Continuing problem with write only data storage

And yes, the backup pair is in Echo mode :). This just started and I can't quite figure out why this isn't happening. I've deleted Synctoy and reinstalled the 64bit updated version, and deleted all the folder pairs (all of which are Echo mode, i.e., should copy adds, changes, and deletes left to right) and reconfigured the pair which copies photos from my computer storage drive to my external hard drive. No luck. It still won't delete the deletes from the external hard drive.

Thanks in advance,
BAB

Thanks ignatzatsonic, but I've just discovered the hard drive is read only for some unexplainable reason. I checked ownership and it seems that's ok. I sent a word file to the harddrive and it got through, so I'm not certain where to look. Perhaps it's something with the WD drive software?

All my storage folders currently show as Read Only. These include the storage hard drive in my desktop, and three external hard drives (a 3tb Western Digital My Book, a portable 1tb Western Digital, and a 1tb LaCie desktop that I once used as a main back up for documents and photos.)

Here's a bit of history, and please don't think I'm paranoid. A year or so ago the LaCie desktop backup hard drive developed a Read Only problem that I couldn't fix. It drove me nuts, so I stopped using it and bought the 3tb Western Digital My Book, which worked fine until recently. On the LaCie I tried everything, including careful scrutiny of the Permissions. One of the Permissions on the LaCie drive was suspicious. It was an S followed by a long series of numbers and a few other letters. Let me call this entry S(whatever.) I deleted it but it didn't change anything. Recently I decided to eliminate several early years of photos from my computer's hard drive, to store them for later reevaluation, thinning, and perhaps mass conversion to jpg from DNG. The reason for this was that I have two portable Western Digital 1tb hard drives that I rotate every couple months from home to a safe deposit box. These have all my recent photos, artwork, and C: drive backups and they were becoming crowded. OK, so I plugged in the old LaCie hard drive and reformatted it after copying the LaCie control software to another hard drive. I used the quick format, then replaced the control software, and then copied those photo files I wished to delete from the computer's storage drive (and my two portable hard drives.) I hope that makes sense. Next the LaCie immediately caused me to change the drive letters for the Western Digital desktop hard drive and the portable hard drive I was using at that time. Not a month later SyncToy wouldn't delete photos from the target external hard drive, so I began poking around. It's then that I found the files on the storage drives were all Read Only. OK, so I checked permissions and sure enough there was the S(whatever) permission again on the Western Digital desktop model. Which I promptly deleted and checked the other drives as well.

So. My system is Win 7 64bit on a Dell 8700 with an i7 processor and 24g of RAM, with a 128gb Samsung SSD C: drive. And here's what I've done so far: 1.) I ran an Avast scan and Malwarebytes scan on the desktop hard drive and Avast turned up three problems which Avast fixed; no change other than now SyncToy will make additions and deletes, even though the drives and their folders still say Read Only ...huh? I can also Send To folders or files and the target drive receives these...huh? 2.) tried unclicking the Read Only box on folders, which works until I closes the folder then it returns. 3.) Ran the Diskchk process and it lists all drives as Read/Write and attempting to remove ReadOnly has no effect. 4.) Went to the Registry, added the folder StorageDeviceProperties and created a new Dword (32bit), then a new Qword (64bit)when Dword didn't work, of WriteProtect, made sure the value was 0, also to no effect. (I did not, however, Restart after these changes.)

So. When this is fixed I'm taking a hammer to the LaCie drive. I'll wait to run scans of the drives until I hear from someone on this forum who is crazy enough to try to decipher what might be wrong and offer said advice. If nothing else I'll need to buy another 3 or 4 gb drive, copy the files, reformat all the various drives and start over. Although who knows, the S(whatever) might reappear? Suggestions more than appreciated.

BAB

Goodness, is there no one with an idea? Durn, I was hoping.....

Well, I've discovered that there is a virus with the same string of numbers I originally found in the Permissions for the offending LaCie drive: S-1-5-21-2408352569-4087011033(plus more numbers). Just type S-1-5-21 into Google search and you'll come up with a listing for the virus. I found the S-1-5- sequence with five entries under HKEY_USERS in the registry. Can I just delete these? Or how else should I handle them?

Thanks!

Yes, I read further in posts referring to the "S-1-5-21- virus" and discovered these were indeed necessary for permissions.

Thanks for the explanation of the Read Only designation on NFTS formatted files and folders. I had no idea and every time I Googled "are .....files always Read Only" all I got were ways to change that. So I apologize for wasting your time.

However, there is a continuing issue with a Western Digital hard drive that displays "No Writable Partition Found" when I open it. This is a change that occurred at the same time I started having problems with SyncToy not deleting files in the target drive. And having problems writing to the WD drive. I've emailed WD for suggestions and will follow their advice, but frankly the coincidence, and the change to being able to write to this drive are more than suspicious. After Malwarebytes discovered a "threat" and removed it, all the storage drives/folders now read and write, including the WD drive. So I'm a bit concerned about that situation. The WD drive is less than a year old and has worked perfectly -- and is currently working perfectly -- with or without SyncToy input. Very strange.

As for the "life history" I did so to prevent the situation where I get several questions about a certain problem, then having to wait a day for a reply. Pardon me for boring you.

Thanks again, and if you have any thoughts on the WD drive please so indicate.

Cheers,
BAB