# Very Frustrated with OS X Privileges



## cutman1000 (May 5, 2001)

I am getting very frustrated with the privileges (or lack there of) in OS X.  My user is the administrator, but for some reason I don't have control of my OS X partition.  I can't index it in Sherlock, and when I try to empty the trash (delete the old version of Sharity) it says "Operation could not be completed because you do not have sufficient privileges."  I also can't save movies from Quicktime Pro to my hard drive.

     Can someone help me out with this stuff?  I am the only user of my computer...I should have all the privileges that I want!!!  How can I fix this crap?  Thanks.

cutman


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## Tom Kroening (May 6, 2001)

Well, i hear your pain. It takes a while to get used to the whole priv thing but you will. In my eyes apple still has a ways to go to get its copy working right.. something always fails. But anyhow. You should save all your personal  stuff to your user directory only. The only thing you don't put in your user dir are apps if you want everyone to be able to use them. Nothing goes to the root level of your disk because you can't remove it unless you use the root account. Now to undo what you've done jsut read up on the terminal or  login as root (you must enable it first www.macosxhints.com). Good luck...


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## christian (May 7, 2001)

You don't need to enable root access to delete a file. You just need to "su" for the delete opeation.

Open "Terminal"

Locate the file.

Delete it using:

sudo rm -f <filename>


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## pbrice (May 7, 2001)

Are you trying to manipulate things that were installed or created before you loaded OS X or in 9.1 (not Classic)?

I've found that since I have the OS X partition and one from 9.1, I basically have two (2) computers.  Sure I can see 9.1 docs and apps form OS X (and vice versa), but you can't delete 9.1 docs apps when in OS X.  In order to delete them, I've had to reboot into 9.1.

This may seem a little odd, especially from a Mac users point of view, but remember, OS X in set-up to be Multiuser from the start.  Even though you may be the only user, and are the admin, when you are logged in to OS X, you are the admn of OS X, not the 9.1 partition.  Same thing for the reverse.  When you are booted into 9.1, your are in your 9.1 computer, and OS X docs/files will deny you priveledges as well.  The two (2) partitions have no idea that you are the same person, at this point.  It makes sense, really, but can be a little frustrating.

Good luck!


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## Tom Kroening (May 7, 2001)

Yeah, like i said read up on the terminal if you don't know how to use it or enable root and login (in aqua)  and fix your stuff. Its probably the easiest way to do it.


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## bigbadbill (Sep 19, 2002)

I'd like to add that in my opinion Apple's privileges, permissions and authentications SUCK ASS!!! Can they _be_ any more difficult to understand and operate. Not to mention Apple hasn't provided so much as a shred of documentaion or support to help us deal with this. I am fed up! One day I can log into other computers on my network and the next day authentication fails. One day I create a file, and the next day I can't delete it. Even logging in as root does nothing for me. This sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Fahrvergnuugen (Sep 20, 2002)

anyone who says that UNIX's privileges "suck ass" is clueless. Learn how to use your computer, don't bash something you obviously know nothing about.

man chmod & chown

OSX is _secure_ which is a _good_ thing.


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## boi (Sep 20, 2002)

how many OS X users do you think know what chmod is? how many users are angry at their computer because they cannot delete a program they just installed because their computer won't let them. "you do not have permission to do this". i get pretty peeved when i see that. especially when i can't empty my trash. permissions are spastic. sometimes i can do stuff, but when i log out/back in, i can move/edit the file. from a typical computer user's standpoint, this totally sucks and should be fixed. OS X was built so you wouldn't have to mess with the terminal unless you wanted to, but it's kind of a requirement.


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## solrac (Sep 20, 2002)

> _Originally posted by bigbadbill _
> *...One day I create a file, and the next day I can't delete it. Even logging in as root does nothing for me. This sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> *



HOLD ON...

Logging in as root means you should have NO PROBLEMS WITH ANYTHING

ROOT CAN DO ANYTHING AND NEVER EVER GETS A PERMISSION DENIED

There is NO WAY you are root, and getting an error. I just don't believe it.

That's just like saying you installed Windows XP on your mac. It's pure BS.

If you properly log in as root (and there's only one way), then you have free reign over everything. You're doing something wrong.


