"Access is Denied" to USB-connected WD external drive

[WD_Frustrated]

MyCloud (Olympus) is set to use static IP 192.168.1.99. I set my laptop (Thor) to use static IP 192.168.1.249 for the purpose of accessing and getting this darned cloud thing up and running. I have two users for Olympus: admin and hera; I have two users (both admins) on Thor: Admin and Hera (note the capitalization; Olympus doesn’t permit it, and I don’t know if that’s part of my issue.

I have these Olympus folders:

• Everything_(Olympus) MAPPED AS O: DRIVE and contains:
  – My_Folders_(Olympus) (Not separately mapped)
  – My_Downloads_(Olympus) (Not separately mapped)
  – CellPhone_BU_(Olympus) (Separately mapped as F: Drive)

I have an external 2TB WD Ultra (Zeus) attached to Olympus via USB and MAPPED AS DRIVE Z: with these folders:

– My_Folders_(Zeus) (Not separately mapped)
– My_Downloads_(Zeus) (Not separately mapped)

I run a robocopy batch file daily to copy modified/new files (My_Folders and My_Downloads, with drive name in parenths as noted above), like so:

• Thor > Olympus Works as expected
• Thor > Zeus Doesn’t work; errors on every file copy

I have an app called Sweet Home which uploads new photos from my Android phone (which, oddly, isn’t named) automatically when my phone is both plugged in AND on my home network (the app will upload to any mapped drive on the network I select, but I don’t honestly know what technology it uses), like so:

• Android > CellPhone_BU_(Olympus) Works as expected

Olympus’ folders: I am able to edit/save/delete/add files from programs and Windows File Explorer, robocopy works as advertised, and Sweet Home uploads files without fail.

Zeus’ folders: I am able to edit/save .TXT (which I tried for testing) files. If I try to edit a batch file (right click, choose Edit), Windows asks me if I want to run the batch file. I am NOT able to delete files from Zeus or SAVE new files to Zeus. Robocopy ran ONE TIME correctly, and subsequently threw error 5 0x00000005 Access is Denied.

Might be important to note that the files on Zeus were there prior to attaching to Olympus’ USB port, so when robocopy ran the first time, it was adding new/overwriting existing files.

I’ve tried:

• Modifying folder permissions via Windows, which, after reading gobs of posts, I apparently am not able to do by design.
• I have disconnected and reconnected the Z: drive, with reboots in between and tried users “admin,” “Admin,” “hera,” and “Hera.”
• I’ve triple checked that both admin and hera have read/write access to Zeus; changed hera to read-only access and then back again.
• I’ve tried robocopying from Thor to Zeus and from Olympus to Zeus, with no joy either way.

Robocopy command is:

robocopy C:\Users\Hera\My_Folders_(Thor)\ Z:\My_Folders_(Zeus)\ /e /s /xo /R:1 /W:5 /XX /dst

I’ve tried the /DCOPY:T and /DCOPY:DT switches and variations of switches and combinations of switches based on posts I’ve read here in the forum, and no switches. Every options throws the same “Access is Denied” error.

I thought it might be a robocopy issue, until I tested Zeus file deleting/adding, and I see it’s clearly a Zeus-related problem.

There may be more I can say, as I’ve been at it off and on for two days, but above are items which come to mind immediately. I’m thinking (hoping) it’s something as easy as a Windows policy or security setting, but I’m not so well versed in such things.

Oh – and I’m on a new install of Windows 7 machine (following a hard drive crash) with updates installed.

Any and all suggestions welcomed, except reformatting Zeus for the sole purpose of making Olympus play nice with it.

And one question related to USB-attached drives: When I attach a WD external drive directly to my laptop, I use Windows “disconnect external USB device” function for “safe” removal. Is there such a procedure for disconnecting a USB device attached to MyCloud? (Disconnecting mapped drive in Windows explorer throws a warning if files are open, and I want to presume no warning=okay to remove, but want to be sure.)

[WD_Frustrated]

@WD_Frustrated

And one question related to USB-attached drives: When I attach a WD external drive directly to my laptop, I use Windows “disconnect external USB device” function for “safe” removal. Is there such a procedure for disconnecting a USB device attached to MyCloud? (Disconnecting mapped drive in Windows explorer throws a warning if files are open, and I want to presume no warning=okay to remove, but want to be sure.)

I found “Eject USB” in the MyCloud Dashboard, so all set on that question.

[cpt_paranoia]

The USB drive is considered as a ‘Share’.

Each ‘Share’ has associated user file access permissions. See the ‘Shares’ page on the Dashboard.

I’m not clear from your post whether you’ve set those permissions accordingly.

