Disabling USB hard drives but allowing USB keys mounting, possible ?

Hi all,
I have a tricky request from one of my customers : they would like to block any external hard drives (firewire and USB) from mounting on the Desktop, BUT would like to allow USB keys only.
All the clients are unmanaged (local accounts, NOT bound to an Open Directory Master server) and are running OS X 10.4.8 (Intel).
I found the easy way to prevent any Firewire device to show up.
I also found how to disable all USB devices (except for keyboard/mouse) : renaming /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBMassStorageClass.kext
Problem is, this method won't make any difference between a hard drive and a key, it will block it, period.
Is there any way to allow some (or all) USB keys only to mount ? My only guess would be to unload some extensions which are listed by the "kextstat" command.
That could only be possible if USB keys and USB hard drives don't use the same kind/brand of controller/bridge and therefore don't use the same kernel extension.
Does anyone have a clue on this ?
Many thanks.
  Mac OS X (10.4.8)  

Hi all,
I have a tricky request from one of my customers : they would like to block any external hard drives (firewire and USB) from mounting on the Desktop, BUT would like to allow USB keys only.
All the clients are unmanaged (local accounts, NOT bound to an Open Directory Master server) and are running OS X 10.4.8 (Intel).
I found the easy way to prevent any Firewire device to show up.
I also found how to disable all USB devices (except for keyboard/mouse) : renaming /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBMassStorageClass.kext
Problem is, this method won't make any difference between a hard drive and a key, it will block it, period.
Is there any way to allow some (or all) USB keys only to mount ? My only guess would be to unload some extensions which are listed by the "kextstat" command.
That could only be possible if USB keys and USB hard drives don't use the same kind/brand of controller/bridge and therefore don't use the same kernel extension.
Does anyone have a clue on this ?
Many thanks.
  Mac OS X (10.4.8)  

Similar Messages

  • Airport "sees" USB hard drives, but Finder can't find them!

    Yesterday, my iMac's Finder could see my external USB hard drive connected to AIrport, but not today. Airport sees it right now--I've checked and updated it and restarted it. Finder still can't find the drive. I click on my Airport connection in the Finder sidebar, my usual route to the hard drive, but the connection window hangs. And hangs. I need access to the files on that hard drive. Problem is, another iMac using Tiger needs access, too, so I can't disconnect arbitrarily. With that iMac, Tiger's Finder sees the files, and can access them. But not this 20" 2.4G iMac with Leopard 10.5.3. What's going on?

    floba,
    the first solution, clearing the entire index and letting it rebuild, did not work.
    But setting the drive in 'privacy' and then removing it did immediately work, my search window which was left open refreshed instantly to reveal my items. I'm curious however if it will stick..
    i have another issue that may be completely unrelated, but maybe not..
    i clear my spotlight shortcut key (command+spacebar) because it conflicts with common Adobe app commands i use. But i frequently will find that this shortcut key is RE-ENABLED. At the same time, my shortcut to use Spaces (command+f8, command+arrow keys, and command+numk keys) are CLEARED as if i had never set them. This happens consistently and is frustrating. I don't reboot very often, but i under 10.5.2 i often came home to find my computer has locked up, so it would seem these shortcuts all reset when i reboot, and i wonder if my external drive index is lost every time the drives are ejected.
    Vista's completely useless search features were a main reason i gave my PC's away and bought macs. I'm obviously finding these failings frustrating on the mac. I'm even more disappointed at the news Snow Leopard is a bug fix and is selling as a separate OS. Installing additional programs is not an option, i want the OS to do what i tell it to do /rant

  • Share usb hard drive with a usb hub

    I have a USB Hub connect to the AEBS with a Dymo Label Writer and a WD USB drive connected. While I see the drive and the printers in the Airport Utility, I can't seem to connect to them from either WinXP Pro computer.
    Any idea what is wrong that I can't see them

    Hey guys, thank you all for your replies!
    Given actual price of hardware, I went for a totally different solution...
    I bough a used PC which I boosted with 4 GB of RAM... it's a intel dual core... and I plugged in a Terabyte SATA drive.
    It's much less expensive than a mac mini.
    Then I installed Ubuntu Server LTS and Samba for file sharing... FREE of course
    All that to get a very great file server that acts in PDC (security=domain) mode so it's totally great
    None of the NAS I reviewed gave me enough freedom for the file sharing management that I wanted, and the mac mini + leopard server solution where too expensive.
    Once my little company grows, imma get a Xserve fo sho but for now, this setup is the best for me
    once again, thank you for your replies

