on files I've used for years I'm now getting message that it can't be saved..."Read-only file system".
Numbers-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.6.8)
Mick,
Launch Disk Utility. It's in the Utility folder in Applications.
Select the USB drive and then examine the statistics at the bottom of the window. The Format is listed on the second line.
Jerry
MS-DOS (FAT32)
I used the utility earlier to scan the pen drive and it said it needed to be repaired but there is no way to repair it.
Great, now we know that it is formatted for Windows.
Can you copy all of the files from the pen drive to your Mac's hard drive?
If so, then use Disk Utility to format the pen drive for Macintosh following the instructions here.
Will do! Thank you so much! And I guess, next time I buy or use a pen drive, make sure it is formatted for Mac...or format it for Mac before putting stuff on it. Right? Thank you, thank you! I'm sure this will do the trick!
Micky,
Any new drive will be formatted for Windows. Just Reformat for OSX before you use it.
Jerry
Hi Jerry,
That's funny. All my USB sticks are either MS-DOS (FAT 32) or MS-DOS (FAT 16) yet I have Read/Write access. I use them to transfer documents between Mac and Windows.
Regards,
Ian.
Well...didn't go as well as I expected.
I transferred all the files I could to my hard disk, and opened the disk utility and followed the directions you provided, Barry. Unfortunately, everything on the ERASE panel is ghosted out except for the instructions.
FYI: On the FIRST AID panel the only option that is not ghosted out is the VERIFY DISK option. When I run that option I am told: "This disk needs to be repaired. Click Repair Disk." But Repair Disk is ghosted out.
On the PARTITION panel it says: "This partition can not be modified."...and..."This disk is not writable and can not be partitioned."
The RAID panel appears to be useable (not ghosted out), but I have no idea what it is or does.
Yellowbox mentioned he has USB drives that sound similar to this one. Do you think I got one that corrupted big time, or do you think I got a great deal because of design inferiority. Thanks for all your help. Sorry this has gone from frustration to frustration. :>(
Hi Mickey,
Yellowbox mentioned he has USB drives that sound similar to this one
They have various names: flash drive, thumb stick, USB stick, USB memory stick, pen drive...
Here is a pic (from the link I gave to Wikipedia) to help us all sing from the same song sheet:
That flash drive has a switch to turn write access on or off. Does yours have such a switch? Could it have been accidentally set to off?
If that does not solve your problem, it sounds like your USB pen drive is on its way out. Time to buy a new one.
Regards,
Ian.
Mickey,
Does your external drive have a little "write protect" switch? Maybe it got switched. I've noticed that this switch on older drives may need to be exercised from time to time, even if in the proper position.
Jerry
Hi Mickey,
Again, have you used the Get Info window to change the USB pen drive's permissions?
The situation you described most likely is because you currently do not have write permissions.
Here is the link again to Apple's knowledgebase article with instructions on how to change the permissions.
Here is the link to another article which is illustrated.
Until you try doing this, the pen drive will not be repairable and will not be formatable.
Barry
Hi Jerry,
I think Mickey stated in a reply posting above that the pen drive lacks a write protect switch.
Barry
Yes. I must not have also made it clear that I have tried using the Get Info window to change the USB pen drive's permissions...under First Aid (where Permissions is) everything is ghosted out except the VERIFY DISK option (I ran that and it said the disk needed to be repaired but the option to repair it is ghosted out).
Interestingly, I just now went to the BestBuy website to see if I could find a picture of the drive, and while there I read some of the reviews. Here is one from a guy that evidently ran into the same thing I did...
"What's great about it: Lots of Capacity at a relatively low price per GB.
What's not so great: Unilaterally changes to Read Only
I used this drive to back up critical files for a research project involving audio and video files gathered from the internet or on location.
I liked the idea of having more than enough space to store files for transfer between a laptop used for field research and a more powerful desktop used for compiling the final report.
At a point after six months using the drive to store the research, I forgot to remove the drive from my desktop computer at shutdown.
The next time I started the computer, the drive was locked in a read only mode, meaning I couldn't edit the files on the drive or add new information from the field.
Lots of information is available on how to correct the "PNY Read Only" problem, except none worked.
I even researched how to unlock the "computer administrator" login for Windows 7 thinking I could supersede mere "user" permissions assigned to the format and used to create the files.
Turns out PNY was it's own "administrator."
I've sent the PNY, my $39.95 plus tax, my last research update, and the PNY "permissions" to computer recycle heaven, where hopefully a better manufacturer will change the matter molecules into something more universally useful."
I didn't dream I'd need a receipt for a pen drive so I didn't keep it...but I did find the transaction on my bank statement, so it sounds like I need to take it back to BestBuy and hopefully they will work with me and at least exchange it...although I definitely will not count on it as an exclusive backup again.
Also, I am attaching a picture of the "PNY 64 Gb" in question (below). Thanks again, Mickey
Exactly what did you do when you tried to change permissions via the Get Info window (forget about Disk Utility for the time being!)?
Could you please describe, step by step, what you did?
Thanks.
Why suddenly can I not save my Numbers/Excel files because "Read-only file system"?