The other issue is that NAS devices cannot support some attribute flags (especially Owner), since access if via a file server protocol, and access rights are done using a different method on the NAS file system.

Therefore, you cannot do xcopy (or robocopy?) commands that try to copy the ownership attribute.

I used to use an xcopy script to do backups from PC to USB HDD, and I had to remove the /O flag to allow it to use the MyCloud.

I’m not familiar with robocopy, but I’d take a close look at the attributes it’s trying to replicate.

[WD_Frustrated]

Thank you, cpt_paranoia!

@cpt_paranoia

The USB drive is considered as a ‘Share’.

Each ‘Share’ has associated user file access permissions. See the ‘Shares’ page on the Dashboard.

I’m not clear from your post whether you’ve set those permissions accordingly.

In the Shares Dashboard screen, it’s named Zeus_via_Olympus. It’s NOT public (I am the only one who should be able to see/access it). Both admin and hera have read/write access.

@cpt_paranoia

The other issue is that NAS devices cannot support some attribute flags (especially Owner), since access if via a file server protocol, and access rights are done using a different method on the NAS file system.

Therefore, you cannot do xcopy (or robocopy?) commands that try to copy the ownership attribute.

I used to use an xcopy script to do backups from PC to USB HDD, and I had to remove the /O flag to allow it to use the MyCloud.

I saw posts regarding the O attribute, and even though I wasn’t using it, looked at my switches to see which may be trying to mod any file attributes – I feel like I’ve tested them thoroughly, but will appreciate any feedback you may offer.

Robocopy is a lot like xcopy. It was more the symptom I noticed which made me go back to Windows File Explorer in my troubleshooting, and that’s when I realized that, even though the Z drive was mapping and appeared accessible, deleting/adding were throwing some access/permissions error in File Explorer, as well.

For Zeus:

• Media Serving is on (though I don’t need it for my use, I don’t think), and it’s grayed out, so I can’t change it.
• FTP access is off.
• NFS access is also off, because based on the description in the little “i” pop-up, I didn’t think I needed it. I DID try turning it on, though, and it didn’t help. (I turned it on, disconnected the mapped drive, rebooted laptop(Thor), tried to access Z again, same access error).

[WD_Frustrated]

Also, I’ve tried using:

• Z:\My_Folders_(Zeus)

and

• \192.168.1.99\Zeus_via_Olympus

Meaning I copied “\192.168.1.99\Zeus_via_Olympus” from Windows File Explorer, so I knew there was no typo.

In Windows File Explorer, the former is accessing from Computer > [mapped drives] and the latter is from Network > Olympus > Zeus.

[cpt_paranoia]

@WD_Frustrated

Meaning I copied “`92.168.1.99\Zeus_via_Olympus” from Windows File Explorer, so I knew there was no typo.

What, apart from the single quote instead of a 1…?

192.168.1.99 is what you want, surely…?

[WD_Frustrated]

Ha! I hate it when I type a typo when talking about a typo. Yeah – 1 instead of single quote.

When I open Windows File Explorer, I can see Zeus’ files in one of two ways:

Computer > Z: which results in “Computer > Zeus_via_Olympus (192.168.1.99) (Z:)” appearing in the Windows File Explorer address bar. Clicking into the address bar shows that “**Z:**” is the actual path.

Network > 192.168.1.99 > Zeus_via_Olympus which results in exactly that appearing in the Windows File Explorer address bar. Clicking into the address bar shows that “\192.168.1.99\Zeus_via_Olympus” is the actual path.

I’m not talking about browser access, which, as long as I don’t change my laptop’s IP, is via 192.168.1.99 or Olympus/

The more I look, the more I’m thinking my file permissions were stripped. The first robocopy I believe was fine (based on file dates) and the second one stripped them, so only “Everyone,” “Unix User,” and “Unix Group” have special, limited access. Even if I eject the USB drive and plug it into my laptop directly, I’m going to have to fix those permissions before accessing.

So, if that’s the case, does this mean robocopy is a no-go to a USB-attached drive?? I don’t want to sync; I just want to copy over new/modified files.

[WD_Frustrated]

@cpt_paranoia

Applying Windows user permissions to files on a USB-connected disk may cause problems when connecting to MyCloud.

The MyCloud is a computer in its own right, with its own set of users that have no direct link to Windows users. I can’t remember who owns files on the MyCloud file system, but I dont think it’s a User.

I get that, but I wasn’t able to access them before, so it’s kinda like administering CPR – he was dead, and CPR wasn’t going to make him any deader.

