Help, Mac won't let me run programs

[RockPortTech]

Hi all, I am trying to use Carbon Copy Cloner, I downloaded it and when I tried to open it, a window pops up with a graphic of a stop sign (but no letters on the sign) and it tells “Carbon Copy Cloner has not been signed by a recognized distributor and may damage your computer. You should move it to the Trash."
Cancel and Move to Trash are the only options it lets me do on that window.

This has happened with a couple of programs I downloaded to run on my MacBook Pro (early 2011) but every time I try to run it that window pops up and I cant run it?

Is there something I can turn off that will allow me to run programs of my choosing, not just the ones that my MBP approves of? It's driving me nuts.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Can you make a screenshot of that dialog and attach it to your next post?

Have you any cleaning or AV apps installed?
Maybe make a screenshot of your Applications folder with all apps visible, if you are unsure?
And what Mac OS X version do you use?
Does it also happen in another, even temporarily created, user account?

Ah, just did a www search for "has not been signed by a recognized distributor and may damage your computer. You should move it to the Trash" and it seems to be Gatekeeper, which is part of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion.
Go to System Preferences > Security and disable it.

 

[sweetbrat]

Are you using the Mountain Lion developer preview by chance? That sounds a lot like what Gatekeeper is supposed to do.

 

[RockPortTech]

Ok, update on this issue, turns out GateKeeper was turned on in my Lion OS X 10.7.3 that is what was causing the issue. I turned it off with this:

sudo spctl --disable

copy/paste that into the terminal is your having the same issue.

 

[RockPortTech]

Are you using the Mountain Lion developer preview by chance? That sounds a lot like what Gatekeeper is supposed to do.

You hit it right on the nail. Cheers.

 

[Nezert EM1]

nevermind. got it. thanks OP