Permissions on External Disc

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Level 1

22 points

Permissions on External Disc

I've just bought a new Mac (Catalina) which I wanted to set up from scratch to avoid bringing over stuff from many years of upgrading by using Migration Assistant. Now the new Mac is set up, I've attached an external drive with a clone of my old Mac (Mojave) for any old data I do want to move over. However, when I try to access my user files, they have the no-entry sign. I'm using the same name and admin password on both machines.

Using Get Info on the external drive, "Ignore Ownership" is ticked.
Using Get Info on a folder (e.g. Documents), permissions show my name (Me) as having Read & Write access - but I don't!
Unlocking the padlock and clicking the cog icon, "make my name (Me) the owner" is greyed out.

Any suggestions - preferably not using Terminal!

Mac mini 2018 or later

Posted on May 14, 2020 7:44 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Barney-15E

Level 10

115,948 points

May 14, 2020 8:57 AM in response to macfan7

If it shows you as read/write with no other users, then Make (Me) the owner is grayed out because you already are the owner.

It may be confused because both of your users had the same User ID (probably 501), but the OS is confused.

Try toggling the Ignore ownership checkbox off, then back on.

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Answer 2

macfan7 Author

Level 1

22 points

May 14, 2020 9:23 AM in response to Barney-15E

It had Staff and Everyone both as read only.

I tried the toggle but it didn't work. However, in trying it, the cog icon now has an apply to enclosed items option which seems to have cracked it. Thanks.

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Answer 3

Barney-15E

Level 10

115,948 points

May 14, 2020 9:43 AM in response to macfan7

Staff and Everyone should have been read only, but since you are a member of Staff, but probably not the same user as the one shown that had your same username, it denied access as you are member of Staff, also.

The subfolders of a home directory deny access to groups and others (everyone).

While the username was the same, the user really wasn't your logged in user.

I don't know why the ignore ownership didn't override except that it is a startup disk (clone). I don't think the checkbox should have even been visible.

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