Mac OS 10.12.2 (latest): Since updating I cannot change any of the Finder Preferences. If I click on any change, as soon as I release the mouse, the change is abandoned and the selections revert to the default. Also, I cannot change any of the Finder view options. Instinctively this seems to me to be a problem with PERMISSIONS somewhere in the Finder setup. But... OSX Disk Utility no longer offers Permissions Repair.
Any pointers how I can unlock my Finder?
Click on go > to go folder and type ~/Library , find a folder Preferences right click on com.apple.finder.plist and move to the trash , restart the computer & empty the trash .
And also , com.apple.sidebarlists.plist must be removed .
Click on go > to go folder and type ~/Library , find a folder Preferences right click on com.apple.finder.plist and move to the trash , restart the computer & empty the trash .
And also , com.apple.sidebarlists.plist must be removed .
In finder preferences , select general if you check the box of hard disks it will be shown on the desktop screen .
Press command + info the read and write permissions is just like in the screen shot .
if you have done , any changes in read and write permissions and you are not able to do changes in finder preferences it is recommended to once again install Mac OS Sierra .
An article for it : How to get macOS Sierra - Apple Support
And the latest update is released few days back 10.12.3
Please restart your Mac in "Safe Mode" and repeat all the instructions from that Apple Support document again, all of the steps from 1 through 7. Determine if the Finder changes you make remain while operating in that mode.
To start your Mac in "Safe Mode" follow the instructions here: Use safe mode to isolate issues with your Mac - Apple Support.
Then, still while operating in that mode, download and install the macOS "combo" update here:
Download macOS Sierra 10.12.3 Combo Update
After it installs your Mac will restart.
See if that fixes it.
Hi John, Thanks for the response. I just ran the command line Disk Utility repair - no luck! The problem remains.
I just noticed - if I open another user on the Mac the problem does not occur - ie: it is confined to one user.
10.12.2 is definitely the latest version offered to me via Software update.
I just ran the command line premissions again and I got:
MacBookPro:~ wm$ diskutil resetUserPermissions / `id -u`
Ready to reset user permissions on disk0s2 Macintosh HD
Started verify/repair permissions on disk0s2 Macintosh HD
Some user permissions have been reset
Error: -69841: Permissions reset on user home directory failed
Underlying error: 1: Operation not permitted
Quoting from the above Apple Support document,
After entering the diskutil command, if Terminal says that permissions reset on user home directory failed (error -69841), enter, then enter the diskutil command again.chflags -R nouchg ~
Did you do that?
Update: I have tried fixing the Permissions via the GUI and via command line. I have also installed 10.12.3 as suggested. Still no solution, all my Finder prefs are locked in the default. All that remains is a full re-install of the OS. I dont have time to try this yet. :-(
If you open finder & its preferences when performing a search must be : search this Mac
Try updating macOS. Version 10.12.3 is the latest release.
Thanks John.
The plot thickens...
MacBookPro:~ wm$ chflags -R nouchg ~
chflags: /Users/wm/Library/Application Support/Fiery Software Manager/resources/.DocumentRevisions-V100: Permission denied
Thanks tygb, I tried that but sadly it didn't work :-(
10.12.2 is definitely the latest release available in this country as of now. Perhaps 10.12.3 will be out soon.
I could 'nt get you , if you changed the read and write permissions in Macintosh HD it is suggested to install OS once again ,
Bingo! That did it! - I deleted ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist and the problem is gone!
Thank you!
đ
Finder Preferences locked
