Unlocking a protected application

[ShannonB]

We had a friend set up an application on our MacBook Pro. Since then, the friend is no longer in contact and I want to delete the application, but it's locked. In the application's Info box, it only allows me to "read only." Any ideas?

[Jessica Lares]

Originally Posted by ShannonB

We had a friend set up an application on our MacBook Pro. Since then, the friend is no longer in contact and I want to delete the application, but it's locked. In the application's Info box, it only allows me to "read only." Any ideas?

You just need your admin password to change that. click on Sharing & Permissions and click on the padlock on the bottom right.

[ShannonB]

I've unlocked the Info bar, but every time I click on admin priviledges' "read only" and try to switch it to "read and write," it won't register the change...it keeps it as "read only."

[LPZ]

Originally Posted by ShannonB

I want to delete the application, but it's locked.

What happens if you drag the application to the trash?

[ShannonB]

Originally Posted by LPZ

What happens if you drag the application to the trash?

Pop up "The operation cannot be completed because the item is locked."

[LPZ]

Originally Posted by ShannonB

Pop up "The operation cannot be completed because the item is locked."

If you have an Admin password, you should be able to delete the application as follows:

1) Open Terminal (in Utilities).

2) Copy and paste the following into the Terminal window, but don't press return yet.

sudo rm -rf

3) Type a space or two at the end of the line you just pasted into Terminal.

3) Drag the application icon you wish to delete into the Terminal window. This will append the application's path to the command you pasted in.

4) Click on the Terminal window to make it active, and press return. Supply an admin password when requested.