Unlock all files at one time

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I recently got a new iMac with Yosemite OSX 10.10.2 and I moved about 30GB worth of files on to it from a windows hard drive.

Now all these thousands of files are LOCKED and I can't move them around or delete them. I know how to select 1 file to unlock it, but how do I do it when these files are in many - MANY - different nested folders?

When I unlock a folder, it doesn't unlock all the folders and files under it, just the folder it self.

I just want to UNLOCK ALL THE FILES ON MY DRIVE -> with one simple command. Is there such a thing?
 

chscag

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Maybe too late to ask... but did you make a backup of your new iMac prior to moving the files? You ran into a "possession" problem which occurs when moving files from a NTFS formatted drive on to a Mac which is using HFS+ as its file system.

I just want to UNLOCK ALL THE FILES ON MY DRIVE -> with one simple command. Is there such a thing?

I don't know of a way to take possession of all those files at once. Unlocking all files using a terminal command would render your iMac useless. You wouldn't be able to boot it and would wind up having to reinstall OS X. You may wind up having to do that anyway to resolve your problem.
 
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No, chscag, I am afraid that I did not. I have the two subject folders in one folder on my internal drive and when I unlock the very bottom file in one of the nested folders and put it into my trash it will delete. It is just that there seems to be hundreds of nested files.
 
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I have the two subject folders in one folder on my internal drive
Do you own the one folder?
If you do, open Terminal. cd to that folder.
Example: if folder is named test in your home folder:
cd ~/test
Type: sudo chown -R yourusername *.*
It will ask for a password. Type in your login password. You wont see it but it's taking it.
NOTE: You must be in test for this to work properly. Anywhere else and things get wonky fast.

I also think the app BatchMod will do this too.
 

Slydude

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No, chscag, I am afraid that I did not. I have the two subject folders in one folder on my internal drive and when I unlock the very bottom file in one of the nested folders and put it into my trash it will delete. It is just that there seems to be hundreds of nested files.

I have had this problem before as well for the same reason.

If I understand correctly the files you want to change are in one or two folders. I assume you changed things using "Get Info" from the Finder and making the changes there? If so, try the following:
1. Select the folder that you want to change information on.
2. Make the change you want to make but don't close the Get Info window.
3. At the bottom of the window, just below the usernames is a small "gear" icon. Click there and choose "Apply to enclosing items"

Sometimes I have had to open one of the enclosing folders and re-apply the fix but certainly haven't had to do it folder by folder.
 

Slydude

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:Shouting:

Yes there it is >>>

No code has to be inserted here.


as explained in THIS apple discussion.

:Cool:

Whether something can be done in Terminal is one thing. The other is can it be done safely-- without damaging permissions on files that the Mac needs to boot. My legendary avoidance of Terminal means I don't know the answer to that question. Perhaps someone else does. Looking at you guys Van and Cradom :D
 
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Thank you All for the suggestions. I'll let you know what eventually rocks. Gratitude!
 
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:Shouting:

Yes there it is >>>

sudo chflags -R nouchg,nouappnd


as explained in THIS apple discussion.

:Cool:
That will do it too but you want to be **** careful how you run that. Adding the problem folder to the end will do only that folder.
You DO NOT want to do the whole drive!
sudo chflags -R nouchg,nouappnd folder

 
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As info, I used BatChmod, it worked like a champ with no apparent residual issues. Thanks to ALL for your assistance!
 

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