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"Read Only" File Issue (CSP)

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CSP file

External Drive

I only found out about this issue recently when I updated my Macbook Pro to MacOS Monterey and tried to open or save my Clip Studio Paint file on an external hard drive. I opened my CSP file from my external drive but it refused to launch. I also tried saving random files on the drive but I kept getting an error message reading "The file (file name) can't be saved in this volume. This volume is Read Only. Please save to another volume." 

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Read this carefully! It's not the file that's the issue, it's the volume (Drive) itself that's the problem. I tried all sorts of solutions, including performing first aid using MacOS Utilities but it still persisted. Many online will tell you they ran into this similar situation and that you should reformat the drive to its original parameters. DON'T DO THIS! You'll run the risk of deleting all your files on the drive. Only execute this action as a last resort if you deem your drive to be too corrupted or unresponsive.

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I finally managed to restore my drive to Read and Write without needing to do a complete reformat. In this tip, I'll show you what I did to solve the issue on my drive. I also recommend that you at least try the built-in First Aid diagnostic in MacOS Utilities first.

Sometimes this issue could also happen if you update your OS to a new version. An error could occur causing the drive to become corrupt or switch to "read only" mode. This problem didn't happen to me until I did just that then all of a sudden, the drive didn't work properly.

 

Please proceed carefully. If you select the wrong options, it could further damage the drive. First, locate the external drive that's presenting this issue. Right click on it and you should see a pop-up of options listed. Click on "Get Info" and a pop-up window will appear.

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In the case of Windows devices, click on "Properties"

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The first thing to know is "what is read and write?" Time for a little explanation. Read allows users to see contents of a directory but won't allow access to change or add more data to it. Write gives users access to change or add new and existing content to the directory. It is important that the administrator of the computer (you) has both Read and Write accessibility on all stored volumes.

 

You should now see this pop-up window. The information here lists data about the drive's volume and modifications made. This is also where you can adjust the drive's read and write function. Down on the bottom right, you'll notice a little lock icon circled in red. You will need to unlock this in order to make any changes to the drive. 

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In this case, I'm using a SeaGate External Drive as my source. Seagate themselves recommend that you create an encryption passcode to lock the drive itself but you run the risk of locking yourself out completely if you lose your password. Once you create the encryption passcode, that's it. There's no going back. I suggest you only do this if you plan to store highly sensitive or volatile files in your external drive. 

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You are then prompted to enter the device's passcode to unlock the volume's setting. Enter your passcode or fingerprint to proceed further.

After you've successfully entered your passcode, you should see the lock icon has now unlocked. This means you now have access to the drive's Read & Write permissions.

 

Under the "Sharing & Permissions" tab you should see a table that lists "Name and Privilege." Make sure your name (as the administrator) is highlighted in the list. Don't change anything on the other names on the list and leave it as "Read Only." If you see under privilege "Read Only" next to your name, that indicates that the volume is stuck in view content only mode. 

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Left click on the "Read Only" privilege next to your name and change the setting to "Read & Write." Don't make any more modifications than this.

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Click on the little dotted circle icon on the bottom, highlighted in red, and select "Apply to enclosed items." You'll probably need to wait for some time depending on how big the drive is while the volume is being reformatted. Restart your computer after the formatting is done.

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You should be good to go! The drive should now be able to execute read and write on all files.

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You'll only need to do this in the event that for any odd reason an external drive suddenly changes to "read only." A tell-tale sign that something like this has occurred is if some files refuse to open or error messages appear saying files failed a save execution on the drive. "Read only" only allows the user to view the contents of the volume but can't make any modifications to it because the "Write" function is off. When making these changes, it's important that you proceed cautiously and carefully. The changes you make here can deeply affect the drive and could run the possibility of badly corrupting it or risk losing sensitive data. If not backed up to a secondary or even a third location, worst case scenario could result in losing all your data for good. 

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I mentioned earlier at the top of this page but if you're coming from a Mac computer, I encourage you to try the built-in First Aid program in Utilities first before you attempt this process. First Aid will automatically detect and try to repair or restore any communication or data errors to default settings. 

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If this tip didn't work, then unfortunately I have to say that you'll most likely have to completely reformat the drive to original factory default due to how badly corrupt it is. Make sure to transfer all files to another location before starting this process. Good Luck!

©byeeart26
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