Problems with permissions/applications folder

Motoko

Registered
Hello, I'm trying to troubleshoot a problem with applications folder permissions, but find myself needing a little help. Many google searches have yielded little information pertaining to my particular problem.

If someone could help me out with this I would be extremely grateful.

I downloaded a free-ware program and ran the .dmg as normal, but when I tried to drag the application into the applications folder I got the following dialogue box/error message;

"The alias "applications" could not be opened because the original item can not be found".

Along with three option buttons;
[delete alias] [fix alias] [ok]

When I try to fix alias, I get the following message;

"the item could not be moved because applications can not be modified"

This led me to think there must be a problem with permissions, So I used disk utility to run 'Repair disk permissions". This has made no difference to the problem. I still can not install applications.

If anyone has any idea what could have happened here I would much like to hear your advice. Additionally, I haven't manually changed any permissions myself, I don't mess with system files unless I know exactly what I'm doing. Everything else seems to be functioning normally on my mac.

Thank you in advance for any help.
 
Are you dragging the application from the mounted DMG onto an alias of the Applications folder that is also located on the mounted DMG file?

If so, try this instead:

1) Open the mounted DMG window.
2) In a separate window, open a new Finder window.
3) In the window you opened in step 2, navigate to the Applications folder on your hard drive.
4) Drag the app from the DMG window to the Applications window.

Does that work? If so, perhaps the developer of the application created a DMG with a "bad" link to the Applications folder.
 
Wow thanks so much ElDiabloConCaca, your solution worked perfectly. Indeed I was dragging the application from the mounted .dmg onto an alias of the Applications folder. It has always worked in the past and I didn't consider there being a a bad link to the Applications folder. So I just assumed it was a messed up permission setting (I'm a mac noob hehe).

Again thank you for your help. :)
 
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