Insufficient privileges

Maybe this article will help.

Chinashaw said:

Hi,

I have my MBPro and am set up as the only account on the computer and it is set up as admin. I have checked absolutely every box to enable me to install items; but each time I do try to install I get the error message

The operation cannot be completed because you do not have sufficient privileges for some of the items.

I wondered if anyone had seen this before or had an answer?

Click to expand...

You didn't say how you tried to install items; that makes guessing necessary, which is why my response is completely different from the previous posters one.

As a MacOS X "administrator" you can install anything you want if you know how to, otherwise you can't. The assumption is that you can't be allowed to shoot yourself in the foot if you don't even know how to pull the trigger.

Most software can be dragged into the Applications folder without problems. Other software comes with an installer that will ask you for a password at the right time. Some software can be installed by typing commands into "Terminal". Typing commands into Terminal makes it possible to mess up a Macintosh as much as you like, that's why some things are not allowed.

If you precede any command in Terminal by "sudo" it will let you do anything. Don't complain if this causes problems later.

Change Ownership of Firefox Application

I had this same problem upgrading from Firefox 3.0 to Firefox 3.5. I fixed it by changing the "ownership" of the Firefox app by typing the following at the command line:

sudo chown -R [your-usernmame] /Applications/Firefox.app/

It will prompt you for your password. Once this runs, you should be able to run your new install as usual.

I just wanted to say for the sake of people looking for answers on this, especially those using Google, that the above solution worked on my MacBook Pro. Using the sudo command for Firefox made it install properly afterward (I was also trying to upgrade to 3.5.6).

You could also just throw the existing app in the trash and then copy in the new one.

updating skype version

gnasher729 said:

You didn't say how you tried to install items; that makes guessing necessary, which is why my response is completely different from the previous posters one.

As a MacOS X "administrator" you can install anything you want if you know how to, otherwise you can't. The assumption is that you can't be allowed to shoot yourself in the foot if you don't even know how to pull the trigger.

Most software can be dragged into the Applications folder without problems. Other software comes with an installer that will ask you for a password at the right time. Some software can be installed by typing commands into "Terminal". Typing commands into Terminal makes it possible to mess up a Macintosh as much as you like, that's why some things are not allowed.

If you precede any command in Terminal by "sudo" it will let you do anything. Don't complain if this causes problems later.

Click to expand...

Hi
I wonder if you can help me in a similar problem. Just tried to install a newer Skype version...it tells me I don't have sufficient privileges for some of the items. How can I get around this?

as mentioned above, you can either drag the application into the trash or even into another folder like documents or something and you can then install the new version.

Diner Dash Install Error

I tried to install Diner Dash Flo on the Go but whenever I open the installer it says "This installer requires admin privileges to run."

thanks for people's input - I'm still having the problem system wide - I did a clean install of the OS onto a new disk and copied (when prompted during the install to move any previous users over from another disk) my previous user info (prefs, network etc.) but now when I try to install (and yes, with admin privileges, and yes in this case drag and drop) I get this error message. Furthermore it also will not permit me to access the files from the OLD system on the other disk. So this suggests to me that the privileges (permissions etc) were set, and while copied over during the fresh install, the referencing of the location of the permissions must be in conflict with the two different disks (i.e. You know you have access permissions as the user but the permissions while at that level ref to the wrong place). I'm rebuilding the permissions now with Disk Utility and will see how that goes. The reason for this is because while you can copy over preferences from the old disk to the new (by using "Get Info" and at the bottom editing access privileges, dragging, dropping over to the new disk and giving your admin password to permit the copying) any other referred to files by the app, or the permissions files themselves are still "corrupt" near as I can tell and then still won't work.

mileslong said:

as mentioned above, you can either drag the application into the trash or even into another folder like documents or something and you can then install the new version.

Click to expand...

I just got rid of all the parts of my former Skype and the dragged the new one on top of the Applications folder just fine. Simple. THANKS!!!!!!

I have a client who is seeing this issue on a Shared USB drive connected to a netowrk machine.

Each person in their office uses a mac to connect to a single mac that has a USB drive attached.

Two of the three can create a new folder, but then can't drag anything into it.

permissions are set to be ignored on the Volume. It is shared. Just not sure what's going on.

Any ideas.

insufficient privileges

HI all: new to the forum. I read the above thread; how do I type in the command at the command line? In other words, I am not sure I know how to get to the command line on a mac like one does for windows. If someone can explain that, it would be helpful for us less techie folk.
Also: did try to drag skype into the trash and reinstall a new one; but that did not work.

Someone said one should make a folder and put it in there???

shiva81 said:

HI all: new to the forum. I read the above thread; how do I type in the command at the command line? In other words, I am not sure I know how to get to the command line on a mac like one does for windows. If someone can explain that, it would be helpful for us less techie folk.
Also: did try to drag skype into the trash and reinstall a new one; but that did not work.

Someone said one should make a folder and put it in there???

Click to expand...

To get to the command line, you need to open an application called Terminal. You'll find it in the Applications folder, inside another folder called Utilities. Or you can use Spotlight, the magnifying glass in the top right corner, to find it. As stated above, Terminal will allow you to cause actual damage to your computer if you are not prudent. Typing Sudo before a command gives you all the privileges you need to erase or move or do anything, and it doesn't ask if you are sure you want to, so be extra sure you are typing the lines correctly.

Spike