How do I resolve LOCKED DISKS problem ? NO ACCESS ANYMORE !

Question

Hello everybody,
I've looked carefully where to post this topic,
and I hope it's the right place here
(I have already been warned not to post the same questions in different places).
I have actually 2 internal volumes locked, 2 external Firewire volumes locked and 2 USB external volumes locked. I'm talking about *5,7 To* with *NO ACCESS* anymore.
It happened suddenly, and I was working on Snow Leopard 10.6.3 internal drive. This volume is the *only one* that has NOT been locked, but I lost a lot of applications, documents and so on on it.
Each of the locked volumes I am talking about shows,
in *Sharing & Permissions* (Get Info window),
the same Privileges :
— everyone : Custom
— admin : Custom
— olcha (Me) : Custom
— staff : Custom
— everyone (again) : Custom
You'll notice that "System" is not there (should be there with R+W),
and "admin" should have also R+W privilege.
I don't know why "staff" is here (perhaps, one day, somebody will explain to me the difference between : wheel, staff and admin).
I also don't know why "everyone" is there two times.
If I unlock the padlock (bottom right) with my password, I can only
check or uncheck the "Ignore ownership on this volume" square (bottom left).
Doing this (apparently) offers *no interest at all* to solve the problem
(and what does this function produce, when activated or not ?).
I can't *absolutely not* :
• Change *any privilege* of any of the 5 items ;
• Remove (with "-") any of these items ;
• Add a line (for example "System" or "wheel", why not ?)
but nothing new is shown after "+" making.
• The wheel (on the right of "+" and "-") shows only "revert changes" in grey.
I phoned immediately last thursday Apple Assistance,
and I am in contact with a Level 2 Apple Adviser who gave me his e-mail.
I sent him two messages, but he replied me that perhaps MONDAY
he could find the time to call me.
Now, first, please tell me if you have any idea or solution !
Thank you very much in advance.
Secondly, I have reflected on the solving,
and would like to know what you think about what follows :
You know that, in Disk Utility, you can erase a disk or partition.
If, in "Security Options…", I choose "Don't Erase Data", and then "Erase…" :
1) Sharing and Permissions will be changed and become (reset to) correct ;
2) It's said, in "Security Options…",
that "many commonly available disk recovery applications can restore that data".
I would be very glad that you indicate me :
1) the best application to use for that recovery ;
2) I already own "Drive Genius 3.0", "Data Rescue 3.0.2" and
(I think it's the best after a try on an internal 30 Go partition)
"Stellar Phoenix Macintosh Data Recovery".
Thank you in advance for your answers and advices,
With my kind regards
Olivier Herrbach
[email protected]
PS : Dear Forum Webmaster,
I would like to know :
1) if I posted this topic in the right place ;
2) if you allow me to post it elsewhere (and in this case, where ?) ;
3) is it possible to paste images in messages,
and, if yes, which format is needed (TIFF, png, jpeg …)
Thank you very much
Olivier Herrbach

Answer 1

Dear ChazBowie,
Here is the solution I've found for *LOCKED DISKS* problem.
I'll respond the shorter I can, avoiding for the moment to talk about the complicated solutions
that Apple gave to me, which involved volume by volume (only one each time) intervention, and were working by, each time, entering one line, password, then another line in Terminal. I will communicate these instructions later, but they do not need to be publicated here with urgence.
I found two little free softwares that can modify *ALL Privileges* in Sharing and Permissions, *on ANYTHING*. You will have to be careful using them, as they even allow to act as "Root" administrator.
I'd also like everyone to *donate anything* to these helpful developers, and I'd be very pleased to have *your feedback and results*.
••• 1) — *BatChmod 1.6.2* (162), written by a compatriot, Renaud Boisjoly.
E-mail (if you have doubts or questions) : [email protected]
Free software downloading site : *http://www.macchampion.com/arbysoft*
(excuse me, but I don't know how to make a link here).
••• 2) — *FileXaminer 2.7*, recommended by Renaud himself.
Dear ChazBowie,
Here is the solution I've found for *LOCKED DISKS* problem.
I'll respond the shorter I can, avoiding for the moment to talk about the complicated solutions
that Apple gave to me, which involved volume by volume (only one each time) intervention, and were working by, each time, entering one line, password, then another line in Terminal. I will communicate these instructions later, but they do not need to be publicated here with urgence.
I found two little free softwares that can modify *ALL Privileges* in Sharing and Permissions, *on ANYTHING*. You will have to be careful using them, as they even allow to act as "Root" administrator.
I'd also like everyone to *donate anything* to these helpful developers, and I'd be very pleased to have *your feedback and results*.
••• 1) — *BatChmod 1.6.2* (162), written by a compatriot, Renaud Boisjoly.
E-mail (if you have doubts or questions) : [email protected]
Free software downloading site : Gideon Softworks : *http://www.gideonsoftworks.com/*
I won't copy here the texts that are on both sites, but it's very instructive.
Remember that the applications don't only work on files and folders,
*but also on disks attributes*.
You'll also have some work to do (I don't remember, perhaps not), by going in the Get Info windows
and changing privileges to the correct ones, that means you must know
(I'm not sure, verify please) what privileges are to be set for a volume
(YOU WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THEM, AND CHANGES YOU MAKE WON'T BE RESET TO "CUSTOM").
Does anybody know something about the "Ignore ownership on this volume" checkbox ?
*I always uncheck it*.
I would also like very much to know the differences between the two-headed iconed groups :
"staff", "wheel" and "admin", and IN THE END know *WHERE are the rules* you have to observe
when doing changes in privileges (for example, I don't want to give my password to copy something in Users folder, nor "MyName" folder. I've changed that without, I hope, having created any dysfunction).
Please tell me if you know anything about these 2 subjects above.
I'm very glad if my informations have been useful/helpful.
With my kind regards,
Olivier Herrbach