  • R & R problem restoring files from usb hard drive

    First, I am new to the forum so forgive me ahead of time if I violate any rules...
    My probelem involves:
    Rescue and Recovery 4,21
    Thinkpad x61 Tablet
    Vista Business 32 bit, Service pack 2
    USB hard drive
    Here are the details - I restored my system from a backup (on a usb hard drive) using R & R. I chose the option to save the files that were created or changed since the backup to the usb hard drive. The restoration was successful (mostly - so far). However, I have been unable to restore individual files from the usb hard drive that I saved as part of the restoration process. I can see the files on the usb hard drive, but they do not appear when I attempt to restore them using R & R. How can I restore these individual files? Thanks in advance. 

    Mmm ok thanks I'll look I to that then. To be honest, HFSExplorer has been pretty good but sometimes doesn't work. So I'll check out what you suggested.
    Thx

  • WRT350N USB Hard Drive Connection

    I've got my WRT350N router setup and it works great with wireless/wired connection to my laptop (running XP).  I just got a USB hard drive, but am having trouble connecting it to my router, I'm just not sure how to do it.  In the web setup utility, I know the router sees it cause under the STORAGE->DISK tab, it shows details of my drive (80gb, NTFS).  I read thru the manual, but it doesn't really say how to configure it (or at least I'm not seeing it). I also tried mapping the drive, but kinda wasn't sure what folder to point to, as the drive didn't show up as an option.  I'm lost.......Can anyone please help me? 

    access the router's web ui and go to the "storage" tab , click on the "share" subtab ... create a new share for a particular partition ... then modify the share access
    go to the " administration" subtab and ensure that the workgroup name is the same as that on your other computers ...

  • Why does AirPort Extreme stop working when I plug in a USB hard drive?

    Why does Airport Extreme stop working when I plug in a USB hard drive?  The USB drive has its own power supply.  I've tried isolating the hard drive from Airport using a powered USB hub to no avail.

    The USB port on the AirPort Extreme is borderline as far as its ability to supply adequate power to a hard drive. Another way of saying the same thing is that this is not a high power USB port, like you would find on a computer.
    Your 2TB drive likely requires a bit more current than the USB port on the AirPort Extreme can supply. It is also possible that the drive's firmware may not support a network USB connection....only a "local" connection to a computer. Check with Seagate support on that possibility.
    Try using a powered USB hub with the 2TB drive....and make sure that the drive is formatted correctly in Mac OS Extended (Journaled) or FAT32....which the AirPort Extreme USB port can accept.

  • USB Hard Drives Mount via AEBS but are Empty/Blank

    I just came home with a new AIrport Extreme Base Station, bought so I could access my USB hard drives anywhere in the house. Before setting out this morning I read on the AEBS product page that you could connect multiple drives or printers using a USB hub, so was quite pleased.
    I got it home, plugged in the hub, connected the ethernet, and connected to the AEBS from my MacBook Pro. I configured it to share my EPSON printer and the two USB hard drives I use. They all show in the Airport Utility. Configured security, updated, and mounted my drives. And they do mount, both of them show under "shared" in Finder.
    The only problem is: They are both BLANK. There are no folders or files showing on them whatsoever. I panicked and plugged them straight into my MBP, hoping the AEBS hadn't formatted them or something, but the files were there and okay. I plugged them back into the hub... And nothing.
    I see lots of threads having to do with people who cannot mount their drives, but that's not my problem. They MOUNT fine, they just don't have any files on them. Can anyone help? If not, the AEBS goes back to the store.

    UPDATE: I managed to gain access to my files by switching (within the AEBS settings) from user-based sharing to a simple drive password. Once I did that I was able to browse and use my USB hard drives over the airport.
    However, I would like to use the account-based system, so I'm modifying my question and adding another.
    1) Why can't I see my files on USB drives connected to the AEBS when I'm using user-based security?
    2) When I change users on my MacBook Pro, the other users cannot access the drives connected to the AEBS. I've got one password set now, using drive security (and I also tried it using the AEBS password for security), but it only works on my account. On other accounts, the user is informed that the password is invalid, even though I know I'm typing it correctly.
    Basically I either need to get the AEBS to share my drives, with files, using user-based security or convince it to allow other users in when I have drive or base station password security for the drives.
    Any help... Much appreciated!

