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Anyone know how to correct damaged "Permissions" in Mac OS X 10.12.6.3 Sierra

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Anyone know how to correct damaged "Permissions" in Mac OS X 10.12.6.3 Sierra

The result is that in my principle account, "Asher Kelman", the icons for all my desktop files cannot be selected and moved without causing the "spinning ball of doom" and the computer is slow. However, if I open in an alternative ordinary new account, "Test", then desktop icons can be dragged to move freely, with no slowdown and no spinning ball, but I don't have all the data and software of my principal account nor do I have any access to alter permissions of the Apple Hard Drive!


No users, not even administrators can alter lack of access to anyone but "system" to the Apple Hard Drive of a late 2013 Grey cylinder Mac Pro.

Created new accounts to test if this was limited to my main account. Even logging in in a new account as "New Name"or as "root", (where properly designated the "Mac Sierra OS root" as a "user" should have Adminstrator permissions by default), doesn't actually allow altering the frozen permissions.

Have repeatedly repaired permissions from recovery disk, from every route possible to no effect.

Reinstalling Sierra doesn't cure the problem!

Can't repair from via command lines in Terminal Either either! It again says I don't have permission to grant access!

So, any ideas on repairing a corrupted user account.

??

Asher
 

Jerome Marot

Well-known member
If I understand what you wrote, the problem only happens on one account. Is the problem limited to your desktop, or does the same happen in other folders as well?

If it is only the desktop, which is just a particular folder, I would simply copy all the files to an external hard drive formatted using vfat (vfat does not support permissions). Then I would boot from an external drive and delete that desktop folder. Eventually, I would restore the files from the hard disk. You will lose the position of the icons on your desktop.

Alternatively, boot from an external drive and check the owner and the permissions of system files in that desktop folder.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
If I understand what you wrote, the problem only happens on one account. Is the problem limited to your desktop, or does the same happen in other folders as well?

Thanks for stepping in, Jerome.

All folders in that account

If it is only the desktop, which is just a particular folder, I would simply copy all the files to an external hard drive formatted using vfat (vfat does not support permissions). Then I would boot from an external drive and delete that desktop folder. Eventually, I would restore the files from the hard disk. You will lose the position of the icons on your desktop.

Alternatively, boot from an external drive and check the owner and the permissions of system files in that desktop folder.

What is the story behind vfat?

When should it be used outside of my case?

Asher
 

Jerome Marot

Well-known member
If it is all folders in that account, my suggestion is not useful. Do you have a second mac available and can you use migration assistant to transfer the data to it?
 
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