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Set default permissions and fix existing permissions

I have a macbook and a mac pro. I sync files between the two of them using Chronosync. I've never had a problem with Chronosync, but since switching to Lion, I've noticed that frequently, files that were created on my macbook cannot be opened or altered without entering my password (and sometimes not at all) on my mac pro. This is NOT the case for syncing the other direction mac pro -> macbook. So, it seems that there is some setting on my macbook which is effecting permissions for files that get sync'd to the mac pro.


1) What should my settings be to rectify this problem for new files?


2) Is there a way to fix this for all files that have already been created?


I have already tried repairing permissions on both computers and that didn't fix the issue.



Thanks a lot for your help!


Eric

MacPro & MacBook

Posted on Mar 16, 2012 2:31 PM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Mar 16, 2012 3:41 PM

Repairing the permissions of a home folder in Lion is a complicated procedure. I don’t know of a simpler one that always works.


Launch the Terminal application in any of the following ways:


Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)


In the Finder, select Go Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.


Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Terminal in the page that opens.


Drag or copy – do not type – the following line into the Terminal window, then press return:


chmod -R -N ~


The command will take a noticeable amount of time to run. When a new line ending in a dollar sign ($) appears below what you entered, it’s done. You may see a few error messages about an “invalid argument” while the command is running. You can ignore those. If you get an error message with the words “Permission denied,” enter this:


sudo !!


You'll be prompted for your login password, which won't be displayed when you type it. You may get a one-time warning not to screw up.


Next, boot from your recovery partition by holding down the key combination command-R at startup. Release the keys when you see a gray screen with a spinning dial.


When the recovery desktop appears, select Utilities ▹ Terminal from the menu bar.


In the Terminal window, enter “resetpassword” (without the quotes) and press return. A Reset Password window opens.


Select your boot volume if not already selected.


Select your username from the menu labeled Select the user account if not already selected.


Under Reset Home Directory Permissions and ACLs, click the Reset button.


Select ▹ Restart from the menu bar.

7 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Mar 16, 2012 3:41 PM in response to eric d

Repairing the permissions of a home folder in Lion is a complicated procedure. I don’t know of a simpler one that always works.


Launch the Terminal application in any of the following ways:


Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)


In the Finder, select Go Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.


Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Terminal in the page that opens.


Drag or copy – do not type – the following line into the Terminal window, then press return:


chmod -R -N ~


The command will take a noticeable amount of time to run. When a new line ending in a dollar sign ($) appears below what you entered, it’s done. You may see a few error messages about an “invalid argument” while the command is running. You can ignore those. If you get an error message with the words “Permission denied,” enter this:


sudo !!


You'll be prompted for your login password, which won't be displayed when you type it. You may get a one-time warning not to screw up.


Next, boot from your recovery partition by holding down the key combination command-R at startup. Release the keys when you see a gray screen with a spinning dial.


When the recovery desktop appears, select Utilities ▹ Terminal from the menu bar.


In the Terminal window, enter “resetpassword” (without the quotes) and press return. A Reset Password window opens.


Select your boot volume if not already selected.


Select your username from the menu labeled Select the user account if not already selected.


Under Reset Home Directory Permissions and ACLs, click the Reset button.


Select ▹ Restart from the menu bar.

Mar 16, 2012 4:30 PM in response to Linc Davis

Thanks for the reply. So, my understanding is that this procedure will fix all of the permissions on all of the files and folders on the computer where I do it (my mac pro). Right?


The other half of my question is what settings should I change and how should I change them on my macbook so that this does not continue to occur? I went to my hard drive on my macbook and I changed permissions so that everyone could read and write. Is that a problem? I think I also changed those settings on my desktop folder? should I revert those? Change them somehwere else? Is there any way to find out what was wrong so that it doesn't continue to occur?


Thanks a lot!


Eric

Mar 16, 2012 4:55 PM in response to eric d

So, my understanding is that this procedure will fix all of the permissions on all of the files and folders on the computer where I do it (my mac pro).


No. Only your home folder.


The other half of my question is what settings should I change and how should I change them on my macbook so that this does not continue to occur?


Permissions don't change spontaneously. If you've been changing them, I suggest you stop doing it. I don't know what your sync software does, but depending on how it works, it might be at fault. You'd have to ask the developer.

Mar 17, 2012 2:10 PM in response to Linc Davis

Thanks again, Linc. When it happened originally, I asked the developer of Chronosync and he recommended a little app (ChronoAgent) that works with the main app that you install on the other computer (macbook) that allows you to bypass the permissions. Here's their web page:


http://www.econtechnologies.com/pages/ca/agent_overview.html


Here's a brief explanation of how it works:


ChronoSync runs on your Mac and will automatically connect to other Macs via Apple File Sharing and synchronize to them. ChronoAgent runs on the destination Mac and connects directly with ChronoSync taking the place of Apple File Sharing.


I don't think that's the culprit as the problem started before I started using that app. That just allowed me to continue syncing and ignore the permissions issues. Maybe that's an issue and I will look into it further. I do have another question, though...


I found a couple of other clues that might help us get to the bottom of this...


1) "Fetching..." Some permissions are listed this way and I see on some discussion groups:


https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3198307?start=0&tstart=0


that people are having issues because of this.



2) I see that for certain folders, when I get info. and look at my "Sharing & Permissions" pane, rather than saying "You can read and write" (which I assume is the standard, default) it says, "You have custom access". If that is an issue, is it possible to do a search to find out on which folders I have custom access, or would you recommend just running either your fix? Also, I found this other permissions fix in the discussion groups:


http://www.fixkb.com/2011/08/reset-home-folder-permissions.html


Would this fix work as well? It seems, possibly, simpler and doesn't involve using Terminal. (If not, I'm okay trying Terminal.)



Let me give you the permissions listed on several folders for both computers so you have a better understanding:


fyi: "edrac" is the home/username on my macbook, and "ericd" is is a shortened version of the home/username on my mac pro (I'm shortening for this message for privacy).


Mac Pro:

Macintosh HD: "You can only read" system-Read & Write, wheel-Read only, everyone-Read only

Home: "You have custom access" edrac-Read & Write, ericd (Me)-Read & Write, Fetching...-Read only, everyone-Read only

Desktop: "You have custom access" ericd (Me)-Read & Write, Fetching...-Read only, everyone-Read only


Macbook:

Macintosh HD: (This is one that I believe I changed to try to resolve this issue, but I'm not sure it's a good setting to have... "You have custom access" system-Read& Write, wheel-Read only, everyone-Read & Write

Home: "You have custom access" edrac (Me)-Read & Write, staff-Read only, everyone-Read only

Desktop: "You can read and write" edrac (Me)-Read & Write, everyone-Read only



Sorry to send you so much info, Linc - I wanted to try to make sure that you have all the info. you need. Please let me know if I've left out anything.


Thanks a lot!


Eric

Mar 17, 2012 2:27 PM in response to Linc Davis

Wow - you're fast, Linc! Thanks. Okay, so having looked at the various permissions in various folders on my two macs, do you recommend repairing the permissions on BOTH computers? And while I know the Desktop folder is part of the home folder, I think that the Macintosh HD folder is not. Are those settings that you see for my Macintosh HD folders okay or do I need to change/fix them in some way?


Thanks again.

Mar 17, 2012 3:21 PM in response to eric d

I recommend doing it on whichever computer has permission problems. From your description, it sounds like only one does. If you changed permissions outside your home folder, then running Disk Utility will repair the damage to system files, but not to other files. The only automated way to repair that damage is to restore from a backup.

Set default permissions and fix existing permissions

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