Can't run programs from non-admin account: redux

Background: I have years of experience with PCs, very little with Macs. I work with children in a group home. The tech support people who set up this iMac (OS X 10.2) have long since departed, and no one in the organization has any clue as to what changes they made to this system, and I'm sure that those tech people made some changes. For example, in admin accounts other than "root," either there is no access to the Utilities folder or the folder has been well hidden.
The Problem: The boys in this home will use a non-admin account. The programs I have installed for them will run under admin accounts but not under the "boys" account, which is non-admin. The system tells me that the account does not have enough access privileges to run the programs. (Program that had been installed before I got access to this iMac will run under the "boys" account.)
In discussions on this forum several months ago, I thought the answers I got here had helped me solve the problem. Then, for administrative reasons, I did not touch the iMac until last week. What I thought had been solved is not solved.
From "root," using the "Capabilities" option in the Accounts folder, I have added to the "Add other applications..." section the programs I want "boys" to have access to. But this doesn't work. When I log in to "boys," access is denied: insufficient access privileges.
If I give up on this system, the boys will not be able to use this iMac, and that would be a shame.

I realize that it sounds like I ignored all the previous advice before I drafted this latest post. But the first thing I did when I returned to the iMac was to look at the posts.
I didn't touch the system for six months. I was waiting for approval from administration to upgrade the OS. By the time I got the approval, upgrading was no longer an option -- according to the manager of the local Genius Bar. This system is not capable of running 10.5, and Apple will no longer sell 10.4. I can find 10.4 on the Net, but those are private sellers and the price is too high.
Now that I've got that out of the way, the current task: I have no idea why, but the gains I accomplished six months ago have disappeared. The "boys" account can run none of the software I installed. No one else has touched the system. (I live alone.)
I logged on as "root" and went to Accounts. Using 10.2's Capabilities function, I tried to check all the boxes for "boys." But when I close the screen and then re-open it, the system has unchecked "Open all System Preferences"; "Change Password"; and access to "Utilities."
At this point I cannot create new folders under "boys." "boys" can run software that was installed before I got the machine, but that's all.
I have to assume that I inadvertently did something that wiped out my previous gains. But I ain't got a clue.

Similar Messages

Can't run programs from non-admin account

I'm new to the Mac and rusty with -- but not new to -- UNIX. I'm working with an iMac running OS X 10.2. I have installed several programs in a non-admin account (called "boys"), but they will not run from that account. The "get info" screen tells me that the "boys" account is the owner of the program. Read/write permission is enabled. When I try to run the programs, I get this error message: "The operation could not be completed because you do not have enough access privileges." I have installed the same programs in an admin account, and the programs run just fine from that account. I'd like to get this working so that the boys in the "boys" account can actually use the system. I have "inherited" this system from prior users. Programs that were on the system when I got my hands on it do run -- for the most part -- from "boys."
iMac Mac OS X (10.2.x)
iMac Mac OS X (10.2.x)

Thanks for the reply, Ken. My various unsuccessful attempts to solve this problem led me to create a folder named "Programs." (I know, my PC roots are showing.) I did this for two reasons: 1) I hoped that this would give me more control over what was happening; and 2) I wanted to give the children with whom I am working an easy way to find the programs that I want them to use. When I use < cd /users/boys > and then do an ls- l, I see the Programs folder. An ls -l on that folder shows all the program I have loaded and indicates that the "x" permission is applied to owner, group and others. Moreover, I assumed (incorrectly, perhaps) that installing the programs using the "boys" non-admin account would make them the "owner" of the programs and that "x" permission would follow. Well, ls -l indicates that they are the owners and that they do have execute permission. I can only guess that the prior users of this system -- and nobody in this organization seems to know where they are -- did something that requires more than Advil to overcome.
J...
iMac Mac OS X (10.2.x)
iMac Mac OS X (10.2.x)

Can you run programs from time capsule? IE can I run microsoft office from it?

can you run programs from time capsule? IE can I run microsoft office from it?

Yes, probably can.. but it won't be fast. You are better storing programs locally and data remotely.

