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New Mac Mini and Repairing Permissions

I've been having trouble with my Mail program and thought I would repair permissions to see if that would help. I ran disk utility from my internal hard drive and ran repair permissions. Apparently it found several permissions to repair, so I thought I would run repair permissions again and the same list appeared. Running a third time and the same list appeared again.Do these permissions ever get repaired? What do I do from here? Should I repair permissions after booting up off of my original system disk? This Mini is only a couple of weeks old and I'm already having problems with Mail and repairing permissions.

rskover

Mac Mini, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Mar 26, 2009 5:44 PM

Reply
18 replies

Mar 26, 2009 6:30 PM in response to Richard Skover1

I just compared repair permissions on my Imac with Tiger OS and it took just 45 seconds to find and repair permissions. When I rechecked for permissions- they were all repaired and it didn't find anything the second time around.

With Leopard on my new Mac Mini, it takes a full six minutes to repair permissions and every time I recheck, the same repaired permissions show up no matter how many times I repair permissions.

Is there something wrong with Leopard or my Mac Mini?

rskover

Mar 26, 2009 7:59 PM in response to Richard Skover1

I can't explain it, but seeing a group of permission errors in Leopard seems to be normal. There are several threads over on MAC OS X v10.5 LEOPARD discussion area. Some of the fellows there, who seem to know their stuff, basically say "don't worry about it".

Yes, running permissions in Leopard takes much longer than in Tiger. My MacBook takes about 13 minutes in Leopard, haven't timed this new Mini.

Mar 26, 2009 8:34 PM in response to Richard Skover1

What problem are you having with Mail?

As for disk utility, if it looks like this you are fine. I abbreviated it to make it easier to read but it has to do with a few recent updates to Front Row and some other apps:

Permissions repair complete

Repairing permissions for “MB Macintosh HD”
Reading permissions database.
Reading the permissions database can take several minutes.

Permissions differ on "System/Library/CoreServices/Front Row.app/Contents/CodeResources"...
Permissions differ on "System/Library/CoreServices/RawCamera.bundle/Contents/CodeResources"...
Permissions differ on "Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/CodeResources"...
Permissions differ on "Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/Frameworks/InternetUtilities.bundle/Contents/ CodeResources...
Permissions differ on "Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/Resources/iTunesHelper.app/Contents/CodeResou rces...
Permissions differ on "System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/iLifeMediaBrowser.framework/Versions/A/CodeRe sources...
Permissions differ on "System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/iPhotoAccess.framework/Versions/A/CodeResourc es"...
Permissions differ on "Library/QuickLook/iWork.qlgenerator/Contents/CodeResources"...

Permissions repair complete

Mar 27, 2009 7:05 AM in response to gpotts

Thanks for the reply on the permissions. I guess I won't worry about it. The listing is similar to yours only maybe twice as long many.

My Mail problem has been going on since I bought the Mini. I can send email, but cannot receive it. I've double checked all settings and tried everything- still can't send. The inbox always appears to be offline. I have a thread going in the Mail portion of Leopard but so far nobody has been able to help.

rskover

Mar 27, 2009 8:40 AM in response to Richard Skover1

Me too I have bought a new Mac Mini and I have been unable to migrate from the Cube. Most os the files are transfered with wrong permissions (I can't delete applications or create a folder in my own documents folder, or use me.com Sync). But the real problem is that I can't repair the permissions with Disk Utility not booting with the system DVD as I used to do in previous versions. Disk utility shows thousands of wrong permissions but don't correct not a single one.
My solution: return the Mini to Apple and go back to the Cube. Personally I think the problem is the shabby Leopard disks, not the Mini, but I can't install early versions in the Mini like my 10.5.0 Leopard DVD.
I will try to rebuy again when they release Snow Leopard in summer.

Mar 27, 2009 2:11 PM in response to Trinity

Hi Trinity long time no speak, will 'cube of movies' not become 'mini of movies' 😉

As OSX is UNIX it cant run without a file permission system it is just the way it is.

My migrated my cube to my mini a while ago now without permission issues. That was easy as I had then a powerpc mini so just cloned my entire cube onto the mini.

