SABnzbd Forums

I have a new external drive which is formatted to APFS. I have been perviously successful in setting up my complete folder on an external drive but now I am hitting a wall.
I have made sure all the folders have read & write access to all users
When selecting the volume (/Volumes/External Downloads) - new drive is named "External Downloads" I get an error notice "Cannot create directory /Volumes/External Downloads"

I have found recommendations online saying to remove the first / - which removes error message, but creates the folder in different location instead of my external drive.

Where I am going wrong?

Also Sabnzbd has "Full Disk Access" which I never needed before

It's not allowed to write there.
Something must have changed in macOS.. We don't require anything new.

I have an error massage but I am not allowed to post links

line 741, in create_all_dirs
PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission denied:

Hopper1979 wrote: ↑January 8th, 2026, 11:44 am I have an error massage but I am not allowed to post links

line 741, in create_all_dirs
PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission denied:

... so that's a contradiction with your statement "I have made sure all the folders have read & write access to all users", isn't it?

I don't use MacOS, but AFAIK MacOS has two layers of writing access: on the filesystem, and the application itself. Or something like that.

Google Gemini says the below. Maybe it helps you?


To give an application write access to a specific drive on macOS, you must clear two separate security hurdles: Filesystem Permissions (who owns the file) and Privacy Protections (what the app is allowed to do).

Here is the step-by-step process to handle both via the UI and Command Line.

1. The Easy Way: Ignore Ownership
If the drive is an external one (USB, Thunderbolt, etc.) and you want any user/app on your Mac to have full write access without permission errors, you can bypass the "who owns this" check.

Select the drive in Finder.

Press Cmd + I (Get Info).

Expand Sharing & Permissions at the bottom.

Click the Lock and authenticate.

Check the box: "Ignore ownership on this volume."

2. The Privacy Layer: "Full Disk Access"
Even if the filesystem says "Yes," macOS's TCC (Transparency, Consent, and Control) might say "No." If an app needs to write to a drive, it often requires Full Disk Access.

Via System Settings (Recommended)
Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access.

Toggle the switch for your application to ON.

If the app isn't listed, click the + button and add it from your /Applications folder.