MacOS – How to move file from one users account to another? Permission denied.

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I'm trying to move the file of a virtual machine from one users account to the other. So basically I want to move /Users/joe/Win7.vm to /Users/jane/Win7.vm but I can't figure out how to do it through Finder because I can't get to the root directory (/). I tried moving it using the mv command in Terminal and it said permission denied. Is tried sudo mv but it just said "sorry". I also tried changing its permission (chmod) but it wouldn't let me (and when I tried sudo chmod, it literally said "sorry").

I'm logged in as administrator.

Best Answer

Its a permissions issue. To resolve simply, first copy the file to /Users/Shared/, then copy again from there, then try to troubleshoot your permissions issues afterwards. You are logged in as administrator, yet you still are lacking the authority to escalate to root or change permissions, and that is odd. Even as admin, you would still need root access to move a file belonging to one user to another users' account. In Terminal, try sudo bash and enter your password when prompted. To use mv command, the syntax is mv /path/to/origin/file /path/to/destination/directory/

Also, changing permissions with chmod doesn't change ownership. You use chown for that.

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Using sudo on the open command doesn't do anything particularly useful -- the actual program still gets run under the user's regular identity. To solve this, make sure TextEdit isn't running, then do:

sudo /Applications/TextEdit.app/Contents/MacOS/TextEdit &
open -a "TextEdit" /etc/sshd_config

The first command runs TextEdit as root; the second tells it to open the file. After this, you should be able to edit & save changes. When you're done, be sure to quit TextEdit (or it'll keep editing files as root).

Alternately, use TextWrangler (or its even-more-capable-but-not-free sibling, BBEdit). It handles saving files as root automatically, as well as having easy ways to edit invisible files. I much prefer it for editing config files and the like.

EDIT: Be sure to get the version of TextWrangler from the Bare Bones Software web site, not the version from the Mac App Store -- the App Store version has the save-as-root feature removed to comply with Apple's rules.

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Have you tried repairing the disk permissions via Disk Utility?

If that doesn't work, try enabling the root account, logging in, and attempting to access the files.

Use the "System Administrator" account to access the files:

navigate to the folder "/System/Library/CoreServices/" and open "Directory Utility.app"

Click the padlock

in the "Edit" menu, choose "Enable root user"

from the Apple menu, choose "Log out"

log in as "System Administrator" (or "root") and you will have access to the files in "/Users/Abby"

Best Answer

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