)

Well I asked above how I would go about doing that in iceClean, but no one answered that question, so I have no idea what I would check.

and deleting any aliases/links to other drives or directories that would take the size beyond a DVD?

So, are you saying that broken aliases might be causing all of this chaos?

I have tons of folders. How would I get rid of all of these alias folders without deleting my documents?

Also: From my experiences, Mac OS X versions 10.5.x (and maybe 10.4.x, I don't remember) have been absolutely notorious for randomly breaking my folder aliases for no real reason. Have you had these experiences?

As for taking more than the size of a DVD, in my Finder "burn" folder, it says that I have 20 MB free, I fill almost to the brim. If I have 20 MB free, then shouldn't the DVD burn with no problem? I'm not overfilled, am I?



EDIT:

Originally Posted by Cold Warrior 

did you try any of our suggestions like checking your HDD for errors (not permissions)

Well I asked above how I would go about doing that in iceClean, but no one answered that question, so I have no idea what I would check.

^^ Still no answer.

No help from you folks, I went and moved everything to a camera chip and backed up my data on an SDHC card... no problem.

[Andrej]

[Update 7 months later]


Well I've switched to a new burner, new media/discs, and Toast 10.

Unfortunately, I'm still having the same problem

I get an error message that goes something like "prefs.js" data fork error -39

The only file I know of called prefs.js is in my Application Support folder for Firefox. Finding the folder in Spotlight doesn't work, but I know where it is.

Anyways, I'll try the burn again without this file and I'll let you know what happens.
Shame, though, I couldn't stand to lose my Firefox browsing prefs. :pout:

[AKcrab]

Seriously. Go buy a hard drive!

[turtle777]

^ Seconded.

-t

[Andrej]

I HAVE a hard drive!

Second edit: Now it's fork error -43 and with com.apple.textedit.plist ?????


Oh wait a minute. Could these problems be happening because I have Firefox/Textedit open?

If so, then that would explain it... but I never had this problem with programs being open before (as in, two years ago)!
I see this seems to be a problem when I back up my preferences when they are being edited live.

Ah-ha. I see what I should do: I just need to copy / paste the preference files to a place where they won't be live-edited. I'll also need to keep iTunes closed during the burn process, since I'm backing up my live music data similarly.

Now I see what the problem is. And as usual your advice did not help.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Andrej 

And as usual your advice did not help.

Well, how could we know that you are such a genius, trying to burn open files

-t