Sharing external hard drive from non-admin account

We have 2 G5 Mac's in our prepress dept. at work. There is one external FW hard drive shared from G5 #1. I decided to turn the account I use on a daily basis to a non-Admin account (on G5 #1). When I do this, G5 #2 can no longer access the FW drive that is connected to G5 #1. It doesn't even show up on G5 #2 in the list of volumes to mount. As soon as I turn the account on G5 #1 back into an Admin account, G5 #2 has access to the FW drive. I've tried changing permissions on the drive and checking "Ignore ownership on this volume" all without success. No matter what I try, G5 #2 can only access the FW drive if G5 #1 is set up as Admin. Is this normal or am I missing something? Both G5's are running Tiger 10.4.11.
Eric S.

I knew what Sharepoints was but I had never used it before. Since your last post on this topic, I downloaded and installed it. I still can not make the external drive accessible to the other Mac unless my account is an admin account. Maybe I'm missing something in Sharepoints or have a wrong setting somewhere.
I'm just beginning to mess around with Terminal and Unix commands so I have no idea how to do what I'm trying to do from Terminal.
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Restoring admin account from non-admin account

For a while I've had a problems booting and logging in, which is either a HD or corruption problem, but once in to my admin account, I'm fine for the rest of the day. (This isn't a question about these problems, I know I must do something separately about that.)
This morning I had greater problems than usual, followed by a problem in my admin account - having saved a document once, the next time I got ("[document] could not be saved"). So I restarted, but couldn't get from my login account to my main admin account (after the login details box disappeared, I was left with the empty Leopard splash screen). A second restart brought the same result. I can assume my admin account has some corruption?
I'd like to restore the admin account from the Users folder on yesterday's Time Machine backup, but how do I do that from one of my other accounts, all of which are non-admin accounts?

christopher rigby1 wrote:
2. They put Leopard on my machine as - incredibly - they didn't have Tiger install disks, but they couldn't give me the Leopard install disks so I can't do a system restore.
That's a violation of the license. Legally, you're running pirated software. Worse, you can't restore OSX or Apple apps, repair your internal HD, do a full system restore from your TM backups, etc.
You need a retail Leopard disc, period. If the folks who installed it won't supply it (you might gently suggest that you'll report them to Apple), call AppleCare and pay the $129. If you're going to run Leopard, you need to pay for it.
Or, return to Tiger. On your EHD running Tiger, use the Restore tab to copy the entire Tiger OSX volume to the internal HD. Be sure to check the +Erase destination+ box. That will, of course, erase everything on your Leopard installation. You might be able to copy some of the data elsewhere temporarily, then copy it back, but any data used by Leopard may not work with the Tiger apps.
I've now determined, by trying to login to the iMac HD via Restart+option that my admin account is corrupted - I can login to every other account but not that one.
However, as I explained, i can see all its folders and files via the Tiger account with the same name and password. Here is a possible action plan, let me know what you think?
Does that sound workable?
Doubtful.

Update iTunes from non-Admin account?

I had to install iTunes from an admin account, but I use it from an non-admin account. When I get the message that there is a new version available, can I upgrade from the non-admin account? I don't want to try it without knowing because I don't want to corrupt anything. I'm on Windows XP.

No, you log out of you limited user account and update from an administrator account.
Personally I don't trust updating from within iTunes and I always download the installer and save it on my PC before running it.
http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/
As I am rather paranoid, I make copies of iTunes Library.itl and iTunes Library.xml before updating, do this with iTunes closed. But iTunes should make a backup of its own when updating. Unfortunately if you have to update from an account that is not your usual one, it will backup the library of the account you update from, not the one you want.
Added : Actually I may be wrong in my last point. If the backup is made when you first open iTunes and it converts the library, you may be OK. But I would make a copy anyway.
Message was edited by: polydorus

