Sharing and Permissions always ''fetching"

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Sharing and Permissions always ''fetching"

Hello, my 2015 Macbook Pro crashed, fortunately I have 2 hard drive backups ...however, I cannot access my Photos or iTunes library on the new Macbook (non compatibility with newer technology).

I then tried to open these folders on my partners 2015 Macbook Pro, but access is denied to these and other folders. I tried to change permissions but there are no usernames listed, only "fetching". I then tried to add the relevant username (with password associated) but nothing happens, only 'fetching' or 'everyone' in the list and access remains denied for both.

It didn't occur to me that having diligently backed up my computer all these years, I would not actually be able to open the files on another computer. Please help, 12 years of photos and music at stake :-( Thanks in advance for any advice.

Earlier Mac models

Posted on Apr 10, 2023 04:04 AM

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Answer 1

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BDAqua

Level 10

250,037 points

Apr 10, 2023 08:06 AM in response to AppleDinosaurs

Hi, I believe "fetching" is looking for a user that doesn't exist now, at least with both matching name & number.

Are the backups Time Machine?

Are the backups encrypted?

http://oldtoad.net/pondini.org/TM/B5.html

http://oldtoad.net/pondini.org/TM/B6.html

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Answer 2

May 13, 2023 10:41 AM in response to BDAqua

Hello BDAqua, thank you so much for your reply which I have just seen (I was using my partners computer and they've only just told me that I had a message)

The 2 backups were via Time Machine on 2 separate external Hard Drives.

I don't know if the back-ups are encrypted...we bought the external Hard Drives at the same time as the computers and pretty much just plugged them in as I recall.

Is there a way I could find out?

When you mentioned matching name and number - which numbers are you referring to? The computer serial number or a telephone number? Please excuse my ignorance and thank you in advance.

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Answer 3

BDAqua

Level 10

250,037 points

May 13, 2023 12:03 PM in response to AppleDinosaurs

As far as numbers, the OS uses 501, 502, 503 etc, behind the scenes, say your old Mac was AppleDinosaurs/501, then you setup a new Mac before Migration as AppleDinos/501, then you migrate AppleDinosaurs/501, it will have to migrate 501 as 502 making the user AppleDinosaurs/502.

In Disk Utility you should be able to se if it's encrypted.

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Sharing and Permissions always ''fetching"

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