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10.7 - unable to directly update app in Applications folder

Since upgrading to 10.7, whenever I download a newer version of an application, and drag it to the Applications folder to replace the current version, I get the usual messages about replacing the file, and I get prompted for my admin username and password, but then I get the following message:

The operation can’t be completed because some items had to be skipped. For each item, choose File > Get Info, make sure “Locked” is deselected, and then check the Sharing & Permissions section. When you are sure the items are unlocked and not designated as Read Only or No Access, try again.

In the Applications folder, the app I tried to upgrade now has a "no" symbol (circle-backslash) on it. I can manually move that app to the trash, and it deletes with no problem. At that point, I can drag the newer version of the app to the Applications folder without any issues.

I've checked several of the current app files, and they aren't locked, and I do have permissions to them.

Up until 10.7, the dragging of the newer version of the app would automatically replace/overwrite the older version in the Applications folder. Now, it's a two-step process, and requires the admin username and password twice, once for the app delete, and again for the move of the newer version into the folder. Not horrible, but twice the work ;- )

Does anyone know what changed between 10.6 and 10.7 to cause this behavior, and is there a way to change it back to the pre-10.7 behavior?

Safari-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Nov 4, 2011 6:29 PM

38 replies

red_menace

Level 6

17,036 points

May 21, 2012 12:20 PM in response to Vietwoojagig

That still looks like an issue with the ACL on the /Applications folder that denies everyone permission to delete (especially since it works after removing the .app extension). I copied one of my applications into /Applications, and after trying to copy over it the contents of the bundle were missing, so the problem seems to be the way the system erases and makes the copy is getting tripped up by the permissions. I hadn't noticed this particular behaviour in Snow Leopard, although there can still be file ownership issues in the bundle.

May 21, 2012 1:03 PM in response to red_menace

On my system at least, this worked fine on all OSs prior to 10.7. You could replace an existing app in Applications (or Utilties) with a newer version; you'd get prompted for admin username/password once, and the new version would cleanly replace the old version of the app. This worked for years and years, in all versions of OS X prior to Lion.

red_menace

Level 6

17,036 points

May 21, 2012 1:30 PM in response to Roman Lewyckyj

Sometimes there would be the oddball application with one of the files in the bundle owned by root or something, but for the most part it did work before.

May 21, 2012 10:57 PM in response to red_menace

As already sais. An empty folder with .app as extension will produce the same problem. Nothing inside which could cause the problem.

May 30, 2012 8:13 PM in response to Roman Lewyckyj

I'm a "me, too" on this problem. I upgraded to 10.7 last weekend, now I have the same inability to update apps described by prior posters. Trashing the app I want to update is so far the only way to install a more recent version. Wish Apple would fix this. BTW, is there a link for non-developers to report bugs? The link given by a prior poster requires that the reporter be an Apple developer.

yugyug

Level 1

5 points

Jun 26, 2012 7:18 PM in response to ridgecritter

I'm having this problem too, for months now. Enough is enough! 😟

Jul 27, 2012 1:06 AM in response to Roman Lewyckyj

Problem seems to be solved in 10.8 Mountain Lion.

torsm

Level 1

0 points

Jul 27, 2012 6:21 AM in response to Vietwoojagig

Yes, finally, with OS 10.8 this annoying bug seems to have gone away.

10.7 - unable to directly update app in Applications folder