Read Only folders on external hard drive

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fabs


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Hi all

Have just bought an imac after having used windows for many years. I have a 1TB external hard drive from which I can view files but when I try to create a new folder it tells me that the folders are read only. Does anyone know how I can make them read/write?

Thanks
 
T

todd51

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Right click on the folders and choose "Get Info". Near the bottom of this window there should be a section about User Permissions. Change it in there.
 
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fabs


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todd51 said:
Right click on the folders and choose "Get Info". Near the bottom of this window there should be a section about User Permissions. Change it in there.
Click to expand...

Hi, thanks for the reply. I have looked there but it just says "you can only read", there are no options to change anything.
 
harryb2448

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Your Mac's Specs
Silver M1 iMac 512/16/8/8 macOS 11.6
When the drive is connected, what is the format system, Mac OS Extended and Apple Partition Map, and did you change it to write from the iMac?
 
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fabs


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harryb2448 said:
When the drive is connected, what is the format system, Mac OS Extended and Apple Partition Map, and did you change it to write from the iMac?
Click to expand...

Haven't changed anything, just plugged the drive into the mac (The guy in the Apple Store said that was all I needed to do).
 
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What file system is the external drive formatted with? Was this used in a Windows environment prior to you moving to Mac. It is my understanding that OSX will read NTFS but not write NTFS and may be the cause for the behaviour you are seeing. I am new to Mac myself so forgive me if this is incorrect.
 
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plb said:
What file system is the external drive formatted with? Was this used in a Windows environment prior to you moving to Mac. It is my understanding that OSX will read NTFS but not write NTFS and may be the cause for the behaviour you are seeing. I am new to Mac myself so forgive me if this is incorrect.
Click to expand...

I think ou are quite correct. Wish the salesman had explained that bit. :Angry: Looks like I'll have to find some software to also me to write to the disk.
 
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OnlyTimeWillTel


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Your Mac's Specs
see sig...
Paragon NTFS

Install that and you will be able to read and write to NTFS.
 
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fabs


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Thanks for the replies guys, will look at those options.
 

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