Desktop priveleges

Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
I recently tried to install Adobe Photoshop Elements Demo to the desktop when after installation was complete, all my desktop icons save the harddrive icon disappeared. I then tried to view my desktop from the finder, and it wouldn't let me, saying that: The folder "desktop" could not be opened because you do not have sufficient priveleges. I have alreayd repaired permissions and checked software update and do not know what to do. Help is appreciated.



Thanks

logan

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Logan

    I recently tried to install Adobe Photoshop Elements Demo to the desktop when after installation was complete, all my desktop icons save the harddrive icon disappeared. I then tried to view my desktop from the finder, and it wouldn't let me, saying that: The folder "desktop" could not be opened because you do not have sufficient priveleges. I have alreayd repaired permissions and checked software update and do not know what to do. Help is appreciated.



    Thanks

    logan




    That sux. Seems as if that installer messed up.



    From now on, due to this bug, install into the Applications folder.



    Let's do this a step at a time. Can you Get Info on the Desktop folder? If so, can you see the "Ownership and Permissions" area and expand it by clicking the triangle next to it?
  • Reply 2 of 8
    loganlogan Posts: 284member
    When I do that, under Ownership and Permissions it is greyed out and says "You have: No access"



    Im stumped so far
  • Reply 3 of 8
    r3dx0rr3dx0r Posts: 201member
    a 'ls -l' in your home folder should show:



    drwx------ 6 Username Username 204 Feb 28 19:07 Desktop



    if that command doesn't not show your username as owner/group, you'll have to change that too.



    'sudo chown username Desktop/' sets the new owner and

    'sudo chgrp username Desktop/' sets the new group.



    then 'sudo chmod 700 Desktop/' and the permissions are corrected.



    you have to be an admin user since sudo commands ask for your password.

    hope that helps.
  • Reply 4 of 8
    loganlogan Posts: 284member
    Sorry, Im not very mac literate, how do I get to a place where I can enter those commands. thanks
  • Reply 5 of 8
    r3dx0rr3dx0r Posts: 201member
    no problem, open up Terminal.app. It should be located in the Utilities folder in your Applications folder. when you open it, the default path is your home folder, so the commands in my post above should work.

    in case you're not sure if you somehow changed the path in the terminal entering 'pwd' prints the current working directory.

    if you need more detailed explanations, just ask.
  • Reply 6 of 8
    loganlogan Posts: 284member
    Great thanks, i got my priveleges back. One problem though and it might not be fixable but, all my files that were saved to my desktop and all my icons are gone.



    Anything i can do?



    Logan
  • Reply 7 of 8
    r3dx0rr3dx0r Posts: 201member
    this seems weird. maybe the installer did more than just mess up the privileges. just to avoid that it's some kind of finder bug; can you see your files through terminal.app ? (open it, then 'cd Desktop/', then 'ls -la' ('l' gives you a list view and 'a' shows hidden files))

    if you don't see any files you remember, you can still give something like diskwarrior a try. it's a commercial product but if the possibly missing files were important it should be worth it.



    cheers
  • Reply 8 of 8
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by r3dx0r

    if you don't see any files you remember, you can still give something like diskwarrior a try. it's a commercial product but if the possibly missing files were important it should be worth it.



    cheers






    I found Data Rescue http://www.prosofteng.com/products/data_rescue_info.php to be the ultimate for finding deleted files. And you don't pay until you see if there are any files to be recovered.
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