Suddenly can't write to an external hard drive that I have been using consistently

I have been using a WD 1 terabyte external hard drive to transfer movie files between 2 MBP's and suddenly I cannot write any files to the HD.  The error message is that the external hard "cannot be modified" if I try to add any files.  I have tried the same hard drive on another MBP and it works fine and I can write to the hard drive (with the aid of Paragon NTFS for Mac OS).  I have Paragon NTFS on my computer as well and have been able to write to the hard drive previously. I spoke to Western Digital phone support and told them the problem and noted that the icon for the hard drive is grey with a clock on my computer and is orange on the other MBP.  They explained that the icon change was due to Time Machine on my computer.  I currently have Time Machine turned off.
Of note, I recently upgraded my internal hard drive on my computer to a WD 500 GB internal drive.  Not sure if this will make a difference.  Any help would be appreciated. Thanks,

Found the issue.  When I changed the internal hard drive, most softward transferred over, but not all.  I had to reinstall the Paragon NTFS and I was then able to write to the external hard drive.  That seemed to solve the problem.

Similar Messages

  • I have an external hard drive that I have been using for years.  All of a sudden my mac will not recognize the external as a "save as" device location.  But the external does show up on my desktop and I can open it to drag and drop items. Help.

    I have an external hard drive that I have been using for years.  All of a sudden my mac will not recognize the external as a "save as" device location.  But the external does show up on my desktop and I can open it to drag and drop items.  What happened and how do I get my mac to rerecognize the device?!?!?

    Hi,
    Check Finder>Preferences>Sidebar, is it checked there to show external drives?

  • Why do I need to reformat and erase backups on an external backup drive that I have been using for over a year, when I get this dialog box? The backup disk is not in Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format, which is required.

    The backup disk is not in Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format, which is required.

    Kappy's extensive hard drive formatting post - http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8340551 - note that instructions at end are for zeroing data.
    BDAqua's Formatting instructions - http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=8901255
    Pondini: Formatting,  Partitioning, Verifying,  and  Repairing  Disks... - http://pondini.org/OSX/Home.html

  • I am trying to confirm the time at which a particular backup occurred using an external hard drive that I have since misplaced. Although time machine lists the backup times for some backups, it does not list them for all. Can someone help?

    I am trying to confirm the time at which a particular backup occurred using an external hard drive that I have since misplaced. Although time machine lists the backup times for some backups, it does not list them for all, including the one in question. Can someone help?

    Okay, I've sussed it.  I saw a link to another discussion that hadn't turned up in any of my searches before I posted the question above.
    My Tosh HDD was formatted to FAT 32 and therefore would not be backed up by Time Machine.  I removed all data from it - nightmare as I hadn't enough space to put it on the macbook HDD, but, after trawling through numerous photos and deleting rubbish for hours, I finally made enough space and copied all data across.  Then, after clearing the data from the Tosh HDD, I used disk utilitity to reformat it to Mackintosh OS Extended.  Chose the option without kournalling because I'm not baking up onto this disk and so don't need it - according to some other discussions I found.
    When it was done I check on time machine in system prefs and once I selected options, I was able to remove it from the excluded from backups list.  Hey presto.  Now I'm moving my photo library and my music library onto the Tosh HDD and my macbook should start to breath again.  Hurray.

  • Where can I find a list of acceptable products that could have been used to apply to a Creative Suites Design Standard 4 Upsell?

    Where can I find a list of acceptable products that could have been used to apply to a Creative Suites Design Standard 4 Upsell?

    Upsells are completely independent of any specific requirements, which is the whole point.
    Mylenium

  • Can anyone suggest me any other fax services that you have been used?

    I have used Popfax Internet Fax Service for few years, I know that Popfax is currently available in 23 countries, including France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Switzerland, Moldova, Croatia, Ireland, Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States of America and Georgia.
    I also know that Popfax -allows free receiption of faxes, and WorldWide sending for only 0.07 USD / page. As well as subscribing to the package "Send and Receive" for one year, is only 68.99 USD with 50 pages included with this Fax Service
    More than that recently was launched SMS service, by using it you can send a SMS to any direction of the world, directly from the Provider's web site or email. It offers a Free Trial without the necessity of including the details from your credit card number.
    My question is can anyone suggest me any other fax services that you have been used, and you think has more advantages from different points of view than the  Internet Fax Service Provider I've mentioned above?

    RingCentral is one of those internet fax service providers that deals with a lot of features, easy accessibility and wide range of services add-ons when it comes to online faxing.

  • How do I back up my entire iphoto library to an external hard drive that I have dedicated for photos only?  Can I simply drag the iphoto library onto my seagate (hard drive) icon?

