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Why can I see the "private" folder in Macintosh HD?
- Thread starter 0dev
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To show hidden files in Finder, enter the following two commands into a Terminal window (press enter after each line):
defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE
killall Finder
To hide hidden files in Finder, enter the following two commands into a Terminal window (press enter after each line):killall Finder
defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles FALSE
killall Finder
killall Finder
Four folders: etc, tftpboot, tmp, and var are in it.
The permissions say the system can read and write, everyone else can only read.
It says it was created in September of this year, any idea how that's possible? My last install was way before then.
Try showing hidden folders and see if another private folder shows up. It might be that OS X had to re-create it, but I couldn't begin to guess why. Mine shows to be created in Dec 2007 (before I got my Mac) and last modified in Feb 2008, also before I got my Mac.
Do not delete /private!
The stuff in there is part of the OS and required. Normally Apple normally keeps it (finder) hidden from "prying eyes"
I don't know how it became finder visible for you.
FWIW, if you have the Developer Tools installed you can execute the following commands from the Terminal to make it hidden again:
sudo setfile -a V /private
killall Finder
The second command is just to relaunch the finder at which point /private should be hidden.
If you don't have the Developer Tools installed, don't let it bother you. It's just one of many other (hidden) directories in the root directory. It doesn't matter whether its invisible or not. Only that what's in there stay there!
Also, I believe there a a few third party apps to selectively hide/unhide files. I just don't recall any specific one at the moment.
The stuff in there is part of the OS and required. Normally Apple normally keeps it (finder) hidden from "prying eyes"
I don't know how it became finder visible for you.FWIW, if you have the Developer Tools installed you can execute the following commands from the Terminal to make it hidden again:
sudo setfile -a V /private
killall Finder
The second command is just to relaunch the finder at which point /private should be hidden.
If you don't have the Developer Tools installed, don't let it bother you. It's just one of many other (hidden) directories in the root directory. It doesn't matter whether its invisible or not. Only that what's in there stay there!
Also, I believe there a a few third party apps to selectively hide/unhide files. I just don't recall any specific one at the moment.
You can do this without dev tools installed though I think it only works for folders unlike setfile.
Try this terminal command :
sudo chflags nohidden /private
Try this terminal command :
sudo chflags nohidden /private
Close... but i believe the OP wants to hide an already visible item:
sudo chflags hidden /private
...which works on regular files as well as directories.
My guess is that whoever/whatever modified /private to be visible caused it's mod date to be changed too. Look at that date too see if it possibly jogs your memory of what you may have been doing on that date (yeah, I know, I hardly remember what I was doing yesterday
).