So I have a situation I have recently discovered with some very important wedding photos I need to get to a client. I was using my sister in law MacBook laptop as my computer had died and brought my raw files across from the card reader to the external hard drive. I was able to open the files no worries and view them at the time on her MacBook. I have now hooked up the external drive to my new brand IMac and I now have over half the RAW files images coming up with this “file name is being used by MacOS and can’t be opened”. I’ve gone and looked at the MetaData won’t let me change the permissions (greyed out” and it has 0 KB/MB data. Getting very very concerned. I have not opened these files on my new computer! I am not tech savvy at all so I don’t know how to fix this.
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File is being used by MacOS and can’t be opened Message
- Thread starter ngroberts
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Have you tried restarting your iMac and then try to open the files again?
More times than I can count, one of the first things I tried. I have also put my computer into safe mode and tried accessing the external drive but it’s not showing up in my finder.
If I were you, I'd ask your sister-in-law to borrow her Macbook again and see if you can still open the files OK there. That will tell you for sure whether it's an issue with your iMac or with the external drive.
Just some thoughts...
These files are on an external drive, is this correct?
If so, try this. I make no promises.
1. connect the external drive, let it icon mount on the desktop
2. click ONE TIME on the icon
3. summon up the "get info" box for the icon (command-i)
4. at the bottom of get info, click the lock and enter your administrative password
5. put a checkmark into "ignore ownership on this volume" (sharing and permissions)
6. close get info.
Does this make any difference?
Again, no promises.
What happens if you RIGHT CLICK on one of these .cr2 files, and then look at the contextual menu?
What is the default offered?
Are there "other" choices offered to you?
If so, what are they?
Have you tried any of them?
Could be relevant...
These files are on an external drive, is this correct?
If so, try this. I make no promises.
1. connect the external drive, let it icon mount on the desktop
2. click ONE TIME on the icon
3. summon up the "get info" box for the icon (command-i)
4. at the bottom of get info, click the lock and enter your administrative password
5. put a checkmark into "ignore ownership on this volume" (sharing and permissions)
6. close get info.
Does this make any difference?
Again, no promises.
What happens if you RIGHT CLICK on one of these .cr2 files, and then look at the contextual menu?
What is the default offered?
Are there "other" choices offered to you?
If so, what are they?
Have you tried any of them?
Could be relevant...
Last edited: