Brunner21

Q: How to prevent a user from deleting iTunes content

Hello,

 

This may seem like a generally basic question but I am not having much luck here.

 

I recently bought a Mac Mini as a Media Center hub for my vacation house, for all to enjoy with my movie content.

So I've created a automatic login acount for visitors with extremely limited access and locked the system down.

 

Now, before I add the content to iTunes, I want to know if there is a way to enable a management/admin account as an overlord of iTunes to prevent a user from deleting any content (movies, music, ect. Similar to what an iPad/iPhone offers, the prevention of deleting apps.)

 

Is this possible?

 

 

I already am aware of locking down the external drive in which the files are kept on. I just want to make it dummy proof.

 

Thanks in advance!

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4)

Posted on Jun 12, 2014 10:33 PM

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Q: How to prevent a user from deleting iTunes content

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  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Jun 13, 2014 6:46 AM in response to Brunner21
    Level 9 (54,277 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 13, 2014 6:46 AM in response to Brunner21

    I use an older system.  I don't know what newer Macs offer in terms of Parental Controls in iTunes Preferences.

     

    I don't know if you relocated the media folder to a different user account on the computer then gave it read only access for the visitor account if this would permit playing but not editing or deletion of media files.  The library files would remain in the visitor account.

     

    What are the iTunes library files? - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1660

     

    More on iTunes library files and what they do - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITunes#Media_management

     

    What are all those iTunes files? - http://www.macworld.com/article/139974/2009/04/itunes_files.html

     

    Where are my iTunes files located? - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1391

     

    Basically set up two libraries, one for the admin and one for the user, but share media in order to save space.  Normally shared media would be in a special shared user folder but that may be too loose in terms of deleting the files.

  • by Brunner21,

    Brunner21 Brunner21 Jun 13, 2014 6:59 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (55 points)
    Jun 13, 2014 6:59 AM in response to Limnos

    I'll give it a shot and see. The only problem is I have almost 2TB worth of movies, and the internal HDD is 1TB.

    So creating a duplicate iTunes folder for both admin and visitor account is out of the question.

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Jun 13, 2014 7:46 AM in response to Brunner21
    Level 9 (54,277 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 13, 2014 7:46 AM in response to Brunner21

    Check music sharing in this link.  I remember about 10 years ago I saw other libraries from my computer but now we're just a single computer on this network.

     

    iTunes: How to share music and video - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2688 - about Music Sharing and Home Sharing

  • by Chris CA,

    Chris CA Chris CA Jun 13, 2014 11:48 AM in response to Brunner21
    Level 9 (79,584 points)
    iPhone
    Jun 13, 2014 11:48 AM in response to Brunner21

    Brunner21 wrote:

     

    Hello,

     

    This may seem like a generally basic question but I am not having much luck here.

     

    I recently bought a Mac Mini as a Media Center hub for my vacation house, for all to enjoy with my movie content.

    So I've created a automatic login acount for visitors with extremely limited access and locked the system down.

     

    Now, before I add the content to iTunes, I want to know if there is a way to enable a management/admin account as an overlord of iTunes to prevent a user from deleting any content (movies, music, ect. Similar to what an iPad/iPhone offers, the prevention of deleting apps.)

    No.

    Anyone using iTunes needs to have read & write access to the iTunes folder (specifically the iTunes library.itl file).

    You could change the iTunes Media folder to read only. That should prevent deleting the media files.

    They will still be able to deleted items in iTunes but the media files could no be deleted.

     

    Hopefully you do have a complete backup of the computer and all drives that you can simply retore.

     

    You could lock the computer away and get an AppleTV.

    This way they can access everything in iTunes but no delete anything.

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Jun 13, 2014 12:53 PM in response to Chris CA
    Level 9 (54,277 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 13, 2014 12:53 PM in response to Chris CA

    ChrisCA basically reiterates what I suggested about locking media, but if you make a second library for the other users any deletions will be from that library, not the master copy.  If they do make a mess of that library you can copy the library file from the master copy over the visitor copy and restore it.  Again, read up on how iTunes operates.  You have your library file (+ some others) then you have all the media files.  Your media files will be shared but locked to others, and there will be two library files, one you control and the others the visitors can use.

  • by Brunner21,

    Brunner21 Brunner21 Jun 13, 2014 1:13 PM in response to Chris CA
    Level 1 (55 points)
    Jun 13, 2014 1:13 PM in response to Chris CA

    Yes I have everything backed up on my NAS at home. These are just copied over to another external, encryped HDD, so it's no big deal if things became a mess from the kids. IF worst came to worse, I'd just buy another drive.

    It will be utilizing an Apple TV.

    I don't neccessarily want to lock down the system entirely - it's a vacation house for visitors, so if in the chance they need a computer - it's available. Very VERY restricted though. Right down to the firmware password.