Cannot delete files off of my external hard drive?

[sinsenest]

Computer Information: MacBook Pro/ macOS Sierra Version 10.12

I have a Seagate Backup Plus Drive and it would not let me delete any files off of it. I get the following error, "The operation can’t be completed because backup items can’t be modified." I check on the "Get info" for this hard drive and under "Sharing & Permissions" there are three "Names" listed: "USER (Me)" (with "Privilege" of "Read & Write"), "staff" (with "Privilege" of "Read & Write") and "everyone" (with "Privilege" of "Read only"). With that said, I should have the capability to erase files on this hard drive, but it's not letting me do it? How can I get this to work? All help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Fishrrman]

1. Mount the external on the desktop (just the icon, don't open it)
2. Type "command-i" (eye) to bring up the get info box
3. Go to "sharing and permissions" (click disclosure arrow if you can't see them)
4. Click the lock icon and enter your password
5. Put a check into the box "ignore ownership on this volume"
6. Close the get info box.

Any better?

 

[EV7450]

1. Mount the external on the desktop (just the icon, don't open it)
2. Type "command-i" (eye) to bring up the get info box
3. Go to "sharing and permissions" (click disclosure arrow if you can't see them)
4. Click the lock icon and enter your password
5. Put a check into the box "ignore ownership on this volume"
6. Close the get info box.

Any better?

Hi... followed your instructions, I'm having the same problem, but I don't have that box to check... any other ideas?

 

[chscag]

Hi... followed your instructions, I'm having the same problem, but I don't have that box to check... any other ideas?

Is that external drive being used for Time Machine backups? If so, you can't delete files or folders using the Finder. You will need to enter Time Machine and do deletions from within Time Machine. If that drive is not being use for Time Machine backups, ignore this post.

 

[EV7450]

Is that external drive being used for Time Machine backups? If so, you can't delete files or folders using the Finder. You will need to enter Time Machine and do deletions from within Time Machine. If that drive is not being use for Time Machine backups, ignore this post.

I've been prompted to use the external(s) as the Time Machine, but i haven't accepted for fear it would reformat and erase the huge amount of data stored on both...

It is worthwhile to mention that I just transferred from a tower to a Macbook Pro... I didn't use any migration managers, I simply loaded all of my information onto the externals and re-downloaded my programs from the Cloud.

Does that detail give any clues into why the drives can no longer write or delete? Thank you!

 

[chscag]

Does that detail give any clues into why the drives can no longer write or delete? Thank you!

No clues. If that drive wasn't being used for Time Machine backups, then the instructions given by @Fishrrman should have worked. Was that drive by chance used with a Windows machine? It could be formatted as NTFS which might describe what's happening.

 

[EV7450]

No clues. If that drive wasn't being used for Time Machine backups, then the instructions given by @Fishrrman should have worked. Was that drive by chance used with a Windows machine? It could be formatted as NTFS which might describe what's happening.

Nope....went from a fairly older Mac tower to the laptop... one of the externals was just purchased a few months ago so it's more or less new. Damn I will try to investigate the Time Machine route. Like i said, I tried his suggestion, but that option isn't even there to check off...

Thank you anyway...

 

[chscag]

Nope....went from a fairly older Mac tower to the laptop... one of the externals was just purchased a few months ago so it's more or less new.

Okay. But be sure to check the format on that external drive you purchased a few months ago. New hard drives are pre-formatted to NTFS at the factory and unless they specifically state the drive is for a Mac, you will have to re-format it to HFS+.

 

[EV7450]

Okay. But be sure to check the format on that external drive you purchased a few months ago. New hard drives are pre-formatted to NTFS at the factory and unless they specifically state the drive is for a Mac, you will have to re-format it to HFS+.

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But doesn't that mean it will wipe the drive clean???

 

[chscag]

[doublepost=1540334180][/doublepost]


But doesn't that mean it will wipe the drive clean???

Yes. If you have data on the drive that you wish to preserve, you'll need to copy it elsewhere before reformatting.

 

[Nermal]

The Get Info window should list the current drive format; don't reformat it if it's already HFS (which I think is listed as "Mac OS Extended").

 

[DeveshAgarwal]

The Get Info window should list the current drive format; don't reformat it if it's already HFS (which I think is listed as "Mac OS Extended").

