Can't remove folder from Spotlight Privacy

Question

Level 1

27 points

Can't remove folder from Spotlight Privacy

In my Spotlight Privacy list there's a folder that I can't remove. When I try to, I get this message:

"Privacy List Error. The item couldn't be added or removed because of an unknown error."

The reason I want to remove it is that I'm having some general trouble with Spotlight (it doesn't launch when I log in) and I think this might be related.

Any ideas?

MacBook Pro, 2.33 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, Mac OS X (10.5.4)

Posted on Jul 28, 2008 1:28 PM

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Answer 1

V.K.

Level 9

56,192 points

Jul 28, 2008 1:55 PM in response to von Bordwehr

open terminal and enter

sudo rm -rf /.Spotlight-V100/*

\\
you'll have to enter your admin password which you won't see as you type it.
this should clear the exclusion list.

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Answer 2

von Bordwehr Author

Level 1

27 points

Jul 28, 2008 2:32 PM in response to V.K.

Thanks! That did it!

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Answer 3

von Bordwehr Author

Level 1

27 points

Jul 30, 2008 1:52 AM in response to von Bordwehr

But — Spotlight still doesn't launch on login. Any ideas?

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Answer 4

V.K.

Level 9

56,192 points

Jul 30, 2008 7:24 AM in response to von Bordwehr

hmm. try this one:
\\
sudo mdutil -i off /

sudo mdutil -E /

sudo mdutil -i on /

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Answer 5

von Bordwehr Author

Level 1

27 points

Jul 30, 2008 7:39 AM in response to V.K.

I'm afraid that didn't help.

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Answer 6

V.K.

Level 9

56,192 points

Jul 30, 2008 7:40 AM in response to von Bordwehr

I'm very sorry but I don't know what else to try.

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Answer 7

Jul 30, 2008 7:56 AM in response to von Bordwehr

After those commands are run, what is the output of this command?

mdutil -s /

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Answer 8

von Bordwehr Author

Level 1

27 points

Jul 30, 2008 8:21 AM in response to V.K.

Thanks for taking the time!

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Answer 9

von Bordwehr Author

Level 1

27 points

Jul 30, 2008 8:26 AM in response to Topher Kessler

The Terminal just says "Indexing enabled."

This command doesn't show up in the Console, but the others do:

30.07.08 5:19:54 PM sudo[353] thomaskyhn : TTY=ttys000 ; PWD=/Users/thomaskyhn ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/usr/bin/mdutil -i off /
30.07.08 5:20:04 PM sudo[354] thomaskyhn : TTY=ttys000 ; PWD=/Users/thomaskyhn ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/usr/bin/mdutil -E /
30.07.08 5:20:09 PM mds[32] (Error) Task: <MDSFetchTask: 0x3f0270>{taskID:0x00005009 age:<1ms} couldn't fetch attributes: (os/kern) object terminated
30.07.08 5:20:09 PM mds[32] (Error) Task: <MDSFetchTask: 0x3f0270>{taskID:0x0000500a age:<1ms} couldn't fetch attributes: (os/kern) object terminated
30.07.08 5:20:11 PM sudo[355] thomaskyhn : TTY=ttys000 ; PWD=/Users/thomaskyhn ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/usr/bin/mdutil -i on /
30.07.08 5:20:17 PM mds[32] (Error) Task: <MDSFetchTask: 0x3ef810>{taskID:0x0000500b age:<1ms} couldn't fetch attributes: (os/kern) object terminated
30.07.08 5:20:17 PM mds[32] (Error) Task: <MDSFetchTask: 0x3ef810>{taskID:0x0000500c age:<1ms} couldn't fetch attributes: (os/kern) object terminated
30.07.08 5:20:22 PM mds[32] (Error) Task: <MDSFetchTask: 0x3804f0>{taskID:0x0000500d age:<1ms} couldn't fetch attributes: (os/kern) object terminated
30.07.08 5:20:22 PM mds[32] (Error) Task: <MDSFetchTask: 0x3804f0>{taskID:0x0000500e age:2ms} couldn't fetch attributes: (os/kern) object terminated

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Answer 10

Jul 30, 2008 8:37 AM in response to von Bordwehr

I'm assuming since you marked this as "answered" that your problem is solved.

The command I posted just lists information, and doenst perform any tasks. As such it will not get listed in the console like the others, which all change the drive's indexing status.

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Answer 11

von Bordwehr Author

Level 1

27 points

Jul 30, 2008 8:46 AM in response to Topher Kessler

Yes, the initial question is solved. So perhaps I ought to make a new topic for the remaining problem, Spotlight not launching on login.

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