Need help accessing files on WD Elements external HD

[vettech22]

Im trying to access all my photos from my WD Elements HD and its saying I dont have permission to open the file. When I right click and click on 'get info' it shows that I do have complete permission on the HD and the pictures file. Some one please help. All of my pictures are on this HD

 

[MacInWin]

Try a reboot of the Mac. If that doesn't work, let us know what Mac, what version of the macOS, what app are you using for the photos, and what else is on the drive with the photos.

 

[vettech22]

Try a reboot of the Mac. If that doesn't work, let us know what Mac, what version of the macOS, what app are you using for the photos, and what else is on the drive with the photos.

Still nothing. Im on a macbook pro. OS Mojave. Opening in iPhoto. And the drive contained basically everything. It was a complete backup of my laptop

 

[MacInWin]

How did you make the backup? What MacBook Pro? Click the  in the upper left corner, then About This Mac and tell us what it says.

 

[vettech22]

How did you make the backup? What MacBook Pro? Click the  in the upper left corner, then About This Mac and tell us what it says.

Macbook Pro (retina, 13-inch, late 2013).
2.5 GHz Intel Core i5
8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3

I plugged it into the USB and if I remember correctly it prompted me to do a complete backup. I think it was the mac that prompted it. Cant remember as it was a year or so ago.

 

[Slydude]

Single-click that Western Digital drive, perform the Get Info command again, In the General Information area what does it say about the drive's format?

 

[vettech22]

Single-click that Western Digital drive, perform the Get Info command again, In the General Information area what does it say about the drive's format?

Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled)

 

[Randy B. Singer]

Formatting your hard drive as "case sensitive" was a mistake. Though I doubt that it is the source of your problem. You can fix it following these instructions:

How to convert a case-sensitive Mac HFS+ partition into a case-insensitive one

Itu2019s tedious to convert these partition types, but not complicated.rn

www.macworld.com

Let's try something to try and fix your main problem that will be fairly quick, free, and easy; and see if we get lucky...

Download:

Permissions Reset (free)

Permissions Reset 2

In some instances, Permissions Reset can fix incorrectly set permissions in an instant. Use it on your external hard drive and let us know how things go.

 

[MacInWin]

I am concerned that the "backup" is a Time Machine backup and that somehow the integrity of the backup has been compromised. And the more the OP mucks with the drive, the higher the probability of losing it all.

For @vettech22 , If you open the drive by using Finder, do you see a folder named "backups.backupdb" on the drive? Is that where you are trying to get to these pictures?

 

[vettech22]

Formatting your hard drive as "case sensitive" was a mistake. Though I doubt that it is the source of your problem. You can fix it following these instructions:

How to convert a case-sensitive Mac HFS+ partition into a case-insensitive one

Itu2019s tedious to convert these partition types, but not complicated.rn

www.macworld.com

Let's try something to try and fix your main problem that will be fairly quick, free, and easy; and see if we get lucky...

Download:

Permissions Reset (free)

Permissions Reset 2

In some instances, Permissions Reset can fix incorrectly set permissions in an instant. Use it on your external hard drive and let us know how things go.

OH MY GOD IT WORKED!!!!!! I CANT POSSIBLY THANK YOU ENOUGH!!!! WHAT CAN I DO TO RETURN THE FAVOR INTERNET STRANGER!? YALL TOOK TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY TO HELP ME AND I AM SO GRATEFUL.

 

[MacInWin]

Glad you got it sorted out. Which suggestion worked? Changing the case sensitive or the permissions fix?

 

[vettech22]

Glad you got it sorted out. Which suggestion worked? Changing the case sensitive or the permissions fix?

Using the program for the permissions fix. Thank you so much, everyone, for helping

 

[Randy B. Singer]

OH MY GOD IT WORKED!!!!!! I CANT POSSIBLY THANK YOU ENOUGH!!!! WHAT CAN I DO TO RETURN THE FAVOR INTERNET STRANGER!? YALL TOOK TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY TO HELP ME AND I AM SO GRATEFUL.

My pleasure! Helping each other is what Macintosh users do.