HT201560: Repair disk permissions with Disk Utility

Learn about Repair disk permissions with Disk Utility
Dennis Burnham
Level 1 (29 points)
Mac OS X

Q: How to repair permissions in El Capitan?

I need to repair permissions on an external hard drive.  How can I do that in El Capitan?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.2), 27"

Posted on Apr 2, 2016 6:54 PM

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Dennis Burnham

Q: How to repair permissions in El Capitan?

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  • by pinkstones,

    pinkstones pinkstones Apr 2, 2016 6:57 PM in response to Dennis Burnham
    Level 5 (4,209 points)
    Safari
    Apr 2, 2016 6:57 PM in response to Dennis Burnham

    You would use Disk Utility.  Go to Applications --> Utilities --> Disk Utility.  Make sure your external drive is plugged into your computer.  On the left-hand side of the Disk Utility window, click on your external drive, then at the top, click the First Aid button — it's a stethoscope.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Apr 2, 2016 7:32 PM in response to Dennis Burnham
    Level 9 (50,072 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 2, 2016 7:32 PM in response to Dennis Burnham

    Unless the external drive is a startup drive (I.e. it is bootable), repairing permissions will do nothing.

    The old Repair Disk Permissions only affected system folders and applications.  It never repaired permissions on your user folder, or anything data related. As El Capitan prevents anything from modifying the areas that might have been "damaged" previously, there is no need to repair permissions in El Capitan.

     

    Why do you think your external needs the permissions repaired?