File Sharing Issue

[msbsound]

So this just cropped up in my studio.

I am running 3 machines (G5-DP1.8, G4-DP1.0, G3-400). All are running 10.3.5 fully updated. We use the G3 as a file storage/email system. It currently holds our library of sound efx on an internal 160gig drive. The OS/Apps are on the main drive(20gig).

Everything was hunky dory until today when I went to pull some efx over to our main system and could not see the second drive in the G3. I see the machine fine, and I am able to mount my home folder as well as the apps drive, but no go on the efx. This is true from both machines, no matter the log in.

File sharing settings and permissions have not changed on the drive as I am the only one with access, and I know I did not change them. I must admit, I am not great in file sharing with OSX, but I have always figured out problems before.

Any ideas out there in the macrumors world?

Thanks.

 

[emw]

When you say you are the only one with access, are you talking physical access or permissions access. I'd still check the settings, and perhaps repair permissions from Disk Utility.

Secondly, I am assuming you've checked to make sure that you can see the files from the G3 box itself and that the hard drive hasn't gone down?

 

[msbsound]

Here ya go

Correct, I am the only one with physical access. I left ownership and permissions in the default of System/Admin.

I am currently in the process of repairing permissions, and then will give a quick restart.

Here's to hoping!

 

[msbsound]

Problem solved, thanks emw!

So after a permissions repair/restart, everything seems back to normal. While I am happy, I am also confused. This has presented me two new questions:

1. While I repair permissions each time I do an update/restart, I still don't know what it "technically" does. What are these permissions, and why do we spend so much time repairing them?

2. Any idea on what would have caused their to be a permissions problem overnight while the computer was idle, but on?

Just trying to learn a bit more about my machines.

Thanks.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

So after a permissions repair/restart, everything seems back to normal. While I am happy, I am also confused. This has presented me two new questions:

1. While I repair permissions each time I do an update/restart, I still don't know what it "technically" does. What are these permissions, and why do we spend so much time repairing them?

2. Any idea on what would have caused their to be a permissions problem overnight while the computer was idle, but on?

Just trying to learn a bit more about my machines.

Thanks.

For an answer to question 1, see this thread.
Question Number 2: Odds are that the cause was something you did earlier. Permissions don't "magically" corrupt themselves while the computer is idle.

 

[emw]

2. Any idea on what would have caused their to be a permissions problem overnight while the computer was idle, but on?

Glad you're back on. I agree with wrldwzrd89 that it likely had something to do with a previous update or installation where you might not have repaired permissions. In general, they do not corrupt on their own, at least not that I've heard.

 

[jtgotsjets]

For an answer to question 1, see this thread.

that thread did nothing to explain his question.

what the hell are these permissions? why do they get messed up?

 

[wrldwzrd89]

that thread did nothing to explain his question.

what the hell are these permissions? why do they get messed up?

Okay then - I thought there would be an explanation there, but I guess I was mistaken. Here goes:

Permissions are nothing more than the UNIX way (since Mac OS X has a UNIX heritage, it understandably inherits some UNIX things) to keep track of who owns what, and what others can do with it. The three basic permissions are read, write and execute (I'm not going to go into the specifics of how each one behaves). Permissions get messed up most often during an install, because that install changes things but doesn't respect the way the permissions should be for a normal system. Bad permissions can cause all sorts of issues, from access denied errors (too few permissions) to being able to read from/write to files you shouldn't be able to read from/write to (too many permissions).