Ventura 13.2 Admin Permissions errors

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Ventura 13.2 Admin Permissions errors

I’m porting my old 2010 mac mini via Time Machine.

My MS Office install failed from downloads, my desktop, a new admin account, and from it’s desktop. Four fails.

I see I have rwx permissions in /Applications and most of it’s contents, but can’t drag most items I previously installed to the trash, and can’t write.

Malwarebytes is disabled before restart ahead of install attempts.

Should I reinstall Ventura? Can I do a system-wide Office install in Safe Mode? The installer managed to clear out my /Applications files, but can’t write, and left three pale ghost files for Word, Excel, and Powerpoint that I can’t remove.

Mac mini

Posted on Feb 6, 2023 11:23 PM

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Answer 1

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Eric Egland Author

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69 points

Feb 8, 2023 4:19 PM in response to Eric Egland

I spoke with Apple Support for two hours this morning. Office, Google Earth, and Zoom installers all failed, App Store installs failed.

Following mac reset and setup without Time Machine, installers are working.

Migration Assistant is still trying to create another admin account to receive my files, so I’m doing a Housefire migration where I install my Documents, get my Applications from new installers, and import from Music, Photos, and Mail.

A clean install for a new era of macs and a new OS.

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Answer 2

Owl-53

Level 10

102,193 points

Feb 7, 2023 2:43 AM in response to Eric Egland

One Size does not Fit ALL

If the new computer is going to be the Apple Silicon M1 / M2 Equipped Computer - would suggest Only Migrating the User Account and nothing more.

Some have had success and others have been left with a mess when Migrating everything which appears to be case with this computer .

A Mac Mini from 2010, at Best could run macOS 10.13 High Sierra. I know as I have a 2011 machine

1 - Apple Silicon with Ventura macOS 13 Only Support everything 64 bit and there is no workaround.

2 - Issues that may exist on the older computer will be migrated to the New Computer. This would badly pollute the new Original and Pristine installation of the new OS.

3 - Applications, extensions and Software Drivers may or may not even work on the new computer.

4 - IMHO - it would be best to only install new application etc Directly from the Developer or the Apple Apps Store.

5 - Due Diligence on New Applications and make sure they are Ventura / Monterey / Big Sur compatible and factor in the ARMs CPU of the Apple Silicon Computer

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Answer 3

Barney-15E

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122,042 points

Feb 7, 2023 3:49 AM in response to Eric Egland

Under Ventura and Monterey before it, the system is split between a system volume and a data volume. The system volume is mounted read only. Built-in apps are stored in the read only side of the system volume. Third-party apps should be installed inside the data volume and everything is merged in the finder to look like one applications folder.

I don’t know if this is possible, but it may be that somehow you’re a third-party apps from way back when we’re in bedded into the system volume side. If they are where they are supposed to be, you should be able to move them to the trash, but you may have to authenticate.

what version of office are you trying to install?

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Answer 4

Eric Egland Author

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69 points

Feb 7, 2023 8:40 AM in response to Barney-15E

Thanks Barney-15E, P Phillips,

I’m installing from a downloaded Office 2021 Home and Student pkg file.

I’m set up as admin, and I see I have rwx permissions in /Applications, but I can’t write to or delete from that folder.

drwxrwxr-x … root admin … Applications/

On initial setup, I charged through an admin window where I might have initially declined admin status (didn’t want to enable root) followed by a MacPorts password offer from the setup. Could I have bugged up my admin status? I see myself as admin and my User has unchangeable admin status. I also have a fink-bld user group where I’m not toggled on yet.

Maybe a clean install and big software first strategy comes back to us with Ventura. Maybe I need to correct my admin status in Terminal.

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Answer 5

Owl-53

Level 10

102,193 points

Feb 7, 2023 4:28 AM in response to Eric Egland

To add to previous good observations.

Not only is the Volume where the Operating System is locate and specific to Big Sur macOS 11 and above.

The Operating System resides in a Sealed and Read Only Volume that can not be opened by the User.

Would suggest following the advise and look in those location mentioned.

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Answer 6

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,042 points

Feb 7, 2023 4:08 PM in response to Eric Egland

The first user set up as admin capability. There is no question asking if you want to be admin. You are also not “admin.” An admin user has the capability to elevate privileges, but root on macOS doesn’t have much power.

I’m not sure what macports to do with any of this.

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Ventura 13.2 Admin Permissions errors

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