Need Help With External Drive Permissions

Tech Support
1

Hi,

Using Monterey 12.1

Recently, I reformatted and external SSD drive as APFS just for misc backup files etc.

All seemed good.

Just now, I tried to create a new folder at the external root - and it asked for my password authentication before the folder was created. (This is not a boot drive)

Also - after creating the new folder - I tried MOVING a few empty root folders into this new drive folder and instead of moving them - it copied them instead. Not what I was expecting.

On another spinning drive that was HFS +, it does not ask for permissions before creating a new folder.

Also - ignore ownership on this volume is unchecked on both externals.

Q: Is this normal behavior?

Thanks Dave

2

No, this isn’t normal, something isn’t right.

Normally if you have Read & Write permissions the external drive should act the same as your internal drive. Follow Apple’s directions. If you have existing files/folders on the drive check out the “Apply permissions to all items in a folder or a disk” section.

3

Is the external ssd encrypted?

1 Like
6

WayneG
Thanks for the info.
jec0047
no it is not encrypted.

On a few externals formatted previously - I seem to have varied settings:

Question: What are the BEST permission settings for a basic external SSD drive (used for files etc)

these are the settings:

MBP M1 Monterey INTERNAL (factory)

system = read and write
wheel = read only
everyone = read only

I formatted a new external ssd using disk utility default Monterey formatting:

NEWER APFS = disk utility default Monterey formatting:

system = read and write
wheel = read and write
everyone = read only

NEWER APFS = disk utility default Catalina formatting:

me = read and write
staff = read and write
everyone = read only

but my older spinning drives w hfs+ permissions like:

system = read and write
admin = read and write
everyone = read only

So I am confused by these differences between wheel or staff or admin…