[SOLVED] WD My Passport (mac) permission problems

[WarrencFry]

I am a MAC user. I am trying to access a backed up file on my WD Passport from another MAC computer (the WD, through time machine, updated a computer that recently fatally crashed). When I try to access my Desktop file from the "Latest" backup it gives me the following message. 'The folder "Desktop" can't be opened because you don't have permission to see its contents.'

I have tried to unlock and alter the permissions in the Info box for the file but no dice! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Dave8671]

OKay hmm thinking, still thinking , oh if I remember add time machine to the dock( if not already added) control-click on TM in the dock select "browse other TM disk" see if this works.

 

[SuperSoph_WD]

Welcome to the TH community, WarrencFry!

I'd recommend you to check how the WD My Passport would be recognized in the Mac where the backup was initiated. Another thing you could try is to Repair Disk Permissions through Disk Utility on the Mac computer you are currently using.

Hopefully, that will let you access your My Passport content. If it doesn't help, try re-installing the WD Drive Utilities for Mac.

Keep me posted with the troubleshooting & Good luck!
SuperSoph_WD

 

[JustSomeJoe]

Try this http://osxdaily.com/2013/04/23/change-file-ownership-mac-os-x/

 

[WarrencFry]

OKay hmm thinking, still thinking , oh if I remember add time machine to the dock( if not already added) control-click on TM in the dock select "browse other TM disk" see if this works.

Hmmm. I think the current computer I'm using has never had an external dedicated for backups. When I do the cntrl-click it brings up my external, I click on it and then it changes isolates finder in the middle of the scree, but its finder for the current computer. Thank you for the help though!

 

[WarrencFry]

Welcome to the TH community, WarrencFry!

I'd recommend you to check how the WD My Passport would be recognized in the Mac where the backup was initiated. Another thing you could try is to Repair Disk Permissions through Disk Utility on the Mac computer you are currently using.

Hopefully, that will let you access your My Passport content. If it doesn't help, try re-installing the WD Drive Utilities for Mac.

Keep me posted with the troubleshooting & Good luck!
SuperSoph_WD

Thanks for the warm welcome and the help. Cause the original computer is dead I'm not sure how to check on how it was initiated. On the disk permissions side there were no problems found with the WD device but it doesn't allow me to click Verify or Repair Disk Permissions.

I tried re-installing the drives but no dice. Ugh.

Thank you again for your help.

 

[WarrencFry]

Try this http://osxdaily.com/2013/04/23/change-file-ownership-mac-os-x/

Unfortunately I can't click on the on the list of folks in the Sharing & Permissions area of the info window for the file I need. I tried the chown thing but I think that is beyond my technical know how. Ugh. Thanks for these ideas!

I must say I'm really appreciative of everyone's help so far!

 

[SuperSoph_WD]

Thanks for the warm welcome and the help. Cause the original computer is dead I'm not sure how to check on how it was initiated. On the disk permissions side there were no problems found with the WD device but it doesn't allow me to click Verify or Repair Disk Permissions.

I tried re-installing the drives but no dice. Ugh.

Thank you again for your help.

Hey there again, @WarrencFry!

I'd suggest you find another Mac computer where you could connect the WD My Passport and check how it would get recognized! I'd also recommend you try taking the file ownership one more time through the Terminal. Here's a thread that lists the commands with all the details on how to execute the procedure.

Give it a try and let us know how it goes!
SuperSoph_WD

 

[WarrencFry]

Thanks for the warm welcome and the help. Cause the original computer is dead I'm not sure how to check on how it was initiated. On the disk permissions side there were no problems found with the WD device but it doesn't allow me to click Verify or Repair Disk Permissions.

I tried re-installing the drives but no dice. Ugh.

Thank you again for your help.

Hey there again, @WarrencFry!

I'd suggest you find another Mac computer where you could connect the WD My Passport and check how it would get recognized! I'd also recommend you try taking the file ownership one more time through the Terminal. Here's a thread that lists the commands with all the details on how to execute the procedure.

Give it a try and let us know how it goes!
SuperSoph_WD

That did the trick! I plugged it into my colleagues Macbook Pro (same laptop as mine that died) and it worked fine. Thanks for the tip and all the help!

Best
W