Can't login to local NON-admin accounts-Directory Access set to server

I have a strange problem on a set of laptops that I cannot resolve and am hoping someone can help me.
Here is the issue:
I have a set of building laptops (PowerPC, OSX.4.11) that seemingly will not "search locally" in the authentication process. The logins seem to work fine for NETWORK logins to our Open Directory Master xserve, but these machines will not login to any LOCAL non-admin accounts. The local root and local admin account logins do, however, work fine. ?? The remainder of the building computers (Intel iMacs OSX.4.11) appear to have the exact same settings and login fine both locally and via the network home directories.
I have tried the following:
Deleted DirectoryService preferences folder (MacintoshHD-->Library-->Preferences->DirectoryService)
Deleted the mcx cache in Directory Access
Tried adding a new non-admin user to test (still will not login)
Removed and re-created LDAP configuration (all set to custom)
Tried setting the LDAP to the automatic settings ("Add DHCP-supplied LDAP servers to automatic search policies")
Disabled all network connectivity (turned off Airport and disconnected the ethernet cable), still cannot login to local accounts
Tried to bind in LDAP configuration (when I did bind the machine, it would no longer authenticate to the network authentication server, so I did an "unbind" and restarted and it went back to performing the network logins, but still will not login to local non-admin accounts).
Reset passwords in System Prefs and also re-typed them in NetInfo Manager
Deleted login keychains
Deleted mcx.plist
Reinstalled the OS from disk and local logins worked TEMPORARILY--UNTIL I set the LDAP directory access to authenticate to our server (which I also need for the network logins to work),then, the issue started again.
*Same results with both ethernet and wireless connectivity enabled.
*Note: I also manage these local accounts via WGM (installed on the local machine) and even tried disabling that and still no luck.
Please help...I have spent hours and hours trying to find a solution and nothing seems to work! What am I missing??

Mostly just a bump...
How about that .local extension, or trailing / ?

Installing apps from non-admin account

I read an earlier post that installing apps from a non-admin account is a bad idea because SL applies the wrong permissions. I normally install from a non-admin account.... I don't see that the permissions on stuff I've installed are any different from apps that came with SL. Most everything is drwxr-xr-x. Was this fixed, or am I missing the problem.

KJK555 wrote:
+"That isn't a problem at all. Applications should not require that the user have write+
+access to the application."+
I didn't say anything about a user having write access permission, I was talking about read
permissions. All apps installed in the /Applications directory should have group permissions
set to admin or wheel (depending on the type of app), so the system can read them without
problems. That's the Unix way.
I completely disagee. The system already has read permission to all applications in the /Applications folder. It doesn't matter what the group privilege is set to. The "other" permissions are set to read only. System (root) can read it regardless. If you can show me an Apple tech article that says that apps installed in the /Applications folder should have their group privilege changed to "admin" or "wheel" then I would gladly take that back.
+"Leopard does not put any ACLs on anything installed in the /Applications folder"+
That's right, it doesn't normally, but if it finds an app that it does not have permission
to read, it will assign an ACE(s) to it so that it can access it.
I just tested that in 10.5.8, and it does not happen as you say. I can't try it in 10.6. I'd appreciate if you could provide a specific example where you can make this happen.
Besides, all users, by default, have read only access to all applications. Unless a user specifically changes permissions on an app to deny read access to everyone, then this isn't an issue.
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1875193&start=60&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1866808&start=15&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8776714&#8776714
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1850256&start=30&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2351437&start=15&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=9447059&#9447059
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=9067640&#9067640
I know what ACLs are and how they work. I have read through those and cannot find in any of those threads anything about what you had been talking about.
+"That is also false. Root rights are granted by the user entering the admin username+
+and password when prompted. It does not matter where an application is installed in+
+order for it to be given root permission."+
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2963
"Application installers, Applications folder
A third-party application installer incorrectly sets permissions on the files it installs,
or even the entire Applications folder. Symptoms of the Application folder's permissions
being set incorrectly include applications appearing in the dock as question marks, and/or
not being able to connect to the Internet. It is also possible that software installed while
logged in as one user will be inaccessible when logged in as another. To avoid this, make sure
you are logged in with your normal user account when installing software that you wish to use
with that account."
That has to do with third party installer apps that developers have not written properly to conform to OS X standards. It isn't an issue with applications that install by drag-and-drop. It sounds to me like you have looked at the permissions that Apple has put on its own apps and jumped to the conclusion that third party apps won't work unless they have the exact same permissions applied to them. That simply isn't true.
"Software access=user access
Most applications executed by a user only have access to the files that the user has access to.
Backup software, for example, may not back up Mac OS X system files that have root ownership."
Utilities, especially disk utilities, are to be installed in the /Applications/Utilities folder, for reasons
stated above.
No. That is completely wrong. Like I said earlier, an application is given root permission by user authentication. It matters not one little bit what the application's enclosing folder is. I personally have no third party apps in /Applications/Utilities; just what Apple puts there as part of a standard OS X installation.
More permission tips:
http://www.bombich.com/mactips/image.html
http://mostlyslow.blogspot.com/2009/04/technical-mac-os-x-permissions-issues.htm l
Have you even read those? I suggest that you do; because most of what you have written about how file/folder/application permissions in OS X is completely wrong.

