Target Disk Mode is read-only?

[hyhybt]

I am connecting a G4 iMac (10.4.11) to a MacBook Air (10.9.3) in Target Disk Mode using a Firewire cable and a Thunderbolt-to-Firewire adapter. The iMac works perfectly by itself. In TDM, it shows up as read-only. The Get Info box says I have read and write permissions, but even after unlocking it won't let me change anything, and above that area it says "You can only read." Why is it doing that, and more importantly (especially since I no longer have a Tiger DVD or any other boot volume for the iMac) how do I change it to read/write?

 

[archtopshop]

I am connecting a G4 iMac (10.4.11) to a MacBook Air (10.9.3) in Target Disk Mode using a Firewire cable and a Thunderbolt-to-Firewire adapter. The iMac works perfectly by itself. In TDM, it shows up as read-only. The Get Info box says I have read and write permissions, but even after unlocking it won't let me change anything, and above that area it says "You can only read." Why is it doing that, and more importantly (especially since I no longer have a Tiger DVD or any other boot volume for the iMac) how do I change it to read/write?

Try this:
In the "Get Info" box, under the permissions section, click on the little button and check "apply to enclosed items". That will allow whatever permissions you set to apply for the whole hard drive.

 

[hyhybt]

Try this:
In the "Get Info" box, under the permissions section, click on the little button and check "apply to enclosed items". That will allow whatever permissions you set to apply for the whole hard drive.

Given that it won't allow me to change anything at all in the Get Info window (and, indeed, both the action button and the +- next to it are grayed out), how would I accomplish that?

 

[archtopshop]

Given that it won't allow me to change anything at all in the Get Info window (and, indeed, both the action button and the +- next to it are grayed out), how would I accomplish that?

Click on the little lock icon next to the grayed out buttons, then enter your password and the buttons will become active.

EDIT: Just reread your original post. I think you need to set/apply the permissions to the G4 BEFORE putting it into Target Disk Mode. If you can't boot the G4 on its own, then you probably can't change the permissions from the Air.

This is just an assumption, though. Someone else more knowledgeable will soon probably reply set me straight.

 

[hyhybt]

The G4 works perfectly on its own, including letting me read and write. I'm not sure what to change in there to allow the same with it mounted as a target disk but will experiment next time I'm with that machine. One thing I forgot about: the "ignore ownership on this volume" box is checked and not grayed out, but clicking it brings up a short "cannot complete" type error alert. If I'd had any sense, I'd have paid better attention, but will look up the code (if there was one), also next time I have it.

Thanks. If I still had a working PATA-to-USB adapter, I'd pull the drive out and try it in that... but it *shouldn't* make a difference.