    How do I back up my entire iphoto library on to an external hard drive that will be my second back up plan.  I already have one back up that is also synched with time machine.  But now I want to back up my iphoto library to a new hard drive to have a second copy. Can I simply drag the whole library onto the icon on my desk top?  THX

    WHile you can do it that way, the next time you back up you'll end up copying the entire library again, and,as you'l see, once a library gets bigger that can take a considerable amount of time.
    Try using an app that will do incremental back ups. This is a very good way to work. The first time you run the back up the app will make a complete copy of the Library. Thereafter it will update the back up with the changes you have made. That makes subsequent back ups much faster. Many of these apps also have scheduling capabilities: So set it up and it will do the back up automatically.
    Example of such apps: Chronosync - but there are many others. Search on MacUpdate or the App Store

  • Can I backup to an external hard drive that has been formatted with windows?

    Hi, I am fairly new to mac.  I was wondering if I can backup my mac book pro using time machine to an external hard drive that has been formatted with windows.  Time machine is saying it must erase to the hard drive in order to do a backup? Please help. 

    No it has to be formatted for OS X. Mac Extended (Journaled).

  • Error Code -36; I can't write to an external hard drive

    I've Googled this extensively, but I haven't had any luck finding a solution. It's really frustrating.
    I recently -- after a long time putting it off -- ran all the most recent software updates. Made my computer run a lot better, but now I'm having external hard drive issues. Perhaps the updates were unrelated, but it seems awfully coincidental.
    When I try to transfer any large file (I've tried with a number of .avi's), I get 'Error Code -36.' Doesn't matter which hard drive I use (a Samsung 160Gb and a 1Tb Western Digital). Both are FAT-32, so they're readable on a PS3. Is the format the issue? Does my Mac now, for some reason, not like the PC format?
    I hope I've given enough information. Any help would be unbelievably appreciated.

    [General information on I/O error -36|http://fuzzy.wordpress.com/2006/12/10/ioerror-36>
    [Error -36 reported when copying files to external drive|http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=8467699]
    [Error -36 and filename characteristics|http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=9629287] - FAT drives may not like all Mac filenames
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8586572

  • I want to transfer most of my photos from my iPhoto library to my external hard drive. I have been getting the message that my start up disk is almost full. I want to transfer and then remove them from my computer and have them only stored externally.

    My start up disk needs more space and I have tons of photos on my computer that I want to transfer to my external hard drive and remove from my computer to free up space. How can I do this and make sure all my photos are still properly saved and transferred. I dont need to transfer my whole iPhoto library just some really old albums.

    Here is some help.
    https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3849933
    After confirming that all your stuff is on the drive, delete the photos you have copied. You will need to empty the iPhototrash to free up the space.

  • HT4848 Is it possible to partition an external hard drive that is already being used for Time Machine backups without it being erased?

    I'm want to use my current external hard drive, which I use for Time Machine Backup, as a recovery disk for Mac OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.2. From what I have read, the recovery disk assistant will erase all data on the external drive unless it is partitioned. Can I partition my current backup drive without erasing it, even though it is already being used for Time Machine?

    It's very simple to test.  Turn off your computer.  Have your time machine backup plugged in.  Hold option and turn it on, keeping option held.  Do you see your time machine drive?  If so, select it and press enter. You'll end up in recovery.  If it works, there you go.  Then just click the apple and restart to get back to your regular desktop.  Then you'll know for when you're ready to do the deed.
    Edit...
    I'm not sure if time machine will think it's an entirely different computer, though, when a hard drive changed, making an actual restore not doable.  Either way, you could still reinstall mt lion fresh and then just migrate after, skipping the need for SL.

  • I get an error message when I try to empty the trash in order to clear up an external hard drive.  I had been using it for time machine, have shifted that to a larger external hard drive, and want to free up the space for photographs.  Any suggestions?

    What should I do when I get an error message (error code - 8003) when I'm trying to empty the trash to clear up additional space on an external hard drive? 

    Yes. And you should not have moved that folder. Put it back. To move your iTunes library move the folder from User's Music.
    tt2

  • I am trying to make a DVD of some of my photos in iPhoto 11.   The photos are in iPhoto, but in one of my external hard drives.   I have been able to make DVD's just recently, but not now.  What can I do?  At the end I get a notice of "failure

    HELP, HELP, I am having difficulty making a DVD-R  of some photos I have in one of my folders in iPhoto 11.   I use iPhoto on my external HD.   I have never had problems before today making copies of my photos using DVD-R disk.   I am doing the same thing that worked before.   Some of my photos are going to be put in a gallery for showing and I need to make a DVD so they can choose which ones to display and enlarge the photos.   It was due TODAY!  Yikes!  At the end of each try I get a window saying "BURN FAILED - The burn to the OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5670S drive failed.  The disk drive didn't respond properly and can't recover or retry."    help...........

    How are you getting the photo onto the disk to burn?  Have you tried exporting then to a folder on the Desktop and then burning that folder to disk using the Finder.  That will give you a data disk with just the jpeg image files in the folder. 
    If that's what you're doing and getting the burn failed then it's a system or optical drive issue. 
    If you're using the Share  ➙ Burn menu in iPhoto that will create a disk with a mini iPhoto library on it that can only be used by another Mac running iPhoto.
    Can you elaborate on your workflow.
    OT

  • Cannot access my sea gate external hard drive that i have pictures and files on

    Finally starting using my imac that I purchased back in summer 2010 about 6 months ago. Plugged in my sea gate external desk top hard drive and cannot figure out were it is or how to access it. Found it under utilities and disk utilities, but cannot open its content. I am new to mac and this was used on a PC before. I cannot erase it, I have all my kids photos on it from birth. Any suggestions.

    When you open the finder do you see it in the Sidebar, if not then try this, make sure you are in the finder then click the finder menu then select preferences then click on the sidebar tab, make sure the external disk is checkbox is checked.  Also you can click on the general tab and make sure your had the external disks checkbox checked as well.  If you are still unable to read the drive if could be the format the drive is formatted as.  You can try downloading Paragon NTFS for Mac this program is designed to enable the Mac to write to NTFS, most Mac can read a NTFS formatted drive. 

  • I do not have permission to write in my external Hard Drive

    Hello everybody.
    I have recently bought a MacBook Pro (15, 2.16 Ghz with OS X 10.4.9) and I have a Beyond Micro 300Gb external Hard drive that I have been using with my PC. This drive has a Windows NT File System.
    When I first plugged it to the Mac, I changed its name to recognize it better. Now, I am not able to transfer documents from my Mac to it, but I am able to do so through the PC.
    Am I done something wrong?
    Am I blocked this drive? (Once open, I see a pen crossed on the lower left corner)
    And if so, Could I unblocked it to make it writable?
    When I try to transfer any documents with the Mac I get a message saying that I can't do it and because I do not have permission. (I am the administrator).
    I read a previous posting talking about a similar problem, but I really couldn't understand the solutions and/or differences beteween NTFS, FAT 32, MS-DOS and MacFuse (I am a complete novice).
    I also tried (as suggested in the posting) to use the Disk Utility to set the permissions from there, but when I select the external Hard Drive all the options are dimmed. Also, the info panel says I only have permissions to write, having no other available alternatives to choose from.
    The question is: How can I make this drive available to both Operating Systmes without erasing all the information inside (format)?
    Thank You in advance.
    Cordially,
    Juan Carlos
    MacBookPro   Mac OS X (10.4.9)  
    MacBookPro   Mac OS X (10.4.9)  
    MacBookPro   Mac OS X (10.4.9)  

    Thank You rvdparis
    I have just intalled MacFuse (with Tools and Core) and it does allow me now to read and write in my external Hard Drive.
    Once again, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
    And yes guys, this seems to work. Forget about formatting your external hard drive. MacFuse changes the permission instantly.
    Cordially,
    Juan Carlos
    MacBookPro   Mac OS X (10.4.9)  

Maybe you are looking for

  • Missing plug in PDF documents. Please help!!

    Hi Guys, I'm having trouble viewing some pdf documents - a message comes up saying missing plug in. Please help!!

  • My new RAM doesn't work with my iMac.

    Hello, I bought new RAM 4GB PC10600 DDR3 1333MHz SO-DIMM to installed in my iMac 3.4 GHz intel core i7, osx lion. I try to installed it alone without original RAM (2GB * 2 pcs) installed to check how it works. After press start button, there are 3 be

  • Help on model and aggregation

    Hi Experts, I am using models to calculate the value of particular members(at leaf level) of a dimensions. The expression is like this A=B-C where A is at leaf level and B and C is at second level from top. The values are precomputed for thisdimensio

  • Is it mandatory to create a project for every enhancement?

    Hello Gurus, I have written some code in one user exit. Now i have activated it and it is working fine. I wanted to know. is mandatory to create a project(in CMOD) for every user exit? Also what is the functionality of the project?

  • Logical Partiontining on Infocube

    Hi, I want to see the logical partiotining done on an Infocube. Can anyone please tell me how can I see the same. Regards