The operation can’t be completed because you don’t have permission to access some of

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hi i have a couple of folders which will not delete i have checked folder options and they are read and write. i have also done a repair permissions,that has not helped either i am now at a loss can anyone help thank you
 
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1. Which Mac and OS version do you have?
2. Have you created these folders?
3. Where are they located?
4. Can you create and delete other folders in this location?
 
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sorry to clarify
1. macbook pro 15" mid 2012 with mountain lion
2. i have created these folders
3. they are located on a external drive via airport extreme ps had no problems deleting others
4. yes i can create and delete others

i hope this helps as i am a beginner on macs

thankyou kind regards Lee
 

Slydude

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Were any of these files copied over from an NTFS formatted (PC) drive?
 
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hi slydude in answer to your question yes they were along with others that have deleted ok
thankc
 

Slydude

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Thought so. I had a similar experience recently with some old PC files. I ended up merely formatting the drive in question which was OK since I had the files elsewhere. There has got to be a better solution though.

Maybe the brain trust around here can suggest a better solution. I certainly overlooked it if there is one. Besides they need a little mental gymnastics now and then to keep them sharp.
 
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thankyou very much seems a bit excessive though i might have to just hide them if i can

regards Lee
 

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If the folders were copied over from a NTFS formatted drive or partition, they will be locked because you do not have "ownership". Prior to copying any folders or files over from a NTFS platform, you need to obtain ownership before doing so. Obtaining ownership varies according to which version of Windows is in force at the time.
 
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thankyou to all that have helped in this matter
 

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For future reference is there a way to gain ownership of such files without having to put the drive in a Win box. In my case the files are from a PC that is long since dead. Probably Windows Me.

Would mounting the drive under Win 7 or 8 in an external caddy do the trick? Also wondering if having a Mac user account with the same name and password as the Windows account that created the file would fix this.
 

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If the external HD was formatted for FAT32, then the file ownership wouldn't be maintained on it, so why should any further action be taken on the NTFS side? The NTFS side of it would enforce the permission/ownership when the initial copy took place.

What am I missing here?
 

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My case is perhaps a bit different from the OP. I know the drive was formatted as NTFS. The machine that drive was in failed. In the process of salvaging useful parts/info I grabbed the drive and copied the files to my Time Capsule.

Most of the files copied without a hitch. A few appear to have been corrupted. The big problem came when it was time to delete the files. Some refused to delete no matter what I did though I did not try Terminal geekery.
 

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Sly, so if I understand correctly the drive that originally contained the files was NTFS formatted for Windows, you then copy them over to Time Capsule which is going to be something other than NTFS, but not likely FAT32..

Either way, the way NTFS keeps track of owner/permission wouldn't necessarily transfer over to another FS anyway.

I would be curious about what the ending ownership/permission ended up being if you or the OP can go to Finder for the files/directories. Choose Get Info and see what the permissions are..
 

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I can't seem to find a file that did not work but the data files/bookmarks I have tested so far did work. I think the ones that did not work never copied correctly. They weren't that important so I cleared the TC by blasting the drive.

Here's what I found from the Get Info Command, These files were from a backup sitting on an external drive connected to the TC. The drive shows in Get info as AFP.The left side is as the permissions appear on the Mac formatted drive connected via AFP, T he right side is from the same file copied to the Mac's internal hard drive.

AFP drive Internal Drive

Unknown read/write I have read/write
Staff read/write Wheel read/write
Everyone read/write Everyone read/write
 

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Either way, the way NTFS keeps track of owner/permission wouldn't necessarily transfer over to another FS anyway.

You wouldn't think so, but in some cases it indeed does. I've had to "take ownership" of files and folders when copying from an NTFS formatted drive to a Mac HFS+ drive. One reason why I keep a copy of the handy "winfile.exe" utility and file manager around to do it easily. The older Windows file manager (winfile.exe) is no longer a part of Windows since Windows 2000. Taking ownership in Windows XP and above is more complicated.
 

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