Transfering files to an external drive

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RevConwell


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Hey guys - finally back on a Mac (Macbook Pro) after 26 years of military service (stupid military using only PCs). LOL Anyway, quick question -- I've had a 1.5TB external (USB) drive for years that I've used to move files to and from on my previous laptops, but now it seems that access is blocked. That is, when trying to move a file from my Mac I run into an issue with what appears to be file permissions not being allowed, even though I'm certain I have rights to do so. Any thoughts on what may be blocking this access?

Thanks for your time.

TJ
 
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MacInWin

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Thank you for your service and welcome to the forum.

I suspect the drive is formatted NTFS, for Windows. macOS cannot natively write to NTFS drives. You have a couple of options:

If the drive doesn't have anything you want to keep and if you only want to use it for the Mac, reformat it to Mac format.
If the drive doesn't have anything you want to keep but you want to use it with both Mac and Windows, reformat it to FAT32, which both can read and write.
If the drive has stuff you don't want to lose, you can either copy it somewhere and select from the two above, or you can look at ParagonNTFS, which allows the Mac to write to NTFS formatted drives. It's not free, but it is the one product like that that is recommended here.
 
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MacInWin said:
Thank you for your service and welcome to the forum.

I suspect the drive is formatted NTFS, for Windows. macOS cannot natively write to NTFS drives. You have a couple of options:

If the drive doesn't have anything you want to keep and if you only want to use it for the Mac, reformat it to Mac format.
If the drive doesn't have anything you want to keep but you want to use it with both Mac and Windows, reformat it to FAT32, which both can read and write.
If the drive has stuff you don't want to lose, you can either copy it somewhere and select from the two above, or you can look at ParagonNTFS, which allows the Mac to write to NTFS formatted drives. It's not free, but it is the one product like that that is recommended here.
Click to expand...

Bam! You sir, are a gentlemen and a scholar! I knew it had to be something I just overlooked. You are exactly correct, it is formatted to NTFS and well, I guess having been on Windows for so long it's one of those "ya just know it is so don't consider it when having an issue" type of things. Duh TJ ... NTFS and Mac OS ... not really the best of friends. Thanks, Jake!
 
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RevConwell said:
Hey guys - finally back on a Mac (Macbook Pro) after 26 years of military service (stupid military using only PCs).
Click to expand...

Hello & welcome TJ.:) Are you saying you had an Apple computer 26 years ago (before the military)...if so...what model was it? Or is this your first Apple computer?

Also...what made you decide on an Apple computer after all that "PC" experience?

- Nick
 
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pigoo3 said:
Hello & welcome TJ.:) Are you saying you had an Apple computer 26 years ago (before the military)...if so...what model was it? Or is this your first Apple computer?

Also...what made you decide on an Apple computer after all that "PC" experience?

- Nick
Click to expand...

Howdy! I began on an Apple IIe (which wasn't my first computer - that was a Commodore 64) in the 80s. My desire to change was simple: reliability. After decades of eradicating viruses, patching vulnerabilities, and well - the "lemme take a coffee break while my PC boots up" routine everyday ... I just decided to go with something I knew and had heard so much about. To be honest, it has taken some getting used to, but with Office for Mac it has made the transition much less daunting and easily has become my favorite device to date.

Thanks for the welcome!!
 
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Good deal...thanks for the info TJ.:) Sounds like this is your 2nd Apple computer and your first Macintosh computer (Mac OS).

Yes...Office for the Mac makes the transition easy. In case you didn't know...you can run Windows on a Mac (if you ever felt the unfortunate need to do so).;) Either natively via a separate bootable partiton...or via emulation with apps like Parallels or VMWare Fusion. Sometimes folks do this when their favorite PC apps just don't have Mac substitutes or Mac versions.

- Nick
 
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pigoo3 said:
Good deal...thanks for the info TJ.:) Sounds like this is your 2nd Apple computer and your first Macintosh computer (Mac OS).

Yes...Office for the Mac makes the transition easy. In case you didn't know...you can run Windows on a Mac (if you ever felt the unfortunate need to do so).;) Either natively via a separate bootable partiton...or via emulation with apps like Parallels or VMWare Fusion. Sometimes folks do this when their favorite PC apps just don't have Mac substitutes or Mac versions.

- Nick
Click to expand...

They've actually given those who've chosen a Mac at work virtual desktops (they won't allow dual boot-ups) so that helps with running MS Project (which as a project manager I need daily). But otherwise, this machine is definitely my new favorite. Grateful to have finally come back to the "dark side". :Cool:
 
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RevConwell said:
Grateful to have finally come back to the "dark side". :Cool:
Click to expand...

But we aren't the "dark side"!;) We're the freindly, open-minded, side of the light.:)

The dark side (Windows) is where Darth Vader, Hannibal Lector, Freddy Krueger, and Norman Bates live!!!;)

- Nick
 
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RevConwell


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I'll give you this Nick -- it's definitely a better side than what I've been wading through for decades now!
 
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RevConwell said:
I'll give you this Nick -- it's definitely a better side than what I've been wading through for decades now!
Click to expand...

Ha ha...just teasing. Most folks (Mac or PC) consider the "other side" to be the dark-side!;)

- Nick
 

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