chmod operation not permitted

Question

Level 1

107 points

chmod operation not permitted

I tried to burn a data DVD, got Error code 0x80020000, and the Finder created a burn folder (although I NEVER set my preferences for this and hate it) that is locked and the √ for Locked is greyed. I want to ditch the burn folder because I always like to name the DVD and the burn folder acquired the name I want to use for the DVD (can't have two disks same name locally, right?). No matter either way about naming, I still want to unlock and trash this burn folder. It has permissions: owner = (Me) Read & Write, Group = staff Read only, everyone Read only. Using Terminal, I tried "sudo chmod a+w foldername.fpbf", but the result was "Operation not permitted". Is the all (a) parameter wrong? Is the ➕ parameter wrong? Is it because w permission is already applied to the owner? I thought that doesn't matter.

PM G4 FW800, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Jul 3, 2010 4:33 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Moof666 Author

Level 1

107 points

Jul 3, 2010 4:39 PM in response to Moof666

I see this forum coding doesn't allow ( + ), so that ? above should be +.

Reply

Answer 2

etresoft

Level 9

56,326 points

Jul 3, 2010 5:20 PM in response to Moof666

Moof666 wrote:
(can't have two disks same name locally, right?)

Sure you can. Don't knock it 'till you've tried it.

Using Terminal, I tried "sudo chmod a+w foldername.fpbf", but the result was "Operation not permitted". Is the all (a) parameter wrong? Is the ➕ parameter wrong? Is it because w permission is already applied to the owner? I thought that doesn't matter.

That folder probably has extended attributed. Try unlocking it via the Finder. You may have to toggle it on and then off, maybe a couple of times.

Reply

Answer 3

KXsig

Level 2

310 points

Jul 3, 2010 10:48 PM in response to etresoft

Hi M,

I had this issue before and solved using Inspector. Give full permissions to owner, group and everyone, apply to folder contents, try adding you again - sometimes your name is displayed where real owner is System Administrators - apply to contents again, select your name and make sure that you are the owner.
After that remove from Finder's sidebar and move it to trash.

If that do not bring results try f-force and R-Recursive rm args with sudo, that would be $ sudo rm -Rf FOLDERNAME

Good luck.

Reply

Answer 4

Moof666 Author

Level 1

107 points

Jul 4, 2010 1:19 AM in response to etresoft

The Get Info window was my first choice. That's where I saw what I just described above: the check mark is greyed for locked. The permissions always revert back to the same as before after I close the Get Info window. Is that what you mean by "Try unlocking it via the Finder"? I tried many times, but no luck. You see, if Terminal says "Operation not permitted", that would explain why the Finder also cannot make any change to permissions. I am not so much in need of an explanation (folder probably has extended attributed) as I am in knowing how to change the permissions... other than logging in as root. I'm sure that will work.

Reply

Answer 5

KXsig

Level 2

310 points

Jul 4, 2010 1:36 AM in response to Moof666

Hi M,

I am sorry, I thought that maybe System Administrators were masked with your user name and you could jump some setting. As the Inspector window stays opened permissions new settings are granted? If so you could remove the folder at this time. But the concern is another, I understand. I'll try to simulate here and report.

Message was edited by: KXsig

Reply

Answer 6

KXsig

Level 2

310 points

Jul 4, 2010 2:26 AM in response to KXsig

Back from bash..

Burning returned another error that I usually get here, different from yours. And the command line works fine here. Sorry. Good luck.

Reply

Answer 7

etresoft

Level 9

56,326 points

Jul 4, 2010 5:50 AM in response to Moof666

Have you tried just deleting the folder via "sudo rm -Rf foldername.fpbf"?

Reply

Answer 8

BobHarris

Level 9

56,819 points

Jul 4, 2010 7:27 AM in response to Moof666

etresoft's sudo rm -rf suggestion is most likely the fastest way to get rid of the folder and its contents.

If you wish to see all the various permissions, attributes, ACLs, etc... you can use:


ls -dleO@ /path/to/burn/folder # that was a capital O

The chmod command can be used to change User, Group, Other permssions, as well as changing ACLs (Access Control Lists). The chflags command can be used to change attributes, such as uchg or schg (which is the lock attribute, were schg needs root access to modify). And the xaddr command can be used to mess with extended attributes.

Reply

Answer 9

KXsig

Level 2

310 points

Jul 4, 2010 3:42 PM in response to BobHarris

Hi there,

Correct if I am wrong but as I simulated the procedure and DID NOT GET A FILE SYSTEM ERROR as he got and then could complete chmod to folder, we can get that the system error he got is adverting that files entries are wrong and from that point on any simple plain operations can lead to more errors as he is getting.

Reply

Answer 10

BobHarris

Level 9

56,819 points

Jul 4, 2010 4:40 PM in response to KXsig

Who is "He", what "Procedure", what "error"?

There are 4 people in this post.

You are responding to my post, and I did not give any commands that should have generated errors. I just gave an 'ls' command to see what the permissions and attributes are on the directory.

Reply

Answer 11

KXsig

Level 2

310 points

Jul 4, 2010 5:04 PM in response to BobHarris

Hi B,

I'm sorry to confuse you, I understand the posting is long, I'll try to resume for you to understand:

Question poster (he, Moof666) got a file system error (0x80020000) doing a file creation procedure (burn folder), after that common handles within those files do not work.

Reply