Why sign in to the Community?

  • Submit a question
  • Check your notifications
Sign in to the Community or Sign in to TurboTax and start working on your taxes
New Member
posted Jun 1, 2019 4:21:19 PM

What does "Turbo tax is on a read only volume" mean?

Your system is driving me crazy!

0 41 10297
24 Replies
Level 7
Jun 1, 2019 4:21:20 PM

Check that you are not trying to run TurboTax directly from a CD or a disk image. Eject these if loaded, and launch TurboTax from the icon in your Applications folder.

New Member
Jun 1, 2019 4:21:21 PM

I did all that 6 times

New Member
Jun 1, 2019 4:21:23 PM

It is a download file - not a CD

New Member
Jun 1, 2019 4:21:24 PM

It is a download file - not a CD

Level 7
Jun 1, 2019 4:21:25 PM

After downloading, did you open the .dmg file and drag the app to the Applications folder?

Level 1
Jan 25, 2020 8:27:13 PM

Drug to applications several times, same error

Level 15
Jan 25, 2020 8:33:49 PM

@chiefq 

What tax year are you installing on your Mac?

What OS X version is on your Mac?

 

@macuser_22   Are you please able to assist here when you are next in the forum?  Thanks!

Level 1
Jan 25, 2020 8:52:59 PM

2019 and Catalina 10.15.2. 

 

Thanks for the assist, but when I opened Finder and drug it straight to Applications folder there, and not down to my Apps folder on the Dock it worked fine.     Scratching my head, never had to do it that way before.

New Member
Feb 18, 2020 5:15:40 PM

i did but still couldn't open the app

Level 15
Feb 18, 2020 6:05:16 PM


@ hoovacct 

wrote:

i did but still couldn't open the app


Mention what OS X version you are using, what the tax year of the software is, whether it is a CD or a download, and whether you are getting any error messages, and perhaps

@ macuser_22

can suggest something in this thread.

Level 1
Feb 25, 2020 3:01:13 PM

Dragging straight across (not to the dock) produces an icon in the Applications folder.  Clicking on that icon results in the error message "Turbotax is on a read-only volume..." but does not open the TurboTax program.  Many attempts, but no successful installation.

Level 15
Feb 25, 2020 4:28:44 PM


@bnjsmiley49 wrote:

Dragging straight across (not to the dock) produces an icon in the Applications folder.  Clicking on that icon results in the error message "Turbotax is on a read-only volume..." but does not open the TurboTax program.  Many attempts, but no successful installation.


Please mention what OS X version you are using, what the tax year of the software is, whether it is from a CD or a download.

 

@macuser_22  Are you please able to assist this user with his Mac issue when you are next in the forum?   Thanks!

New Member
Mar 31, 2020 8:35:27 AM

I'm having the same issue too:

I'm running mac OS High Sierra version 10.13.6 (17G11023)

Level 15
Mar 31, 2020 1:56:45 PM


@chrisottinger11229 wrote:

I'm having the same issue too:

I'm running mac OS High Sierra version 10.13.6 (17G11023)


@macuser_22    When you are next around, are you please able to assist this user who gets the error "TurboTax is on a read-only volume."

Thanks!

Level 15
Mar 31, 2020 2:08:47 PM

CD in CD drive.  

Not an administrator user.

Restart Mac.

Make sure Folder is owned by the User.

Use File -> Get Info to see RW permissions of file and Folder.

New Member
Jan 26, 2021 12:52:57 PM

I am having the same issue. 

Intuit Alumni
Jan 26, 2021 1:07:31 PM

@kbwilson1 Are you downloading a product or using a CD?

Level 3
Mar 9, 2021 5:06:28 PM

I had the issue loading Turbo Tax for Mac 2020 today.  It took 3 technicians over 2 hours and in the end I figured out the problem myself, even with the person sharing my screen.

 

At the end of the day, what was happening after downloading the software, Turbo Tax tells you do drag it into your Applications folder, which in my view is the "A" sitting on the dock.   Nope.   They literally want you to drag it to the "A" directly to the right, within the dialog box itself.    It's incredible how inept the instructions and guidance is, but once I did that, it loaded very easily on my Mac.

 

My return will probably take 90 minutes to prepare.  It took 2+ hours just to load the software.

Level 3
Mar 9, 2021 5:07:49 PM

Make sure you are not dragging to the applications folder on your dock.  That is the logical thing to do, but that won't work.   You have to drag it over to the right within the same dialog box created after downloading the program

Level 15
Mar 9, 2021 5:15:14 PM


@sotampacane wrote:

I had the issue loading Turbo Tax for Mac 2020 today.  It took 3 technicians over 2 hours and in the end I figured out the problem myself, even with the person sharing my screen.

 

At the end of the day, what was happening after downloading the software, Turbo Tax tells you do drag it into your Applications folder, which in my view is the "A" sitting on the dock.   Nope.   They literally want you to drag it to the "A" directly to the right, within the dialog box itself.    It's incredible how inept the instructions and guidance is, but once I did that, it loaded very easily on my Mac.

 

My return will probably take 90 minutes to prepare.  It took 2+ hours just to load the software.


That is the standard Apple provided install dialog.   All Mac applications are installed that way - by dragging the app to the Applications folder that is in the *install* box that open when you mount the .dmg file.   Mac installs have worked that way for many years. 

Level 3
Mar 9, 2021 6:21:05 PM

That comment doesn't make a lot of sense to me and doesn't seem relevant to those of us who kept getting the read only problem.  

Level 15
Mar 9, 2021 7:00:04 PM


@sotampacane wrote:

That comment doesn't make a lot of sense to me and doesn't seem relevant to those of us who kept getting the read only problem.  


As you yourself stated above: " They literally want you to drag it to the "A" directly to the right, within the dialog box itself."    That is not TurboTax - that is how Mac apps in .dmg format  are are installed regardless of the vendor.

New Member
Mar 29, 2021 9:33:52 PM

I have downloaded Turbo Tax completed my return and tells me to save to file but won’t save because it is read only. What should I do????? Very frustrated!!!!

Level 15
Mar 30, 2021 7:52:42 AM


@5japan20 wrote:
I have downloaded Turbo Tax completed my return and tells me to save to file but won’t save because it is read only. What should I do????? Very frustrated!!!!

If a Mac, be sure yiu are saving to your hard drive and not a CD or thumb drive.

 

Be sure your System Preference -> Security & Privacy -> Privacy -> Full Disk Access has TurboTax checked

 

If not use the + to add it.