Can't write to non-OS HD

[ventro]

Starting today, when I try and write anything to my non-OS harddrive (with my music library and data on it), OSX gives me the error:

"The data can't be read or written"

The permissions seem to be fine. I can open files on the HD fine, but they open a little slow. So basically I only can't write to the drive.

What's going on? Is my HD dying?

[spinnerlys]

Just out of curiosity, what format / file system are those HDDs using and did permissions or even disk repair via Disk Utility help?

[riscy]

Sounds like it is a Windows format - you can read but not write to it. Have you used it on a Windows machine recently?

You might need to reformat after copying all the data off. Then you choose the correct format that is accessible by both Win and Mac OS.

[ventro]

It's HFS+, and has been its entire life.

Disk Utility says it "appears to be OK"

[Loa]

Hello,

Is the drive old? Is the "Ignore permissions on this volume" checkbox marked?

My advice, regardless of the answers: make a complete back-up of that drive. And I mean now. Drives can fail slowly, then completely die on you very fast. The first thing you should do right now is back it up.

Then, if you can, find a better diagnostic tool and check your drive thoroughly. If you can't check it using a serious app, back it up and throw it away.

Hard disk drives can be had for very little money these days, but your data cannot be "replaced".

Loa

[nanofrog]

Hello,

Is the drive old? Is the "Ignore permissions on this volume" checkbox marked?

My advice, regardless of the answers: make a complete back-up of that drive. And I mean now. Drives can fail slowly, then completely die on you very fast. The first thing you should do right now is back it up.

Then, if you can, find a better diagnostic tool and check your drive thoroughly. If you can't check it using a serious app, back it up and throw it away.

Hard disk drives can be had for very little money these days, but your data cannot be "replaced".

Loa
As it's formatted properly and mounted, I have to agree here unfortunately (i.e. bad sectors that contain the Partition Table would be a strong suspect).

[ventro]

So in a last ditch effort a week ago, I moved the HD from Bay 4 to Bay 1 to see if that would have any effect. It worked!

But today, it's broken again. Same problem: Can read, but can't write. So I guess I need to buy a new 1TB HD to back up all of this data on before I format it? This sucks!

[Loa]

So I guess I need to buy a new 1TB HD to back up all of this data on before I format it?

The more you use or try to fix your HD, the more chances it has of completely dying, meaning that you won't be able to read it AT ALL.

You needed a back-up drive 10 days ago: you're playing with fire.

Loa