Can I transfer songs from my admin account to a new user account?

I want to start using a user account as my main account instead of the admin account. I bought a bunch of songs from iTunes and downloaded them to my admin account.
Can I transfer these songs from my admin account to a new user account and then de-authorized the songs on my admin account?
Thanks,
Mark

If you don't change your iTMS account, you don't have to de-authorize.
Your computer is already authorized to play the songs.
This article tells you more about (de)authorization.
Hope this helps.
M
17' iMac fp 800 MHz 768 MB RAM Mac OS X (10.3.9) Several ext. HD (backup and data)

Cannot Run Scans in non-admin account...

So, mymain accounton my Mac is not an administrator for security reasons, which is not a concern normally. When I need to install something or perform a fucntion that requires admin privileges, I am prompted for the account name and passwor. However, when I try to run a scan in OSX,. I am merely told that I need to be an administrator, but there is no prompt. Is there a way I can enable a prompt for admin credentials so I can run this scan with the proper permissions, other than making my account an admin or logging into the admin account separately? Many thanks in advance

Did some research on this the other day, to see if i could get Software Update to run in the middle of the night like Windows can do.
Software Update requires Root powers, so when you give it your Admin Password your opening a sudo window of 5 minutes for it to complete it's task.
Software Update doesn't check for updates while in Standard User becuase Standard Users supposedly can't do anything about it anyway and it would be a obvious distraction. "Mommy the computer....!!!"
Apple should have a option in Software update preferences to let certain Standard Users know a Software Update is ready just for the purpose your explaining. I run in Standard as well.
I ran some Software Update commands via the Terminal for a launchd just to see what I could do.
Apprantly one can DOWNLOAD updates automatically with launchd in Admin, but not install them because of the need for sudo.
I just misssed a perfect opoortunity (todays update) to run a launchd to do automatic downloads of Software update, then see how to go about installing them afterwards. So fsck me, I'll have to wait now. (unless i use my other machine! ahhh!!)
Anyway the program you want is this little gem: Lingon
it's on Sourceforge (grab the image)
Ok so that takes care of the Software update downloads (man softwareupdate in Terminal for commands)
/usr/sbin/softwareupdate --download --all
Will do the automatic downloads, now it's just a script away to let you know ( a nice pop up window) that you have something in your folder where the Software Update just downloaded into.
That's the next question is where that is and how to run it.

Cant See RTF Files in JAR but can when running program from command prompt

posted August 16, 2005 08:26 AM
Hi ALL:
I have a Java Swing APP. It has Menus which displays information through File I/O in a JEditorPane.
When I run my program from Command Prompt using "java myApp" it shows these RTF Files as it is.
However when I run them after converting Directory into a Executable JAR FILE, it fails. I get a blank JEditorPane. My RTF files are in the CORRECT PATH, just dont get displayed. Rest of the APP works fine.
Chetan
any suggetsions

posted August 16, 2005 08:26 AM
Hi ALL:
I have a Java Swing APP. It has Menus which displays information through File I/O in a JEditorPane.
When I run my program from Command Prompt using "java myApp" it shows these RTF Files as it is.
However when I run them after converting Directory into a Executable JAR FILE, it fails. I get a blank JEditorPane. My RTF files are in the CORRECT PATH, just dont get displayed. Rest of the APP works fine.
Chetan
any suggetsions

Sharing volumes from non-admin accounts...