  • How to use iPad (4th gen) to edit with iMovie - but using an external source such as a USB stick or external USB hard drive

    Want to use my iPad (4th gen) to edit a movie using iMovie - easy enough if the movie file is on the iPad - but what if it's too large - can I keep the source file on a USB stick or external USB hard drive and edit from there?  How can you do this?

    You can't export any type of file using the camera connection kit, so a USB flash drive or SD card won't work.
    There are some wireless external hard drives that can be used with the iPad.
    The Kingston Wi-Drive, which costs $50 for the 16 Gigabyte, and then $30 more for every 16 gigs more. It works by you turning it on and then accessing the files on it from an app that you download on your iDevice. You can access music, movies, and other stuff. No connections or anything, it works like a WiFi connection, you connect to it from the setting on the iPad under wireless networks.
    Then there is the Seagate GoFlex, which some would recommend over the Wi-Drive. But this one costs $199 and had 500 Gigabytes of storage. It works the sameway as the Kingston: no wires, runs over its wireless connection. You can actually fit up to 300 HD movies on it.
    Another option:
    Expand your iPad's storage capacity with HyperDrive
    http://www.macworld.com/article/1153935/hyperdrive.html
    On the road with a camera, an iPad, and a Hyperdrive
    http://www.macworld.com/article/1160231/ipadhyperdrive.html
     Cheers, Tom

  • Win7 can't boot in USB hard drive blue screen 7b error,but can boot when use PD8

    Install Win7 64bit in a USB hard drive through some tools,when start windows the microsoft logo appear,get blue screen.
    ***stop:0x0000007B(0x80786B58,0xC0000034,0x00000000,0x00000000)
    problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent  damage to your computer.If  this is the first you've seen this stop  error screen restart your computer .If this screen appears again.follow these steps:Check for viruses on  your computer.Remove any newly hard drives or hard drive  controllers.Check your hard drive to make sure it is  properly.Configured and terminated.Run DCHKDSK/F to check for hard  drive corrption,and then restart your computer.
    Technical:
    ***stop:0x0000007B(0x80786B58,0xC0000034,0x00000000,0x00000000)
    But when use Parallels Desktop 8 My boot camp ,the win7 can boot normally.
    Any solution?
    Thank you.

    Hi,
    If this issue is related with firmare, then it's recommend to contact the vender\manufacture, if you got any update of this issue, we'd be appreciate that you could share your experience with us.
    Regards
    Yolanda Zhu
    TechNet Community Support

  • Photoshop Elements 12 will not let me save files edited on a usb flash drive, but will photos on the hard drive all other apts will on the flash drive

    Photoshop Elements 12 will not let me save files edited on a usb flash drive, but will photos on the hard drive all other apts will on the flash drive

    Thanks for the information and your help. I have never bothered before changing the format. Next time I will.
    I copied the library to the external drive and then it went and said they were referenced files but I was okay about that. Now it cannot see them and will not do anything with them. I think I will buy another external drive and start again by importing all of my files again. I guess 55K will keep the mac busy this week.

  • I have received an error message from an attached USB hard drive (not Time Capsule) stating "Disk Name" cannot be repaired. Back up your data and reformat. I opened the Disk Utility in an attempt to repair the disk but am advised that the disk "could not

    I have received an error message relating to an attached USB hard drive (not a back up and not Time Capsule) advising that "disk name" cannot be repaired. Back up your data and reformat. When I attempted to verify the disk with Disk Utility, I was advised that the disk could not be unmounted. What can I do to repair the disk?
    Write Status is Read/Write
    SMART Status is Not Supported
    Partition Map Scheme is Master Boot Record
    HELP!
    timothy7712

    You need something stronger, such as DiskWarrior, TechTools Pro, or Data Rescue.

  • Usb hard drive and AirPort Extreme

    I have been using an external usb hard drive connected to my Airport Extreme to store music which is then picked up by a Sonos system to play music even when my iMac is switched off - has been working great.  However I became aware recently (and I think this pre-dates upgrading my iMac to Mountain Lion) that my external hard drive no longer shows up as a shared drive within Finder.  If I go into Airport Utility / Edit / Disks - 'enable file sharing' is checked.  Disk Utility doesn't see the drive but I'm not sure that really means anything as a network drive rather than a drive connected directly to the iMac.
    Has some recent upgrade disabled network drives on Airport Extreme's (ie assuming we are all now backing up to iCloud so don't need it)?
    Thanks

    OK, I feel silly on this one. 
    After looking for issues with the airport and not finding any and needing a file from my backup drive, I had to connect it up to my PC. That's when I found my solution.
    The Drive I had connected had stopped responding. That's why the Airport was not showing it and not allowing connections. I had power cycled the drive a few times while testing, just not long enough. I unplugged the drive for 2 minutes, all cables, then reconnected. After about 5 minutes, the Airport was able to confirm the drive and turned the share back on.
    Hope that helps.