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## bigbadbill (Sep 20, 2002)

That was my inderstanding too. Unfortunatley I have successfully created and logged in as root and still can not unlock nor delete the files.

Here's the entire story:

I have these three folders with photos in them. I sometimes copy files from these folders into shared folders on the same drive which other users on my network copy and delete from said shared folders. A couple of times I accidently "moved" files instead of copying them, resulting in the files being delted accidently. So I locked these folders. Later on I upgraded to OSX 10.2 with a clean install creating a new Username and Home Folder for myself and deleting the old. I had backed up some files (including the locked photo folders) to CD. After my upgrade to OSX 10.2 I copied these files back to my HD. These folders appear as locked on the CD and appear as locked when copied back to my HD. I cannot delete these folders or move the files inside of them, EVEN WHEN LOGGED IN AS ROOT! I have moved these files to the trash where they have lived for about 2 weeks now. because I cannot delete them.

Why would this be?

I also have a problem with networking between my iBook and G4. I can connect to my G4 from my iBook without a hitch, but when I try to connect to my iBook from my G4 it fails the authenticate. EVEN WHEN LOGGED IN AS ROOT ON BOTH!

Why would this be?

Any help would be appreciated as I've basically given up on both issues, rebuilding my locked photo folders and using iChat to pass filles to my iBook from my G4.


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## cabbage (Sep 20, 2002)

If you are having problems deleting your trash download Delete It from versiontracker.com.  It runs the terminal commands for you and you have to do is enter your password.

If you are having trouble with permissions on other files the first thing I would od is open Disk Utility.  Click on the partition you want - click on the First Aid tab - Verify Disk Permissions - If you get any errors than click Repair disk permissions.  See if that solves your problem.

If it doesn't than download BatChmod from versiontracker.com  Whatever file is giving you problems drag onto the BatChmod icon and then change the owner to you and see if that works.


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## bigbadbill (Sep 20, 2002)

Cabbage

Thanks I'll give it a try.

Solorac

Here is about the closest thing I can get to proving it to you (see attached).

BTW, I believe you _can_ install Windows XP on your Mac using Virtual PC ... No BS!


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## bigbadbill (Sep 20, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Fahrvergnuugen _
> *anyone who says that UNIX's privileges "suck ass" is clueless. Learn how to use your computer, don't bash something you obviously know nothing about.*



I've been using Apple computers since my Apple IIe in High School and I've been using Mac OS since the macintosh was first introduced. I have attended every MacWorld SF expo ever held. I have a G4, an iBook, 2 original iMacs, an LCD iMac, and an iPod, AND I CAN"T EMPTY MY FRIGGIN TRASH!!

You're right I am clueless, clueless as to why these permissions and priveleges have to be so damned difficult to understand. I would consider myself an advanced user. Surely not as advanced as most of you here, but I shouldn't have to be to perform a task as simple as emptying my trash or connecting 2 computers.


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## onan (Sep 27, 2002)

Whoawhoawhoa, calm down there Solrac. It's entirely possible for root to run into such errors.

In the most obvious and common circumstance, even root cannot alter or delete a file which is locked. You can unlock the file, and then do what you wish with it, but no amount of being root allows you to ignore its locked state.

This is not unprecedented. At least ext2 (the filesystem traditionally used by linux) allows for an "immutable" flag on files, which causes them to be, well, immutable. By anyone, including root.

There are many tools which have the express purpose of preventing even root from doing things. They exist either to complicate security compromises, or to simply limit accidental stupidity.

This is contrary to the traditional idea of root being allowed to be as stupid as it chooses, and it could be argued that it is not The Unix Way. But nearly all systems currently have some examples of it.


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## wiz (Sep 28, 2002)

> _Originally posted by bigbadbill _
> *That was my inderstanding too. Unfortunatley I have successfully created and logged in as root and still can not unlock nor delete the files.
> 
> Here's the entire story:
> ...






basically locking a file sets the immutable flag of that perticular file/folder.
Now not even the root can undo this !!
Yep u can't ... at least not through the terminal. YAH thats funny!

Well. Ur supposed to unlock the file through the finder (the same way u locked it) to unset this falg. There is no other way!

I'd suggest logging into root through Aqua and undo it.

It may work!!!


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