backup failing

[Dusky]

Originally Posted by chris hainstock

I am having similar problems with i/o error messages halting SD during backup.

I was having the same problems. I tried the following things to no avail:

The first thing to try is to take this file and duplicate it in the Finder. If it duplicates successfully, delete the original, rename the copy and try the backup again.

If you get an error, the file is damaged beyond recovery and likely has to be re-ripped from the original CD.

If, after this, the backup doesn't work, it's possible that you're getting bus interference on FireWire -- if you have any other devices attached to the FireWire bus, try disconnecting all but the backup drive.

I ran disk utility to check/repair the hard disk, but no problems were ever found. In addition, the S.M.A.R.T status indicated that the disk was fine ("verified"). I ran TechTools (included with my AppleCare plan) and it found errors ("Surface Scan" test). I backed up all the files that could be backed up (to a large extent, this was a manual thing) and took my PowerBook to an Applestore. When the Genius opened Disk Utility, the hard disk's name had changed colors: all red. It was time to have the hard disk replaced. The cost: about 400 bucks, but it turned out to be free thanks to AppleCare. I was told that it'd be ready in five days, or I could have it expedited (next day) for about 100 bucks. I declined the offer and went the standard route. Fortunately, it was ready within six hours.

One thing to note: it started one with one file being unreadable/unwriteable. The file played fine, but I could not make copies of it, not even within the folder. Soon the list of corrupted files grew. Approximately four days transpired between my suspecting a problem with my hard disk and its actual failure.

Had I had the paid version of SuperDuper and a clone of my two hard disk partitions, I would have ran SuperDuper's Smart Update. (One of my partitions didn't have a clone.) If a corrupted file would keep SuperDuper from doing a successful back up, I would have erased the corrupted file and tried Smart Updating again ("Erase and copy" would have taken too many attempts and a lot of time would have been wasted). To find the corrupted file, just look on the SuperDuper log. Unfortunately, you'd have to fish one file at a time.