How to Fix Native Access Install Issues on External Drives (Mac Guide)

If you’re a music producer using Mac, installing large instrument libraries or tools like Native Access directly onto an external drive often triggers “Full Disk Access required” or “permission denied” errors. Even when your external drive is formatted as APFS (the recommended format for macOS), you might face unexpected roadblocks when writing, installing, or moving files.

What Causes External Drive Permission Issues?

MacOS security has become increasingly strict, especially with M1/M2/M3 Macs. Even when your external drive is using standard APFS format (not case-sensitive), access privileges can prevent installation or writing directly to these drives. Setting “Ignore ownership on this volume” doesn’t always solve the problem.

Step-by-Step Solution:

1. Check and Adjust Permissions

• In Finder, right-click your external drive, choose “Get Info,” and verify “Sharing and Permissions.” Make sure your user account has “Read & Write” access.
• If your drive is formatted as APFS (shown as “APFS Volume – APFS”), you’re using the recommended format.

2. Try Creating a New Folder

• Sometimes, writing to the root of the external drive is blocked, but creating a new folder inside and using that for installs works.

3. Run First Aid from Disk Utility

• Open “Disk Utility,” select your external drive, and run “First Aid” to fix possible file system issues.

4. Restart and Retry

• Sometimes you need to restart your Mac for new permission settings to take effect.

5. Use the Internal Drive as a Workaround
If the above steps don’t work, the reliable workaround is:

• First install your library/tool to your internal drive.
• Move the installed files to the external drive.
• Restart Native Access (or your music production app) and use the “Repair” or “Rescan” function.
  This method works because installation on the internal drive always gets the right permissions, and moving files afterwards avoids the installer’s disk access hurdles.

Extra Tips

• Add your music software (like Native Access) to “Full Disk Access” in System Settings → Privacy & Security.
• Temporarily disable any antivirus/security software if the installation fails.
• Make sure your external drive is not NTFS (Windows-only format) nor exFAT, but APFS for best Mac compatibility.

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Summary

External disk permissions can be unexpectedly tricky on Mac, especially for audio professionals who need high-performance external storage. When direct installation fails, internal drive installation followed by manual file moves and a “repair” in your software can save time. Always double-check folder and app permissions, and keep your macOS updated for best results.