I have a iMac that uses Time Machine as it's backup program. I keep getting a message that reads- Files can't be copied onto the backup disk because it appears to be "read only". It says I may need to repair or reformat the disk using Disk Utility.

Mac's won't read windows format disc, even if it's capable of reading the files wich I believe Newer Mac Operating Systems CAN DO, it can not read the file SYSTEM used to place them on the disc. You need a third computer. Put the files on a nother computer or two if you need the room or on another media or pocket drive. Use a program that VERIFIES the were moved without errors while copying them, the use the Mac to format the now empty disc drive and download Mac Pooler, or File Stuffer, and copy the files back onto the disc. Now the Mac will be able to read the drive they're on.

The best approaches is to buy a 2.5" usb sata drive case. Remove the hard drive on the macbook to get back your files and folder on the new imac. Use the drive afterward for time machine

I dug out the Factory Restore procedure from the Dell website. If you can successfully get to the Advanced Boot Options screen with F8, there should be an "extra" item in the choices, "Repair Your Computer". If you select this, then you will be asked to select your language, followed by an Administrator login. After you log in, click "Dell Factory Image Restore" then click "Next"
If your hard drive has a bad spot where the volume information is stored, this will still fail. In that case, remove the hard drive, find somebody who can make a full copy of it ("Ghost" the drive; named for a program that performs that function; this copies hidden low level data as well as the files) to a new hard drive, and try the new drive. The volume information on the new drive will be corrupted also, but it should be repairable, and you might even get your original data back.
New hard drives can be purchased for less than $100. If your ghost and recover process succeeds, you should seriously consider getting an external hard drive big enough to hold the contents of your iMac and your new laptop hard drive, split it into two partitions using Disk Utility on the iMac (format one partition as HFS+ )Extended) for the Mac and the other as NTFS (you will have to do this format from the Windows machine; Apple is only allowed to do FAT formats for Windows), then use Time Machine on the iMac and Backup and Restore Center on your Dell (see article linked above) to make backup copies of each machine.

Use the disk utitlity to repair the disk, when your husband unplugged it while it was attempting a backup, it corrupted part of the disk the disk utility will fix it for you and correct the errors

> the backup volume is read-only

This means that you should try to copy all the pictures from the device onto your computer's disk-drive, while you still can!

Or, select a bunch of images, and burn them to CD/DVD-writable disks. Select another bunch, and repeat.

Just turn the time machine off for each disk you want to use for data. It's easy. When a mac asks You during insertion "Use the disk JOHN DOE as a time machine backup?" Say "No". That's all. Or, if You don't want to use a Time mashine as well, just turn it off in a system preferences - time machine, or by clicking on time machine icon on menu bar.
Regards

yes U can recover it... plz download the registered version from the torrent site of software know as DATA DOCTOR RECOVERY .. this software will help you getting back you Data if you did not formated the Hard drive.. thank u for asking Question..

If you're using the MS Backup utility, it's creating .BKF files which are very large (1-2GB+). Your external hard drive uses a FAT32 file system, which has a limitation of 4GB per file. If your backup files are over 4GB, it won't copy. It probably worked on your 250GB hard drive because it was formated with NTFS and not FAT32. You'll need to limit the size of your backup files to 4GB or less, or use a different utility that has file-size splitting options.

I got the solution to this problem at the Genius Bar.
As they explained it, Time Machine is software that saves files on the backup drive in a format that can only be read by Time Machine. So, when you open Time Machine, you can click on any file and it will open.
If you try to open a file directly from the backup drive, it needs a program to open it, and if Time Machine is not open, you get the error message.

If your computer crashes, when you get it fixed (or get a new Mac)and when you connect the backup drive, Time Machine will recognize it, will ask you if you want to associate it with your computer, and when you say yes, all your backed-up files are availabel and copied back into the computer.
Genius Bar:

http://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/

Click on this link. Or copy and paste it into your browser.
If I could be of further assistance, let me know.
If this solves your issue, please be kind to rate it.
Thanks, Joe


I’m happy to assist further over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/joe_8b8c2cd6ce148309

All the back files that was created is on that other machine even while you may think its on that disk in theory YES but physically NO. Thats why you got this: Error message keeps coming up which is: programfiles\sage\accounts\company.001attachments\nominal\1200\statements\288.pdf Just one more try the disk you used look on it if it has the 288.pdf file you may be able to read it from the PDF software and then recreate it in the sage financial creater?