Can't Transfer Files to External Hard Drive Anymore

I had this same problem today! After I upgraded to El Capitan I could no longer write files onto my Toshiba External. I ended up finding a folder in the toshiba called toshiba>macdriver>and it had an install for TuxuraNTFSformac.dmg. I installed it. restarted my mac and all is well! It doesn't look like I lost any content as well so, phew. Good Luck!

Thanks!!

I couldn't figure out why my Toshiba external drive which I had been using without drama on my iMac suddenly stopped letting me write to it (probably after upgrading OS to El Capitan).

The driver you linked worked like a charm.

Saved me having to move 1.8TB of data out, formatting and back again. 😮

I solved this problem by remembering that I Parallels running on my iMac. If one fires up Windows in Parallels, one can read and write NTFS files in a straightforward manner.

Had the same problem - it lies in the formatting of the disk. Usually they come NTFS (Windows) formatted and Mac doesn't handle the writing on it. In can only read. If you want to write on it, you need to reformat it. IT WILL ERASE ALL THE DATA ON DISK, SO BACK IT UP ON YOUR HDD OR ELSEWHERE FIRST!!!

1. Connect your disk to your Mac

2. Go to Disk Utility

3. Select your External drive from the list

4. Click Erase on the top horizontal menu

5. Select the OS X Extended format

6. Click Erase.

Then Mac will allow you to write on it.

I have a variation on this problem. Until yesterday I was able to move files from a (17in) MacBook Pro (OS X 10.8.5)), to my 3TB Samsung external drive, but this morning when I try to move files from my new (12in) MacBook Pro (OS X 10.11.1)) I get the 'no entry' symbol rather than the + sign, and the files won't move. So I know it isn't a formatting issue as ALL the files on the Samsung have come from the big MacBook Pro. So what do I need to do to make the Samsung receptive to data from the little MBP??

CoraMandel wrote:

I have a variation on this problem. Until yesterday I was able to move files from a (17in) MacBook Pro (OS X 10.8.5)), to my 3TB Samsung external drive, but this morning when I try to move files from my new (12in) MacBook Pro (OS X 10.11.1)) I get the 'no entry' symbol rather than the + sign, and the files won't move. So I know it isn't a formatting issue as ALL the files on the Samsung have come from the big MacBook Pro. So what do I need to do to make the Samsung receptive to data from the little MBP??

You have 2 Macs with 2 different OS's & potentially different installed software. Many other users here have had a similar issue when they didn't have NTFS write support installed on one Mac.

I'd suggest you read the 'format' of the disk (In Finder 'File > Get info' for the entire disk). Once you know what format it is is you can decide to install extra drivers or reformat if that is more appropriate. Finder 'Go > Computer' will list all disks.

Post back what you find, the solution to NTFS read+write support on OS X is already mentioned in this thread, maybe it is something else, but it seems like you haven't ruled anything out yet.

Thanks for the advice. However, my neighbour popped in and showed me the easy way to resolve this. The Samsung disk is NTFS formatted but Samsung/Seagate provide a tiny piece of software, downloadable free, that makes their disks writable from Macs and, critically, this can be done without reformatting. The thought of reformatting a 3TB disc full of data which would have to be parked elsewhere during the reformatting, is too awful to contemplate. Thankfully, Samsung/Seagate's software works instantly. They even offer a more sophisticated download that makes it possible to write from a Mac to ANY external hard drive formatted for NTFS, but you have to pay for this version. Just Google 'write from Mac to Samsung hdd' or get the free software here www.seagate.com/support/downloads/.../samsung-ntfs-driver-master-dl/

Many others have used that software here if I recall correctly, along with other filesystem plugins. Personally I don't like trusting my data to something that is not supported on OS X, at least not without good backups made elsewhere.

This type of software gets installed once and is forgotten about and can be left out of date, newer OS updates can conflict with out of date software. Eventually a bug can cost you some (or all) data. Samsung are not known for writing good Mac software and keeping it up to date, IMO.

NTFS has never been supported for writing on OS X, if you only ever use this disk on a Mac I think it is is a mistake to choose it for the file system. Get another disk backup & reformat unless it is needed for access on Windows/ Linux. In which case ExFAT may be more suitable.

Good luck with it, it should be OK unless you don't backup.

Thanks for the advice. It reaffirms, with technical justification, what I thought, intuitively, that I should do. But here's a question: how long will a back-up disk full of data that is left sitting in a drawer untouched, remain usable? Can disks deteriorate even if not used?

I don't know of any long term studies that cover media that is intended for consumers. The simple answer is that nothing lasts forever. 'Archival' formats are available if you have the money for them.

If you want something to last as long as your own lifetime you will need multiple copies on multiple types of media with a Mac/ PC that can read that format. Just bear in mind it is troublesome to read CD/DVD's on many systems, floppies & older media are practically impossible to read on new hardware.

You would be wise to open & copy the data again in a few years to a new disk, try to store the disks/ media it within the environmental guidelines otherwise bearings could seize or contacts corrode (in high humidity etc). It would also make sense to use checksums to ensure the data recovered is the same as what was stored - the disk could simply 'flip bits' due to cosmic rays compromising your data integrity. Some software will also store redundant copies to allow you to recover if one is damaged.

this solved the same problem for me.

http://knowledge.seagate.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/006177en?language=en_US

hope this helps!

thanks, I've just realised its a windows drive. Looks like I'll just have to save it to onedrive.

I've checked as you mention above, but I can't see that section bottom in Sharing & Permission on my external hard drive.

I think maybe my mac has virus! because I can transfer files from external hard drive to mac, but can't mac to external hard!

help me please

thanks.

I have this problem too..........

You are jumping to a conclusion without any evidence. Please do not assume you have a virus simply because you do not understand what is happening.

To help us (to help you) it would be useful to know what changed since you last used this disk - have you installed a new OS version? If so what version are you using & what did you move from?

I'd suggest you look at the Format section of the 'Get Info' dialog as shown in the post from poikkeus1 (under the General section - yours may be different on a newer OS). That will tell you what the disk is formatted as. It seems likely that you have a NTFS formatted disk like the many other users here who posted here. Mac OS cannot write to those disks by default it seems likely that an upgrade may have broken the software that makes them writable.