Copying contents of one External HDD to another?

[AlanPartridge]

I have an older external HDD which is faulty and from which I can only read but not write onto. I wish therefore to transfer its contents over to a spanking new external HDD and then reformat the older faulty one. Trouble is, although I'm having no problem copying over large chunks of data from my MacBook's HDD onto the new external HDD, when I attempt it with files from the older External HDD, it says I do not have permission on the "backup drive". Huh? Please help!

 

[Fishrrman]

"when I attempt it with files from the older External HDD, it says I do not have permission on the "backup drive". Huh?"

Try this:

Connect the problem drive to the Mac, let its icon mount on the desktop.

Click ONE time on the drive's icon to select it.

Type "Command-i" for "get info" (you can also select this from the menus)

Look towards the bottom. You should see an area that is called "Sharing & Permissions".

There is a "disclosure triangle" there. If it is not already pointing downward, click it and it should reveal permissions settings.

You should see a "lock icon" at the very lower right. Click it and enter your password.

At the lower left, there is a checkbox to "Ignore ownership on this volume". Put a checkmark in it.

Close the info box.

Does this change things for you?

 

[AlanPartridge]

"when I attempt it with files from the older External HDD, it says I do not have permission on the "backup drive". Huh?"

Try this:

Connect the problem drive to the Mac, let its icon mount on the desktop.

Click ONE time on the drive's icon to select it.

Type "Command-i" for "get info" (you can also select this from the menus)

Look towards the bottom. You should see an area that is called "Sharing & Permissions".

There is a "disclosure triangle" there. If it is not already pointing downward, click it and it should reveal permissions settings.

You should see a "lock icon" at the very lower right. Click it and enter your password.

At the lower left, there is a checkbox to "Ignore ownership on this volume". Put a checkmark in it.

Close the info box.

Does this change things for you?

There is nothing written underneath the Name and Privilege box, unlike with the new drive.

 

[cocacolakid]

There is nothing written underneath the Name and Privilege box, unlike with the new drive.

When right click on Get Info (or select the drive and hold down Command-i) on my external drives I have a Sharing and Privileges section at the bottom of the info box. If I click on that I get the name of the Admin, then Staff, then Everyone. And it shows whether their permissions are read only or read and write. I can click the arrows in there to change it to read and write (or read only). It does ask for your password to change permissions, but I've had to do it before and it works for me.