  • Unable to eject external USB hard drive

    I've been using a 500 gb WD Passport external USB hard drive for about six months now, and recently it's had trouble ejecting. I'm not sure if it's the drive itself or my OS; sometimes I can eject it, other times I get the "the disk __ wasn't ejected because one or more programs may be using it.".
    There are NO programs using the drive, and no users connected to the drive from elsewhere. Is there some process in the activity monitor that may be preventing the disk from unmounting?
    I've tried to log out, relaunch the finder, quite all programs, etc - but the only sure fire method is to restart the computer - which leads me to believe there is some underlying system process that is causing the eject sequence to hang...
    Any ideas? Will I potentially harm my disk's contents by force ejecting every time (so long as I'm certain no programs are writing files)?
    Thanks!

    I'm aslo having problems with a USB drive. In this case it's my Time Machine drive. Similar symptom that the only way to eject it is to restart the computer. Otherwise I get the same message. I also tried the Terminal command with the drag/return. What showed was an empty command line:
    +ip-109-43-193-109:~ user$+
    Now, the reason why I've even tried to do this is because I'm having problems backing up withTime Machine. Upon boot up, the first backup always works, but typically any subsequent b/up will fail with the following error code:
    +Starting standard backup+
    +Backing up to: /Volumes/Jimz TM 2/Backups.backupdb+
    +Error: (22) setxattr for key:com.apple.backupd.ModelID path:/Volumes/Jimz TM 2/Backups.backupdb/user's MBP size:13+
    +Error: (-50) Creating directory 2010-07-08-112436.inProgress+
    +Failed to make snapshot container.+
    +Error: (22) setxattr for key:com.apple.backupd.ModelID path:/Volumes/Jimz TM 2/Backups.backupdb/user's MBP size:13+
    +Backup failed with error: 2+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    +Stopping backupd to allow ejection of backup destination disk!+
    Also, this is the first time that I've seen the error lines regarding ejection of the disc.
    Thanks in advance for any thoughts on this.

  • Accessing a USB hard drive connected to a AEBS from Windows XP SP2

    Hi everybody my problem is this, I am using the AEBS. I have an iMac G5 and a Sony vaio laptop running Windows XP SP2. After some initial problems both connect to the Internet and if I attach a USB printer to the AEBS both allow you to print remotely however if I attach an external hard drive only the iMac can access it. The airport disk agent for Windows pops up that a disk has become available but when you try to access it you get an alert message that says, “unknown user, incorrect password, or login is disabled. Please retype login information or contact the disk’s administrator.” If you click on the preferences in Airport Disk, in Windows, no disk is visible although the disk is visible in the Airport Utility! I have tried different hard drives and all the different settings in the Airport Utility for accessing a USB hard drive connected to the AEBS and get the same message regardless. HELP1

    Hi John,
    My hard drive is already formatted to fat 32. If I "check disks" in AirPort Utillity in windows it see's the disk and knows how much free and used space there is on it. It also knows when I'm accessing the disk from my iMac but when I try to connect to the hard drive from windows I just get the error message in my first post. When I click on AirPort Disk in windows my base station name doesn't appear, it does on my mac. I tried you suggestion but it hasn't helped. Thanks anyway. If you've got any other suggestion i'll gladly give them a try.
    Thanks again.

  • Can't see contents of USB hard drive connected to Time Capsule

    Hi. I have a USB hard drive connected to my Time Capsule (which I just got today). I just want to use it as a shared drive, so that the users in my home can use it to access common files (media files, stuff like that).
    The TC's set up is to enable file sharing with accounts. AirPort Disk Guest Access is not allowed.
    When I authenticate as a user via Finder I can see the disk, see that disk space has been used, but can't see the contents. I'm guessing this is because the files that are actually on there belong to some other user.
    Is my guess right? Any suggestions as to how we can all use it as a transfer drive?
    Col

    Fixed it. I connected the USB drive directly to my computer, and dragged the folder into the 'Shared' folder, which Time Capsule had created. The original folder is now visible, which is what I wanted!

Maybe you are looking for