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Help me understand why Disk Utility "repair permissions" doesn't repair all 1st time.

GhostMac24

GhostMac24

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 27, 2011
322
5
NC
Hopefully the title makes sense. I ran Disk Utility "repair permissions" and it repairs what I thought would be everything it was supposed to do. However if I run it again, there is still more permissions it repairs.

So my question is why would it still be repairing permissions with each successive launch of Disk Utility. Did it forget some the first, second, etc, time it was run? :)

Thanks for and advice or explanations!
 
Thanks for that list. However, I'm trying to understand why there would be repairs to still do on a successive repair attempt after just completing one.
 
GhostMac24 said:
Thanks for that list. However, I'm trying to understand why there would be repairs to still do on a successive repair attempt after just completing one.
Click to expand...
Read the list that simsaladimbamba linked to. If the errors you see are on the list, don't worry about them. Also, why are you repairing permissions in the first place?

Some people repair, or recommend repairing permissions for situations where it isn't appropriate. Repairing permissions only addresses very specific issues. It is not a "cure all" or a general performance enhancer, and doesn't need to be done on a regular basis. It also doesn't address permissions problems with your files or 3rd party apps.

Five Mac maintenance myths
Disk Utility repairs the permissions for files installed by the Mac OS X Installer, Software Update, or an Apple software installer. It doesn’t repair permissions for your documents, your home folder, and third-party applications.

You can verify or repair permissions only on a disk with Mac OS X installed.
Click to expand...
Does Disk Utility check permissions on all files?

Files that aren't installed as part of an Apple-originated installer package are not listed in a receipt and therefore are not checked. For example, if you install an application using a non-Apple installer application, or by copying it from a disk image, network volume, or other disk instead of installing it via Installer, a receipt file isn't created. This is expected. Some applications are designed to be installed in one of those ways.

Also, certain files whose permissions can be changed during normal usage without affecting their function are intentionally not checked.
Click to expand...
There are times when repairing permissions is appropriate. To do so, here are the instructions:
 
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