What I do now is just copy my home folder on the older mac to a external drive using the terminal command ditto

ditto -v -V /Users/myname/ /Volumes/backupdisk/


then i clean install my system on the new mac. I setup an account with the same username and password as the older mac.

I then clean install all my apps.

I setup all my network settings and other preferences.

Then I drag n drop the relevant files from the backup into my home folder on the new mac.

So I copy the mail folders and their respective prefernces.
and the Music folder and the respective itunes preference files.
Documents
Desktop
Downloads
Pictures
and the contents of /backupdisk/Library/Application Support into /Users/myname/Library/Application Support

The change in leopard is that if you try overwrite some foldres it say you cant as they are required by the system but you can just copy the contents of one folder inside the new folder.

Mar 27, 2009 2:11 PM in response to Richard Skover1

Richard, I've had the same problem with permissions on my brand new Mini. Using Disk Utility on the Install disc did not help. I have not had problems with Mail. I do have an issue with Front Row repeatedly hanging (black screen or stuck on whatever is being displayed) for 30 seconds to a minute before it continues. I thought it might be related to the Front Row/iTunes permission errors but, like you, I can't seem to get rid of them.

Mar 27, 2009 5:16 PM in response to Tim Haigh

Hi Tim at this rate I will have to try Windows 7, this is the 3rd Mac returned to Apple due to hard or soft problems. I know that permissions are intrinsically linked to Unix but I work with midrange IBM systems and they have a value called "security level" that cancels permissions if necesary. Traduced to a personal OS like the Mac it could be a simple ON/OFF switch that could hide the complicated permissions mess to the regular user.
It's too long to explain all the details but I have reinstalled the system and my files 3 times in that Mini and I'm convinced there's a problem with MacOS 10.5.6 install disk for Mac Mini 2009 related with permissions, and that Disk Utility is not the solution.

Mar 27, 2009 5:35 PM in response to Trinity

I'm convinced there's a problem with MacOS 10.5.6 install disk for Mac Mini 2009 related with permissions, and that Disk Utility is not the solution.


I am sorry to hear that as I have no problems at all with my new mac mini. I have owned 4 of them now starting from the first edition and have not has issues. My cube ran for 7yrs as my server without a hitch.

Using the method I posted to setup your mini would work. and a tip if you copy your home folder to a backup drive then open your terminal and issue the command

sudo chmod -R 777 /Volumes/backupdrive < press enter>

replace 'backupdrive' with actual volume name.

this command will make all the permission on that drive read/write for anyone so copying them over to your new system should not present an problem.

Mar 28, 2009 7:48 AM in response to Trinity

Thank you Tim but the computer is packed back waiting for TNT to take it back to Apple. I don't have time to play with permissions, the permissions are OK in the old computer.


This is what may have been your problem. The permissions on your old computer may not have matched the new computer. I think you gave up before the penny dropped.

They sell the computers very expensive and I think they would have to improve quality.


I am unsure how that can be one of your gripes as when the cube came out it was way overpriced in comparison to their other desktops. That did not stop your or I getting one then.

Your issue was a software problem not a hardware problem so no matter what kind of mac you had it would have needed troubleshooting.

The quality of the new mac mini far exceeds that of the cube. Try playing 1080P high definition media on your cube, or even 480P for that matter. Try outputting 5.1 surround sound from your cube without the addition of a firewire audio interface.

I know how frustrating it can be when something just does not seem to work. I have encountered this a few times in my work. However sometimes I just have leave it come back with fresh eyes and try other approaches and I succeed.

What you need to appreciate installing an upgrade should be planned for any eventuality. In business upgrades are scheduled to have the minimum impact on the workplace. That being said I have worked 48 hrs solid over a weekend getting systems up for a monday morning. They are not always straightforward.

Mar 28, 2009 10:23 AM in response to Tim Haigh

I pay 1080 euros and I get a computer that just works, that's my point. If the migration assistant corrupts the permissions and the system doesn't have an utility to correct the problem, and I can't install an early version of the system the only thing I can do is return the bad product. I'm talking about 2 computers of the same brand with the same system in the same version and simple word, excel, file maker files. If they can't transfer the file in the same place with the same permissions I think somebody is not doing a good work. And it's not me. I'm the client not the beta tester.

New Mac Mini and Repairing Permissions

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