Hello,
The users in my studio regularly need to share DVDs of archived work between members of their team, however this doesn't seem to be a function available to non-admin users.
The remotely mounted DVD only shows up in the file-sharing dialogue when connecting with an administrators name/password.
Is there a way for non-admin users to share mounted CD/DVDs with network users?

So, the DVDs are on many User's machines then?
Whew... bunch of testing, but it appears that it can be done by creating a Symbolic Link on an AFP volume to the CD/DVD, then connecting via SMB... doesn't work via AFP, nor can you make/copy/ move a Symbolic Link to a Windows® volume.
I did it in Terminal using...
ln -s /Volumes/My\ Disc Folder test
But there are APPs that allow symlinks to be made easier...
Shareware... http://www.naratt.com/MakeSymlink.html
Freeware... http://seiryu.home.comcast.net/symboliclinker.html
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I can not run Illustraor from a network account

Good morning,
I install Illusrrator CS 4 with an Admin account (Local).
Then I join my iMac in to a server Open directory.
Then I open a session with one of the account of the server open directoty.
But with a OD account, Illustrator is not reponding even if I attended to open it serveral time.
After, I tried with the local account, and it works.
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Hi,
Try using
SET_REPORT_OBJECT_PROPERTY
(repid,REPORT_SERVER,"YOURSERVERNAME");
before
v_rep := RUN_REPORT_OBJECT;
If you are testing the report on your PC using reports services on your PC then you may need to initiailize the reprots server using
rwserver server="YOURSERVERNAME" install
at command prompt.
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-Jayshree

Run software update in non-admin account?

I did some searching through past posts, but the most recent one I found was several years old.
Is there any way to run Software Update automatically in a non-admin account? I run in a non-admin account unless there's some task that really needs admin privileges to complete, for security purposes, but having Software Update not run automatically is rather suboptimal for security.
So, is there any way to get Software Update to check for updates automatically from a non-admin account? (I'm not averse to using the crontab or launchd, if necessary—I've never done it before, but given instructions, I'm sure I could figure it out.
Thanks in advance!

Did some research on this the other day, to see if i could get Software Update to run in the middle of the night like Windows can do.
Software Update requires Root powers, so when you give it your Admin Password your opening a sudo window of 5 minutes for it to complete it's task.
Software Update doesn't check for updates while in Standard User becuase Standard Users supposedly can't do anything about it anyway and it would be a obvious distraction. "Mommy the computer....!!!"
Apple should have a option in Software update preferences to let certain Standard Users know a Software Update is ready just for the purpose your explaining. I run in Standard as well.
I ran some Software Update commands via the Terminal for a launchd just to see what I could do.
Apprantly one can DOWNLOAD updates automatically with launchd in Admin, but not install them because of the need for sudo.
I just misssed a perfect opoortunity (todays update) to run a launchd to do automatic downloads of Software update, then see how to go about installing them afterwards. So fsck me, I'll have to wait now. (unless i use my other machine! ahhh!!)
Anyway the program you want is this little gem: Lingon
it's on Sourceforge (grab the image)
Ok so that takes care of the Software update downloads (man softwareupdate in Terminal for commands)
/usr/sbin/softwareupdate --download --all
Will do the automatic downloads, now it's just a script away to let you know ( a nice pop up window) that you have something in your folder where the Software Update just downloaded into.
That's the next question is where that is and how to run it.

Screen sharing to OS X Lion Server with non-admin account

I have set up a Lion Server with one admin (in addition to the root user) and several non-admin normal accounts. In Server.app, I have enabled remote login with ssh, and remote management via screen sharing. I am unable to use Screen Sharing to connect to the server from the non-admin accounts, but able to use the admin account. I've read that it is only enabled for admin users, but need to access from non-admin accounts, and I can't add these accounts to the admin group. Is there a way to do this with Workgroup Manager? I tried changing the Remote Management settings in System Preferences by adding the non-admin, but when selecting 'Observe' and 'Control' in the options for the user, they are not saved.

I resolved this issue by deselecting the "Enable screen sharing and remote management" in Server.app and going to System Preferences, Sharing Preferences, Screen Sharing, and allowing access for "All Users". If you have some users you want to allow VNC, you can create a group, add the allowed users to the group, and add the group under "Only these users".

Can't run programs from non-admin account: redux

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