How To Repair Your Boot Disk's Permissions
Article ID = 7Article Title = How To Repair Your Boot Disk's Permissions
Article Author(s) = Graham Needham (BH)
Article Created On = 20th May 2011
Article Last Updated = 20th October 2017
Article URL = https://www.macstrategy.com/article.php?7
Article Brief Description:
A step by step guide on how to repair your boot disk's permissions
Repair Boot Disk Permissions
Every file and folder on your hard disk has a set of "permissions". In simplistic terms, these tell the computer whether you, the operating system software or another application has the ability to read, write, change and/or delete the file or folder. Sometimes the standard set of permissions can get messed up (especially when installing third party software/software updates) so through Apple's Disk Utility you can "repair" these permissions.NOTE: With the introduction of System Integrity Protection (SIP) (OS X 10.11 or later) the need to repair permissions has been greatly reduced as the operating system now automatically maintains permissions and also the act of installing a system software update will automatically repair permissions too. If you are running OS X 10.11 or later please see these instructions.
Repair Disk Permissions (OS X 10.10 or earlier)
NOTE: If you are running OS X 10.11 or later please see these instructions.- Go to Macintosh HD > Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.
- Select your boot disk hard disk icon in the top left e.g. "Macintosh HD".
- Click on the 'First Aid' tab at the top.
- Click on the "Repair Disk Permissions" button.
- When this has finished quit the Disk Utility application.

Repair Disk Permissions While Booting From An Alternate OS X Hard Disk Or Partition
- Boot your computer from the alternate Mac OS X hard disk or partition. NOTE: The two basic versions of Mac OS X that you are booting from and that you are reparing must be the same. So if you are repairing a 10.6.x drive you must boot from a 10.6.x drive.
- Go to Macintosh HD > Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.
- Select the disk icon in the top left of the drive you want to repair permissions on e.g. "Macintosh HD".
- Click on the 'First Aid' tab at the top.
- Click on the "Repair Disk Permissions" button.
- When this has finished quit the Disk Utility application.
Repair Disk Permissions While Booting From A Mac OS X Install Disc
NOTE: According to Apple, when possible, disk permissions should be repaired while started up from a Mac OS X volume (hard disk) that contains Mac OS X (see instructions above), instead of a Mac OS X install disc. Mac OS X software updates may change permissions on some files to improve security. When this occurs, the version of Disk Utility on the Mac OS X volume is updated to account for the new permissions. Running Disk Utility while started from the Mac OS X volume ensures that the changes made by software updates are preserved.- Boot your computer from your Mac OS X install disc. NOTE: The two basic versions of Mac OS X that you are booting from and that you are reparing must be the same. So if you are repairing a 10.6.x drive you must boot from a 10.6.x install disc. NOTE: There are several ways to boot from a Mac OS X install disc:
- Insert your install disc, restart your computer and hold down the "c" key (recommended).
- Insert your install disc, go to Apple menu > System Preferences > Startup Disk and select the install disc, then restart your computer.
- Insert your install disc, restart your computer and hold down the "alt" (option) key, select the install disc, click the up or right arrow.
- Select your required language.
- Don't install Mac OS X but instead go to the Utilities menu and select "Disk Utility".
- Select the disk icon in the top left of the drive you want to repair permissions on e.g. "Macintosh HD".
- Click on the 'First Aid' tab at the top.
- Click on the "Repair Disk Permissions" button.
- When this has finished quit the Disk Utility application and restart your computer normally.
Repair Disk Permissions (OS X 10.11 or later)
- Boot your computer in Recovery Mode.
- At the 'OS X Utilities' window select "Disk Utility".
- Click on the 'First Aid' button at the top.
- Select your boot disk on the left. NOTE: with macOS 10.13 or later Disk Utility only shows volumes by default and the Sidebar can be hidden - go to View menu > Show Sidebar and View menu > Show All Devices to see everything.
- Click the "Repair Disk" button.
- Click the "Run" button at the confirmation request.
- When this has finished quit the Disk Utility application and reboot.
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All proceeds go directly to MacStrategy / Burning Helix to help fund this web site.
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All proceeds go directly to MacStrategy / Burning Helix to help fund this web site.
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