How do I change an external disks ICON in Catalina?

[blackxacto]

Both external disks connected by Thunderbolt 3 and USB3.1 to my 19,1 iMac Catalina 10.15.4 have been made both readable and writable by me the owner. I used the Apple+I window to do this. It is strange that I CAN CHANGE the ICONS of my internal 2TB SSD & my Time Machine Thunderbolt connected 1TB HD, but not the external drives that I use for extra backups. I have removed SIP protection, and tried to change the ICONS, but it did not work, so added back SIP. LiteICON app does not work.

Anyone know how to change the disk icons on these external disks?

 

[TimothyR734]

If you have shortcuts to your external hdd/ssd on your desktop right click on the drive you want to change the icon for then click get info the click on the icon at the top like in the screen shot the drag the icon you want to use and place it in the highlighted area like in the screenshot

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then enter your password and it should change it

 

[blackxacto]

If you read the text, I did all that, Apple+I plus make writable, did nothing

 

[TimothyR734]

well that was the way I was told as I do't have an Apple button on my keyboard only command-option and control, you might need to run sudo kill all finder in the terminal possibly to make the change

 

[blackxacto]

What does killing finder to allow icon change

 

[TimothyR734]

It is a protected system file that is part of the change in Catalina It is in the Catalina-Data drive which is restricted so we can’t make changes

 

[flowrider]

It is indeed an issue with Catalina:

Drive Icon

This question has been asked by a few members, myself included, the the Catalina forum. No one has volunteered an answer. I have been used to changing my HD and now SSD Icons using the cut & paste method. That is no longer working in Catalina. Is there another solution? Personalized Icons...

forums.macrumors.com

I seem to have gotten around the problem by erasing the drive and changing the icon while the drive is MT, then cloning the drive using SuperDuper.

Lou

 

[blackxacto]

It is a protected system file that is part of the change in Catalina It is in the Catalina-Data drive which is restricted so we can’t make changes

So how did i change my internal ssd and time machine external disks icons? But mot these two drives.
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It is indeed an issue with Catalina:

Drive Icon

This question has been asked by a few members, myself included, the the Catalina forum. No one has volunteered an answer. I have been used to changing my HD and now SSD Icons using the cut & paste method. That is no longer working in Catalina. Is there another solution? Personalized Icons...

forums.macrumors.com

I seem to have gotten around the problem by erasing the drive and changing the icon while the drive is MT, then cloning the drive using SuperDuper.

Lou

Lou, what is MT?

 

[flowrider]

^^^^say MT like it sounds = empty 😇

Lou

 

[ignatius345]

Are you sure the icon you're using is square? The pixel dimensions have to be the same on both axes (so, an icon that's 400 x 550, for example) or it won't work. I can't remember when this started being necessary, but it really threw me until I found the answer.

I've changed tons of icons on Catalina -- for the boot drive and anything else -- and have never had to disable SIP or kill the Finder or any of that other stuff.

 

[Gravydog316]

It's been a regular issuefor years... i changed my external HD to a custom, then it changed to a Time Machine backup icon, then a regular external HD icon, then a plain silver MacHD-style icon, & repeat...

plus, the icons probably changed/updated/reset with each macOS release (?)

 

[blackxacto]

^^^^say MT like it sounds = empty 😇

Lou

Good Lord, James. What are you a puzzle master, holy cow, i sat there saying mt over and over. Jeeesh, you bozo.
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Are you sure the icon you're using is square? The pixel dimensions have to be the same on both axes (so, an icon that's 400 x 550, for example) or it won't work. I can't remember when this started being necessary, but it really threw me until I found the answer.

I've changed tons of icons on Catalina -- for the boot drive and anything else -- and have never had to disable SIP or kill the Finder or any of that other stuff.

Good question, i will check the icons, thank you.
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Yes, updating system software always effects my icons if i remember correctly

 

[flowrider]

you bozo.

Say What

Lou

 

[blackxacto]

Say What

Lou

Just teasing 🤪