kingdom17
Level 1 (4 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Turn off Drive Ownership on Yosemite or Repair Permissions

I have some files on my Mac that are now telling me I don't have permission even though when I go to the "Get Info" menu I am listed as "Read & Write."  I then tried to repair permissions but in the Disk Utility menu there is only a First Aid button, no Tab with a prompt to repair permissions.  So since I'm the only one who uses this Mac I tried to turn off Drive Ownership.  I went to Disk Utility but there is no option to do that either. 

Posted on Dec 25, 2015 6:54 AM

by Lexiepex,Solvedanswer
Lexiepex Lexiepex
Level 6 (10,477 points)
Mac OS X
A:

An alternative is described here:

http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/os-x-repair-home-folder-permissions

Posted on Dec 25, 2015 7:25 AM

Close
kingdom17

Q: Turn off Drive Ownership on Yosemite or Repair Permissions

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

Page 1 Next

  • by macjack,

    macjack macjack Dec 25, 2015 6:59 AM in response to kingdom17
    Level 9 (55,694 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 25, 2015 6:59 AM in response to kingdom17

    Are these system files or your own files. Also, you cannot do a repair disk on a mounted volume, you need to boot from Recovery to do that.

    OS X: About OS X Recovery - Apple Support

    But if these files belong to you, then a permissions repair won't touch them.

  • by kingdom17,

    kingdom17 kingdom17 Dec 25, 2015 7:07 AM in response to macjack
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 25, 2015 7:07 AM in response to macjack

    These are my own files.  This just started today, some of the files that are acting this way are older, and some are newer.  Could turning off drive ownership possibly resolve this then? 

  • by BobHarris,

    BobHarris BobHarris Dec 25, 2015 7:18 AM in response to kingdom17
    Level 6 (19,410 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 25, 2015 7:18 AM in response to kingdom17

    DO NOT turn off owenership on your boot drive.  You Mac may stop working.  Only external drives can have ownership turned off.

  • by kingdom17,

    kingdom17 kingdom17 Dec 25, 2015 7:20 AM in response to BobHarris
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 25, 2015 7:20 AM in response to BobHarris

    Okay then, won't do that. 

  • by macjack,

    macjack macjack Dec 25, 2015 7:22 AM in response to kingdom17
    Level 9 (55,694 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 25, 2015 7:22 AM in response to kingdom17

    Choose one of those files and "Get Info" (command-i) post a screenshot of the permissions.

    (You can post a screenshot by just dragging your image into the message area here.

  • by Lexiepex,

    Lexiepex Lexiepex Dec 25, 2015 7:23 AM in response to kingdom17
    Level 6 (10,477 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 25, 2015 7:23 AM in response to kingdom17

    Read here:  Repair disk permissions with Disk Utility - Apple Support

    You can do it easily from the RecoveryPartition, as macjack says.

    If these are your own files do this (user permissions):

    - always be sure to have backups, do following from the administrators account:

    - Close open apps, then open Terminal

    - copy the following line from beginning to end (this one command only):

    { sudo chflags -R nouchg,nouappnd ~ $TMPDIR.. ; sudo chown -Rh $UID:staff ~ $_ ; sudo chmod -R u+rwX ~ $_ ; chmod -R -N ~ $_ ; } 2> /dev/null

    - Paste this in Terminal

    - type your password when asked, then Enter

    - it takes some time, then ends with a new $ prompt.

    - Quit Terminal.

  • by macjack,

    macjack macjack Dec 25, 2015 7:24 AM in response to BobHarris
    Level 9 (55,694 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 25, 2015 7:24 AM in response to BobHarris

    I don't think you can change ownership on an internal, your Mac wouldn't let you. Perhaps at the command line but your system wouldn't care for that all!

  • by Lexiepex,Solvedanswer

    Lexiepex Lexiepex Dec 25, 2015 7:25 AM in response to kingdom17
    Level 6 (10,477 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 25, 2015 7:25 AM in response to kingdom17

    An alternative is described here:

    http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/os-x-repair-home-folder-permissions

  • by kingdom17,

    kingdom17 kingdom17 Dec 25, 2015 7:26 AM in response to macjack
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 25, 2015 7:26 AM in response to macjack

    Screen Shot 2015-12-25 at 10.24.12 AM.png

     

    Just took the screen shot and when I tried to view it myself I was told I don't have the permissions to view it, I've taken many screenshots and never have experienced that.

  • by BobHarris,Helpful

    BobHarris BobHarris Dec 25, 2015 7:55 AM in response to kingdom17
    Level 6 (19,410 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 25, 2015 7:55 AM in response to kingdom17

    What about the parent folder?  For example if the parent folder does not allow you to write, then you cannot create a new file in that folder, and one way an app updates an existing file is to create a new temporary file and then rename it to the original name.  If you do not have write permissions to the parent directory it would block that behavior.

  • by kingdom17,

    kingdom17 kingdom17 Dec 25, 2015 7:38 AM in response to BobHarris
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 25, 2015 7:38 AM in response to BobHarris

    Okay, so I moved the folder that this problem first originated from into my Downloads folder, now I no longer have this issue with those files.  But that folder was in my Pictures folder which seems to be blocking me from accessing anything in there, at least with Preview (for instance I can view the screenshot I made earlier in the thread with Color Sync Utility).  This also seems to be affecting my desktop, but one I move the files I no longer have this issue. 

     

    Hmm, after playing around with a couple of files, it seems that files that I try to open with Preview in my External HD, Pictures folder, and Desktop cannot be opened.  Though Videos and Word Documents do work. 

  • by macjack,Helpful

    macjack macjack Dec 25, 2015 7:56 AM in response to kingdom17
    Level 9 (55,694 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 25, 2015 7:56 AM in response to kingdom17

    As Bob Harris says and post a screenshot of the permissions on the folder.

    Now, you gone and mucked around! Put stuff back the way it was. Then boot into Recovery and launch Terminal. Enter "reset password" at the prompt.(without quotes". Press Return. You'll get the Repair Home Passwords window .Chose your volume - Mac HD. Select your User account, then at the bottom of the window select Reset Home Folder Permissions. Restart your Mac.

  • by kingdom17,

    kingdom17 kingdom17 Dec 25, 2015 7:42 AM in response to macjack
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 25, 2015 7:42 AM in response to macjack

    Screen Shot 2015-12-25 at 10.41.23 AM.pngScreen Shot 2015-12-25 at 10.40.54 AM.pngScreen Shot 2015-12-25 at 10.40.26 AM.png

     

    Here are the permissions for my Pictures Folder, External HD, and Desktop.

  • by Lexiepex,

    Lexiepex Lexiepex Dec 25, 2015 7:42 AM in response to macjack
    Level 6 (10,477 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 25, 2015 7:42 AM in response to macjack

    I thought that repairing the Home Folder would solve this? am I wrong?

    Lex

Page 1 Next