MacOS – User permissions problem after restoring from Time Machine to a new user Mac OS X El Capitan

macospermissiontime-machine

My old MacBook Pro died so I did a restore from a Time Machine backup to an iMac. I did the restore to a new user so the info already in the iMac would not be lost.
Everything went smoothly and I have a clone from my MB Pro in the iMac.

But now when I try to save a PDF from Safari, the dialog box will not let me create a "new folder" (the button is "greyed out"?) and when I click return a dialog box appear with "Safari cannot export XXXX PDF because you don't have the permissions to do it".
I also later found out that it is asking for my password every time I want to move a file from one place to another, or if I want to change a file name.

How do I give full permissions to the new user?

Best Answer

In versions of OS X from Lion (10.7) and newer with a recovery partition, there is an additional Repair Permissions application utility. This tool is located inside Boot Repair Utilities. Here’s how to access it.

  • Restart OS X and hold down the Command and R keys.
  • You will boot into the Repair Utilities screen. On top, in the Menu Bar click the Utilities item then select Terminal.
  • In the Terminal window, type “resetpassword” (without the quotes) and hit Return.
  • The Password reset utility launches, but you’re not going to reset the password. Instead, click on the icon for your Mac’s hard drive at the top. From the drop-down below it, select the user account where you are having issues.
  • At the bottom of the window, you’ll see an area labeled ‘Reset Home Directory Permissions and ACLs’. Click the Reset button there.

Info gleaned and appropriated from this page.

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