Permissions Problem With Mybooklive Duo

[markleehome]

I purchased a mybookliveduo, and hooked it up to time machine for both of my imacs. I backed up both machines fine.

I then did something stupid, I shared my harddrive with everyone on my home network, and told both systems to apply that to all files within. Dumb move. My one machine could not even boot. I reinstalled the operating system on both machines, and then could not access the time machine backup drive. It says I do not have permission. Both Apple and Western Digital support are stumped. I think I need someone with advanced unix knowledge, networking knowledge, and Mac knowledge to solve this mystery. Any ideas?

 

[Lifeisabeach]

The MyBook Live Duo is the Time Machine backup drive that you cannot access, I assume? And not a different drive entirely? The drive that you shared... was it that drive, or your internal drive? Are you able to connect this drive to your iMac by USB/Firewire, or is it strictly a network drive? Have you tried reformatting/repartitioning the drive? I'm not sure how that would even be done if it is a network drive... WD has software to do that, I assume?

 

[markleehome]

Thanks for your questions. The MyBook Live Duo IS the Time Machine Backup I can't access. It is a network drive. The drive that I shared was my hard drive -- internal. The drive is strictly a network drive. I have not re-formatted or re-partitioned, I am still hopeful of recovering the backup and restoring it.

In response to the standard request, I have no antivirus, security, or "cleaning" software on my Mac.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

Ok. Well the MyBook runs its own OS from what I understand. Whatever issues you are having probably have nothing to do with the iMac. Have you reset the password on the MyBook? There''s a reset button on the back according to the user guide.

Are you unable to access the drive itself via the WD tools, or just can't open the Time Machine backup volume (which is a password-protected disk image)?

 

[markleehome]

Ok. Well the MyBook runs its own OS from what I understand. Whatever issues you are having probably have nothing to do with the iMac. Have you reset the password on the MyBook? There''s a reset button on the back according to the user guide.

Are you unable to access the drive itself via the WD tools, or just can't open the Time Machine backup volume (which is a password-protected disk image)?

Thanks for your questions.

I have reset the password on the MyBook, and I can access the drive via WD tools, I just can't open the time machine backup volume. The error message says I do not have permission.

During setup, I never created a password for that volume, you just connect as guest.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

I have reset the password on the MyBook, and I can access the drive via WD tools, I just can't open the time machine backup volume. The error message says I do not have permission.

During setup, I never created a password for that volume, you just connect as guest.

Ok. Well first off, you probably have to mount the drive using the drive's password before you can even access the Time Machine backup volume. In the Finder, on the left in the sidebar, do you see the external drive? If so, select it. You should either get connected to it immediately if the password has been saved in your keychain, or be prompted for the password. If not, is there an option up top to "Connect as"? See my screen cap.


If this drive is NOT in your sidebar, then you will need use WD's software to share the drive on the network. I don't know what options it offers, but Bonjour would be the ideal protocol.

 

[markleehome]

Thank you for your help. This image should give you a good picture of where I am at. See the little lock on the TimeMachine volume. I can see the backup files, but can't seem to connect to them from TimeMachine.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

What shows on the right if you select the MyBook drive?

Are both of those sparsebundles inaccessible?

What is under "timemachinebackup"?

With just "TimeMachine" selected, do you have an option to disconnect? Does it say who you are connected as?

Are you able to copy that sparsebundle to the hard drive? If so, do that and then try opening it from there. If you can't open the copy still, then let's try modifying the ACL on the copy. I'm running short on time so I'll have to be brief for now. Grab BatChmod. Browse to and select the sparsebundle up top. Set the owner to you; group to Staff; and check all the options. Owner, Group, and Everyone should have RWX options enabled; and check every other option there. Then hit Apply. This may take a few minutes. Once done, see if you can access it now. Again... do this with the copy, not the existing one on the MyBook, just to to be safe.

 

[markleehome]

trying these

thanks for your suggestions. I will try them. The copy function is for 750 gb, and will take some time. I will report back.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

Any luck there?

 

[markleehome]

Thank you for your help.

I gave up. In the end, I restored my one computer manually, because after restoring the OS it created some Previous System folders, and I pulled files from there.

Apple would not work through the appropriate terminal commands to get it done, and western digital tried, but they are not Apple experts either, after a week or so of attempts I decided to cut my losses.

Again, thank you for your efforts.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

Ah bummer. Very peculiar this happened... makes me want to swear off of any thoughts of ever using a network drive like that. The only other solution I might have been able to come up with offhand would have been to pull the drive out of that and put it in an external firewire enclosure so the files could be accessed directly. Anywho... glad you are up one way or another.