Is admin always really admin?

[tommyheadleycox]

I'm playing with an old iMac GE. I successfully upgraded it to Tiger, OS 10.4.11. It works fine, but I'm puzzled as to why I can not enable root user;
I also can not change permissions where I should be able to, since I am logged on as admin. If I go to <sytem preference> I see <ADMIN> by my log in name.

Why would I be locked out of enabling root user, even though I'm admin?

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Tarek]

I have never used Tiger before, but I have used Leopard and later versions - isn't there a lock icon that you can click to unlock the preferences? And how are you going about enabling root user? Using terminal or?

 

[osxx]

I'm playing with an old iMac GE. I successfully upgraded it to Tiger, OS 10.4.11. It works fine, but I'm puzzled as to why I can not enable root user;
I also can not change permissions where I should be able to, since I am logged on as admin. If I go to <sytem preference> I see <ADMIN> by my log in name.

Why would I be locked out of enabling root user, even though I'm admin?

Thanks,
Tom

Root user has the power to remove anything admin does not was the way I
had it explained to me also if you don't know what you are doing it can leave you with a bricked unit.

 

[tommyheadleycox]

I have never used Tiger before, but I have used Leopard and later versions - isn't there a lock icon that you can click to unlock the preferences? And how are you going about enabling root user? Using terminal or?

Yes, there is a a lock icon. But when I unlock it, I still cant' enable root user.
The way I was trying to enable it was according the to the <HELP> pages in Tiger: Use netinfo manager, choose Security, Enable root user.

but i can't do that.

All of this stuff is because I just want to remove a comm lib file from a program I bought. But I can't remove it!

-I can't drag it to the trash (ERROR: You don't have access).
-I can't ENABLE access via File, Get Info, Read/write access
-I can't delete it using terminal window and rm /xxx/xxx/xx/ filename
-I cant' delete it using terminal window and sudo rm xxxx/xxxx/filename
-I can't enable root user.

Event tho' I am logged in as admin, and I can remove <most>files.

 

[RustProofCorn]

Enabling and using the "root" user in Mac OS X

not sure this is what you have already been looking at but worth a browse

 

[vansmith]

There should be little (if any) reason to need root privileges such that you need to login as the root user. This is why sudo is the preferred tool for elevating privileges. What do you need the root user for?

 

[Dysfunction]

There should be little (if any) reason to need root privileges such that you need to login as the root user. This is why sudo is the preferred tool for elevating privileges. What do you need the root user for?

^
this bears repeating.

 

[tommyheadleycox]

Thanks for advising me to steer clear of enabling root. I'm suitably chastened and will most certainly NOT do that. Too dangerous.

For anyone who's interested, I'll now explain why I'm trying to delete a certain file in a certain program.

The program is called JMRI. It's software that allows me to use a computer to run my prized German electric trains. (also can use my iPod Touch.)

In my train room, I have an old PC and an old iMac. The PC was running JMRI fine but developed internal problems. So I gave the iMac a try. The prgrm. will run on Mac, Win, or Linux.

But - there's a problem between my PowerPC processor and the comm library of JMRI. A known bug. So I have to delete some files from the program and download replacements. But I can't delete the files.

JMRI has wonderful people in its forum, just as this one does. And they've been trying to help. But they acknlowledge this is a rather odd problem, and I'm apparently the only on planet earth who's ever had it.

At any rate, it's not worth trashing my esteemed old iMac by messing around with root. Still,....... I wonder why it's not possible when it SHOULD be possible.

Thanks everybody.

 

[osxx]

This program did it have an un-installer by chance?

 

[vansmith]

What files do you need to delete? One of us can provide you with a sense of commands to do the job for you.

 

[tommyheadleycox]

What files do you need to delete? One of us can provide you with a sense of commands to do the job for you.

Many thanks for the kind offer. There are actually two files to delete:


lib/macosx/librxtxSerial.jnilib

lib/macosx/ppc/librxtxSerial.jnilib


Thanks again,
Tom

 

[Dysfunction]

What error do you get when you sudo rm these?

and what's the output of ls -l of those files?

 

[tommyheadleycox]

What error do you get when you sudo rm these?

and what's the output of ls -l of those files?

when i sudo rm <file name>,
I'm prompted for my password, which I enter; then hit return, then get:

sudo: rm: command not found


When I type ls -l <filename>

I get
-rwxr-xr-x 1 mypasswd mypasswd 169488 Feb 20 2010 /Volumes/JMRI 2.10/JMRI/lib/macosx/librxtxSerial.jnilib

 

[Dysfunction]

rm, command not found?


do a

which rm

and a
sudo which rm

 

[tommyheadleycox]

Thank you, Mike. I'll try this right after work today.

 

[vansmith]

sudo: rm: command not found

Yeah, that's not normal. 'rm' is part of the coreutils package (or whatever Apple calls it - I just assume they're using GNU coreutils) and is installed by default. If 'rm' has gone missing, we might be able to reinstall it.

 

[tommyheadleycox]

This program did it have an un-installer by chance?

Hi, thanks for your reply. The program doesn't have an un-installer. BTW-I've apparently got the program in a disk image rather than in the applications folder. so i have to fix that.

 

[SFBloodBrother]

Well maybe you have to talk to the people you got it from and see if there is a password you have to use.

 

[vansmith]

Well maybe you have to talk to the people you got it from and see if there is a password you have to use.

That's not the problem. The problem here has to do with the bash prompt (Terminal).

 

[Dysfunction]

That's not the problem. The problem here has to do with the bash prompt (Terminal).

no rm, no bueno.