Giving installer.app Full Disk Access

I recently struggled to install the latest version of a program I use daily. The installation ended with "Installation failed due to unknown issue" (loosely translated from Norwegian).

I got help from the developer who asked me to add the installer.app to the list of applications with Full Disk Access.

After several tries I finally found the installer.app to add, ran the update-installer and was finally able to update my program successfully.

The only problem is that the installer.app disappeared from the list of Full Disk Access-apps right after the installation was complete.

My question is: why do we hav to do add the installer.app every single time we're installing new software or updates? Shouldn't it be saved after the first time giving it access? And if this is a known issue, why isn't the installer.app permanently on the list of apps with Full Disk Access?

Best regards,

Laurits

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 13.4

Posted on Jun 16, 2023 7:44 AM

Top-ranking reply

etresoft

Level 9

56,212 points

Posted on Jun 18, 2023 3:24 PM

EternalOsmosis wrote:

Well if it’s not supposed to be added to the full disk access list, how am I supposed to install software an updates from the internet? I get the error-message every single time, unless I find that freaking installer.app and add it to the list.

If what you and everyone else on this thread are saying is true then it sounds like I have some serious issue on my computer.

Your computer seems to be working properly. That could be a built-in security protection that removes the installer from Full Disk Access.

The problem is that the software you are installing is unfamiliar with modern Mac security practices. You should find a replacement for any app that cannot be installed without Full Disk Access. Such software is very likely to fail at some point in the future. It is better to start searching now, while you can still use the software.

View in context

Similar questions

24 replies

Jun 16, 2023 11:27 AM in response to EternalOsmosis

EternalOsmosis wrote:

Well if it’s not supposed to be added to the full disk access list

If the application itself has installed into your Applications folder— you can add the app to Full Disk Access—

if it is running .sh scripts for plug-in etc for additional effects within the application, verify you have added the Terminal.app to Full Disk Access and compare your results.

Jul 5, 2023 2:32 AM in response to bonebones

The issue I’ve described initially started with a Dropbox related folder, but I did move the installer to the desktop, and reran the installer. The problem now is that all installers have the same problem, even though I download the installer.pkg directly to desktop.

Jul 5, 2023 2:34 AM in response to Barney-15E

Well the developers haven’t been incompetent earlier. And I’m talking about two quite different developers as well.

Adding the terminal didn’t help either, so as of now I’m just doing the same procedure every time I install a new software.

Jul 5, 2023 2:36 AM in response to etresoft

Unfortunately that’s impossible, as there are only one software of this kind: NotePerformer. And the other software mentioned, Yamaha USB Driver, is for the sake of using a hardware connected to the computer. There are no other developers for such software. 😅😅😅

etresoft

Level 9

56,212 points

Jul 5, 2023 8:25 AM in response to EternalOsmosis

EternalOsmosis wrote:

Unfortunately that’s impossible, as there are only one software of this kind: NotePerformer. And the other software mentioned, Yamaha USB Driver, is for the sake of using a hardware connected to the computer. There are no other developers for such software. 😅😅😅

Well you'll just have to wait then. As people start abandoning this product, and after it eventually stops working, someone might develop a replacement.

In the meantime, you'll need to purchase a new computer. On the new computer, always keep updated to the current version of macOS. That way, when this product stops working, you'll know right away. After you've tested the product in a new version of macOS, you can safely update your production machine. Keep doing this testing before each and every update to macOS.

If it does fail to work properly one day, you can then refrain from updating and keep using the software for 1-12 years, however long it takes, for the developer to update the product or an alternative to become available.

There are several threads going on right now for people who were using 100+ FPS video products that stopped working with a recent update to macOS. Of course, there's not much I can do for those people after the fact. They don't appreciate knowing what they should have been doing. But now you know how to manage things going forward.

Jun 16, 2023 10:49 AM in response to EternalOsmosis

What I am seeing is a .pkg file not an installer.app as you reference(?)

<NotePerformer-Trial-Installer-4.1.0 [Expires 2023-07-17 15GFQUT572].pkg>

Jul 4, 2023 8:58 PM in response to EternalOsmosis

I'm having exactly the same issue and it only relates to trying to install software that sits on a dropbox related folder. Can't seem to find a workaround.

Jul 5, 2023 2:39 AM in response to HWTech

No anti-virus apps. Could it have anything to do with the placement of the downloaded .pkg, as I’ve described in the reply to bonebones?

Jul 5, 2023 2:20 PM in response to Barney-15E

Downloads & Desktop are synced in Dropbox. I guess could always not sync the downloads folder but I am not even sure that would resolve it

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

Giving installer.app Full Disk Access