I am having this problem with a Transcend 256GB JetDrive. I am the only user. Admin rights. Formatted ExFAT. Cannot manually erase. Even tried erasing to re-format, but even in disk utility it cannot erase the drive. Unlike other SD-Cards, this card does not have a physical switch to control Read-Write access. I am on Mac OS Sierra 10.12.6. I even logged out and logged back in.

would it be possible to set permissions via Terminal?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[hobowankenobi]

I am having this problem with a Transcend 256GB JetDrive. I am the only user. Admin rights. Formatted ExFAT. Cannot manually erase. Even tried erasing to re-format, but even in disk utility it cannot erase the drive. Unlike other SD-Cards, this card does not have a physical switch to control Read-Write access. I am on Mac OS Sierra 10.12.6. I even logged out and logged back in.

would it be possible to set permissions via Terminal?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Per your screen shot, you want to select the entire volume, which is the icon up one and to the left (Apple SDXC); that is the drive, and the icon below and indented (JetDrive) is the partition/volume.

Select the entire drive and then try erase again.

 

[DeveshAgarwal]

Per your screen shot, you want to select the entire volume, which is the icon up one and to the left (Apple SDXC); that is the drive, and the icon below and indented (JetDrive) is the partition/volume.

Select the entire drive and then try erase again.

Thanks I tried that. Again the same error. I am suspecting, its something to do with permissions. I even tried diskutil via terminal. No joy.

 

[Fishrrman]

I sense that the permissions problems you're having has something to do with the fact that the drive is exFAT.

If it were formatted for the Mac OS, this could be easily resolved through "get info".

A question:
Is this drive used ONLY with Macs, or do you need "cross-platform compatibility" with PC's?

If the drive is to be used ONLY with a Mac, here's what I'd suggest (and yes, it will be a little work):
1. You'll need ANOTHER drive that is large enough to hold the stuff you want to keep
2. Format the second drive to Mac OS extended with journaling enabled, GUID partition format (this is also known as HFS+).
3. Now connect BOTH drives.
4. Copy everything you wish to save from the exFAT drive to the HFS+ drive
5. Once that's done, use Disk Utility to ERASE the exFAT drive. Again, erase it to Mac OS extended with journaling enabled, GUID partition format.
6. RE-COPY everything back to the first drive.
7. Done. (and yes, did I mention it was going to be a little work?)

Alternative:
Just leave the copied files on the second drive.
Use the first drive for something else.

The best place for Mac files is on a Mac-formatted drive.

 

[DeveshAgarwal]

I sense that the permissions problems you're having has something to do with the fact that the drive is exFAT.

If it were formatted for the Mac OS, this could be easily resolved through "get info".

The get info works with a ExFAT. However the Flash Card has suddenly become "Read Only". It used to be "Custom" with me having "Read and Write" settings.

A question:
Is this drive used ONLY with Macs, or do you need "cross-platform compatibility" with PC's?

This is the Transcend JetDrive "Half" SD Card which sits flush in the SD Card slot. https://www.transcend-info.com/Products/No-638. I use it for static storage on my late 2013 MBP 13 Retina. I was going to re-format it to HFS. But this problem cropped up.

The last time, I reset my NVRAM and the card permissions also reset. This time it is not happening. Also my NVRAM is not resetting. When I press Option+Command+P+R I keep getting the chime. It does not reset. And then it does a safe mode boot. Its an old computer, and so I thought, let the old boy run along. Will buy a new Air 13 later this year, may be.

If the drive is to be used ONLY with a Mac, here's what I'd suggest (and yes, it will be a little work):
1. You'll need ANOTHER drive that is large enough to hold the stuff you want to keep
2. Format the second drive to Mac OS extended with journaling enabled, GUID partition format (this is also known as HFS+).
3. Now connect BOTH drives.
4. Copy everything you wish to save from the exFAT drive to the HFS+ drive
5. Once that's done, use Disk Utility to ERASE the exFAT drive. Again, erase it to Mac OS extended with journaling enabled, GUID partition format.
6. RE-COPY everything back to the first drive.
7. Done. (and yes, did I mention it was going to be a little work?)

Did all the above, and got stuck at Step 5. Even tried the Terminal "diskutil resetUserPermissions `id -u`" command, but no joy.

Alternative:
Just leave the copied files on the second drive.
Use the first drive for something else.

The best place for Mac files is on a Mac-formatted drive.

Have already ordered the BaseQi 303A adapter and the 400GB SanDisk Extreme Pro Micro SD card. Trick will be using the Jetdrive for anything else, since it is dedicated for the MBP 13 Retina 2012-2015 model. Will first need to find a socket capable of taking a half SD card.

Thanks for your inputs.