can't copy files to external drive anymore (error code -36)

[DeltaMac]

So, is that all you have, a bad hard drive? All hard drives fail. Some last longer than others.
I understand your frustration, when one piece makes all the rest appear bad.

How long have you had your Mac?
If you are still in warranty, then get the hard drive replaced.

How long since you were last able to back up your hard drive?

[Doctor X]

In order to fix my drive issue I would have to buy another hard drive so I can back up and wipe the drive that's having the issue.

You should have that whether you have a Mac, PC , or even Timex Sinclair 3500. So much pain saved by a back-up. Huge-Ass Ext-HD are rather cheap nowadays. A cloning program can be free--Carbon Copy Cloner--or reasonable--SuperDuper!. I believe TimeMachine now makes bootable clones.

Add that to what DeltaMac wrote.

Take a few deep breaths

--J.D.

[Rex1000]

It's my external drive that's having problems, error message when I try to copy folders over (I can copy individual files, but not folders). I want to reinstate the external drive but I can't back up terabytes of data, without going and getting a new drive or burning multple disks. I also want to reinstall and or back up my Mac OSX to this external drive but I also get errors when I try to do this. Long story short things are broken and I'm tired of computers (in particular my MacBook). I've always had Mac products since the classic, as I mentioned before this MacBook has given me nothing but problems. And no I don't have apple care - y should I pay that cash out when I dropped 2500 on this MacBook - in my little world I'd think a company should stand behind their products, Mac offering apple care is basically them saying we know our products aren't reliable, so spend another 200-500$ for a warranty.. Just in case! I'm done with Mac, next purchase will be a 500$ windows pc, at least ill have a couple grand left over to fix it if it goes south.

[Doctor X]

It's my external drive that's having problems, . . .

is irrelevant to

in particular my MacBook

You have a bad/faulty/corrupt/whathaveyou external drive, it will be that way whether you connect it to a Macbook, PC laptop, or a rabid vole.

--J.D.