"Disk error -36 occurred while reading or writing to a scratch disk. Sorry, but this error is unrec

[Chris...@adobeforums.com]

This happens doing unremarkable activities. On A: G5/power PC/OS 10.4.11/CS3/6.5 GB ram/93% or 2856 mb to PS/cache level 6. Using dual 1TB hd's, with PS on one hd, and the scratch disk on a 100 gb partition on the other hd. Have to force shut down the entire computer when this happens, turning off the power switch. Have sent in multiple crash reports. Surely Adobe must know about this.

Can someone direct me to other threads on this?

[Neil_...@adobeforums.com]

Chris,

Disk error -36 is not good. It's an input/output error, meaning that data is not be properly transmitted to or from your drive(s).

And I would suspect your drives. From the size of your drives, they appear to be new installations on your G5. Maybe one of the drives is failing. Maybe one of the drives has not be configured correctly (should be HFS Extended (Journaled but NOT case-sensitive). Maybe the connection cables (data and power) are not securely in place. Maybe the jumpers on the drive are incorrectly positioned.

I see that you have additional RAM as well. If the RAM is not SPECIFIC to your G5 model, if it is bad, or if it is not properly seated or installed, you could also have a problem.

In addition (less likely), all your apps should be in their default installation locations in the Applications folder, without being moved, additionally nested or renamed.

Also (less likely, but probably needed anyway), run Disk Utility to repair permissions and repair (boot off the Mac OS X disc to repair your startup drive). Run DiskWarrior as well.

Hope this gives you some starting points.

Neil

[Chri...@adobeforums.com]

"Have to force shut down the entire computer when this happens"

That's a really good indication that the software is not at fault.
Yeah, you're looking at a bad drive or logic board.

[Chris...@adobeforums.com]

Thanks Neil and Chris for the suggestions.

After running Disk Warrior, which said my "S.M.A.R.T." drives were ok, I emailed Alosoft tech support, with this reply: "The error (-36) indicates an input/output error - that a portion of the hard drive is physically damaged. No software can repair a physical problem with a hard drive. You want to backup all of your files from this hard drive and discard
the drive."

Luckily the "scratch" partition was the only part of the drive I was getting the error for, and nothing was lost on the other two, back-up partitions.

Since this was a Seagate drive with a 5-year warranty, they are sending me a new one. They said: "If Alosoft says it's a bad drive, then it is."

I got off easy this time!

[Neil_...@adobeforums.com]

Sorry, but this error is unrec

...as in "unrecoverable". I suspect that S.M.A.R.T. technology ain't. Or it just isn't comprehensive.

BTW, it's "Alsoft".

Neil

[Neil_...@adobeforums.com]

Sorry, but this error is unrec

...as in "unrecoverable". I suspect that S.M.A.R.T. technology isn't so smart. Or it just isn't as comprehensive as one would hope.