changing folder permissions

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My library folder (located under my Mac folder) has Read Only permissions to wheel and everyone (and read and write permissions to Fetching). I want to change all permissions to Read and Write but the area is greyed out and doesn't give me the option to change it. How do I fix it so I can change these permission??

Thanks!!!
Mickey
 

vansmith

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If you're talking about /Library or /System/Library, the permissions are limited for a reason. There should be no reason to have write privileges to that directory as a regular user. Why do you need write privileges?
 
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Thanks Vansmith for your quick response!!!
I have a software called babylon (a translator) that I recently migrated from my other computer. (I also upgraded my mac-mini to lion which I'm not sure has anything to do with that as the software worked well before). Every time it launched it required I input my registration number. I contacted the support group which gave me the following instruction that should fix the problem:

They asked me to delete a file and then do the following:

*********
Go to : Mac\users\*user you’re logged in* \Library\Right Click on the “Preferences” folder and press the “Get info”.
Change all the users permission to “Read & Write”.

Go to :Mac\Library\Right Click on the “Preferences” folder and press the “Get info”.

Change all the users permission to “Read & Write”.
************

When I attempted to follow them and make all permissions read/right I noticed I can't do that.
Now when I launch the translator and input in the registration number it says: "Babylon cannot update preferences directory, your license can not be saved."

Any ideas??

Thanks again!!!
 

vansmith

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The first Library folder (your user one) is writable by default so you shouldn't have to change that. You don't have read/write permissions to the second one for good reason. In fact, I have to question the credibility of the tech support agent you talked to if they want to you change the permissions of the entire folder to read/write.

Is there perhaps a particular folder in /Library that you need to work with?
 
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The folder in Library that he requested I delete the file is preferences but I can't change this folder's permissions too. You have a very good point about their credibility. I'll go back and challenge their instructions. Thanks!!!!
 

vansmith

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Did he say to delete the whole preferences folder? If so, I'd ask to speak to a different agent. To be blunt, he clearly has no idea what he's doing. His solution is overkill and at best, it's a blanket solution (which makes me really think that he had no idea what he was talking about).
 
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Did he say to delete the whole preferences folder? If so, I'd ask to speak to a different agent. To be blunt, he clearly has no idea what he's doing. His solution is overkill and at best, it's a blanket solution (which makes me really think that he had no idea what he was talking about).

Eh, it DOES work though ;)

If you decided to try this, just move the /Library/Preferences folder to a different name. Same same... and reversible.
 

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