Hera has read/write access to the drive, and that should be all I have to do to gain full access, regardless of permissions. Not working, no matter how many times recreate, disconnect, reconnect, etc. As user Hera, I can access everything on the MyCloud, but not the USB-connected 2TB. It just doesn’t make logical sense to me.

@cpt_paranoia

I might be tempted to format the disk

My concern, at this point, is doing that may make it accessible only via the MyCloud. I’ve had this thing 5 days now, and what should’ve been a 30-minute setup is still not complete. Entrusting MyCloud to be the single portal to my only other backup isn’t going to happen.

@cpt_paranoia

I don’t connect disks to the USB port; far too slow

I only robocopy to that drive, so that’s not an issue for me. I work on the laptop and backup nightly to the USB drive, and, if I don’t throw it out the window, the MyCloud, while I’m not using any of the devices.

Again, thank you, for trying to help @cpt_paranoia. I do appreciate it.

[cpt_paranoia]

Applying Windows user permissions to files on a USB-connected disk may cause problems when connecting to MyCloud.

The MyCloud is a computer in its own right, with its own set of users that have no direct link to Windows users. I can’t remember who owns files on the MyCloud file system, but I dont think it’s a User.

I might be tempted to format the disk, connect it to the MyCloud, set access permissions to the share, and then allow your users to map it (using their MyCloud user credentials for all mapped shares, even Public shares), and then copy their files to the disk.

I don’t connect disks to the USB port; far too slow…

[WD_Frustrated]

Apparently I was in edit mode up there and not reply mode, so I deleted a post unintentionally. Sorry about that! And THAT illustrates exactly the reason I backup my files.

@WD_Frustrated

robocopy C:\Users\Hera\My_Folders_(Thor)\ Z:\My_Folders_(Zeus)\ /e /s /xo /R:1 /W:5 /XX /dst

Note:. No amount of mapping the USB drive using the IP 192.168.1.99 or the MyCloud drive name “Olympus” using various user Windows credentials (all admin) or MyCloud credentials (with full read/write access) would permit me to delete/add files on the USB drive if they existed prior to attaching the USB drive to the MyCloud (EXCEPT where those files are the stock files shipped with the USB drive).

Creating a NEW directory while the USB drive was connected to the MyCloud and using this robocopy command seems to be working as I expect:

robocopy C:\Users\Hera\My_Folders_(Thor)\ Z:\My_Folders_(Zeus)_v2\ /e /xo /R:1 /W:5 /XX /dst /COPY:DT

Apparently /DCOPY:DT was incorrect and /COPY:DT is “the one.”

Here’s what I did to test and ensure accessibility:

• Create new user Hera on MyCloud/Olympus
• Attach USB drive Zeus to MyCloud/Olympus
• Give Hera full read/write permissions to Zeus USB drive from MyCloud/Olympus Dashboard
• Map USB drive to Windows using login creds for Hera with full read/write permissions
• Robocopy NEW file copies to USB drive Zeus
• Access/edit/delete files (worked)
• Disconnect USB drive Zeus from MyCloud/Olympus
• Attach USB drive Zeus to laptop directly
• Access/edit/delete files (worked)
• Disconnect USB drive Zeus from laptop
• Attach USB drive to MyCloud/Olympus
• Access/edit/delete files (worked)
• Robocopy updated/added files to USB drive Zeus (working without errors)
  And seems to be taking timestamps into account, so only copying/recopying new/updated files, which is what I expect of robocopy
• Access/edit/delete files (worked) while Zeus mapped via Olympus
• Last triple-check will be to disconnect the USB drive Zeus and connect directly to my laptop to confirm accessibility, but I need to reboot (unrelated) and don’t want to lose the edits for this post … will report back only if there’s a problem.

When I view security on the folders/files:

• With USB drive connected via MyCloud and mapped using MyCloud user Hera credentials, it still shows everybody, unix/root, and unix/group with special/limited permissions, but it’s giving Windows user Hera (admin) full control.

• With USB drive connected directly to the laptop, shows MyCloud user Hera with special/limited permissions, but giving both Hera and Not-Hera (also admin) full control.

So /COPY:DT to a newly created folder (created while the USB drive is attached to the MyCloud device) looks like the resolution.

[cpt_paranoia]

@WD_Frustrated

No amount of mapping the USB drive using the IP 192.168.1.99 or the MyCloud drive name “Olympus” using various user Windows credentials (all admin) or MyCloud credentials (with full read/write access) would permit me to delete/add files on the USB drive if they existed prior to attaching the USB drive to the MyCloud

I think that accords with my concerns over file ownership, and the diffrence between Windows user and MyCloud user file ownership.

Glad you found a solution.