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Mac OS X 10.4.x: Permissions display bug

Mac OS X 10.4.x: Permissions display bug

CNET staff

All currently shipping versions of Mac OS X 10.4.x (Mac OS X 10.4.0 and Mac OS X 10.4.1) have a cosmetic bug that causes permissions information to be incorrectly displayed when using the floating Get Info window -- accessible via the keyboard combination Command-Option-I.

The steps to reproduce this bug are as follows:

  1. Open a Finder window that shows the folder /System (your root level System folder, which should be owned by system and have group access for wheel
  2. Click on the Desktop to make sure there is nothing selected
  3. Press Command-Option-I to open the floating Info Window on the Desktop
  4. Open the Ownership and Permissions section of the floating Info Window
  5. Open the Details section of the Ownership & Permissions section.
  6. Click on /System in the window from step 1

Note that the "Details" section does not change to the actual permissions for /System.

The owner/group etc in the details slice haven't changed, it shows the permissions for ~/Desktop. If I open a regular Info Window on /System, the Details section shows owner: system - Read & Write, group: wheel - Read Only, Others: Read Only.

The "You can" popup does update correctly, but the details section will continue to display the same information for the System folder as for the Desktop.

This bug appears to affect all Mac OS X 10.4.x systems, even stock after an erase install.

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

Resources

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