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-   -   Backup Files Show Negative Icon/No Files (https://www.shirt-pocket.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7291)

Mojo 10-12-2021 03:47 PM

Backup Files Show Negative Icon/No Files
 
The backup was made when I was running Mojave. I then upgraded to Big Sur.
When I wanted to check specific files in the Documents folder this morning I discovered it.

This is happening with an August 27, 2021 backup and another one that was done some months ago.

Applications are accounted for but the Documents folder appears to be empty. Other folders are like the Documents folder.

Oddly, the other user account in the backup has its documents. . .



OS 11.6
SD 3.3.1

dnanian 10-12-2021 04:30 PM

You're just not allowed to look in that folder due to permissions/ownership. That's entirely normal.

Mojo 10-15-2021 01:37 AM

1 Attachment(s)
Hi Dave-

But I'm the owner of the user account. . . On the other hand, I can look into every folder of my wife's account and see everything.

When I check the permissions, I am listed for Read and Write privileges on my wife's folders but I am missing on most of my own folders. (I hadn't thought of doing that until now.) Doesn't that indicate that the permissions are somehow screwed up?

dnanian 10-15-2021 08:21 AM

If you start up from the drive, do things look normal? We are definitely copying the permissions as they are on the drive - is this from the same Mac?

Remember - permissions aren't based on your user name. They're based on the UID. So, as an example, on your wife's Mac she's likely user 501. On yours, you are 501... on hers, if you created an account for you, you'd be 502... so on your Mac you'd see her files and not yours...and if you wiped the mac or the UIDs changed, you'd see different things.

Mojo 10-19-2021 01:43 AM

1 Attachment(s)
Yes, it's the same Mac and permissions are identical (attached.)

After reading your explanation, I compared the Mac and the clone. The Mac looks like I expect it to: I can access my data but my wife's data folders have the red circle with white minus sign, with zero bytes. On the clone the situation is reversed.

Here is the event that started all this: I tried to install a firewall app (Scudo) that extends the functionality of the Mac firewall. The installation stalled and I had to power-off the Mac using its power button.

After that I could not boot the Mac. Since starting to use a 2018 Mini with a T2 chip around a year and half ago, I did not set things up on the Mini to be able to boot from a cloned volume. I've just been using the clone as a backup. Will I be able to start up from the clone even if I changed the security settings on the Mac?

I had to take the Mac to the local Apple repair shop, where they wiped the internal drive and installed Big Sur rather reinstalled Mojave. I told them to do it because I was planning on upgrading anyway. Maybe not a great idea after all. . . LOL.

The only other salient point I think I should bring up is that the Mac is formatted APFS and the external volume is Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

Maybe this additional info will clarify things. Is starting up the Mini from the current clone even an option at this point?

(BTW, I am not receiving email notifications from the forum. Messages are not winding up in my local or email server spam folders. My address is correct in my forum profile.)

dnanian 10-19-2021 06:09 AM

Yes, that makes sense. They wiped the system which changed the UIDs.

You should be able to start up from the backup, if you turn on the ability to start up from external devices in Recovery's "Security Utility". Did you try?

Remember, on HFS+ you can turn "ownership" off (checkbox to ignore ownership on) in Get Info for the volume, and then you can get access to things that you're currently blocked from accessing.

You can readily use support email instead of the forum if you'd like to get email notifications on a more reliable basis... :-)

Mojo 10-22-2021 05:36 PM

I did not know that wiping the drive would affect the UID data. Thanks for explaining it to me.

I'll try starting up the Mac and try another idea I have if that does not work.

From here on out I will get in touch via support email. That will definitely make things a little easier on my end. . .


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