permissions to launch classic?

[mikelite]

hey kids, need help with something quick.

I just made the jump to OS X. Whenever I try and launch Quark so I can do my homework, it says I don't have enough permission to launch Classic. I'm logged in as the admin and I'm lost. Can someone please help?

thanks,
ML

[mervTormel]

classic runs as an SUID app. have you monkeyed with OSX file permissions? downloaded and ran BatChmod on root /, eh? *sigh* the bane of our collective existence...

show us the result of:

% ls -l /System/Library/CoreServices/Classic\ Startup.app/Contents/Resources/TruBlueEnvironment
-rwsr-xr-x 1 root wheel 476800 Feb 19 19:49 /System/Library/CoreServices/Classic Startup.app/Contents/Resources/TruBlueEnvironment

% ls -l /usr/bin/sudo
---s--x--x 1 root wheel 107608 Dec 20 18:35 /usr/bin/sudo

if your files don't have the 's' in the permissions mask, you've screwed the pooch.

let us know and perhaps there's a rescue script.

[mikelite]

dude, I've got no idea what you're talking about. I didn't dl anything or even open the terminal app until you asked me to. When I getinfo on the classic startup app and choose privileges, this is what it says:

owner: system
group: wheel
owner: read & write
group: read only
everyone: read only

I'm the only user created and I'm the admin; I guess by default.

any ideas?

let me know what else I should try.

much thanks,
ML

[mervTormel]

ml, unfortunately, finder's get info does not enumerate what we need to know.

could you copy/paste the previous commands to your shell and report their results?

that is, the commands minus the leading %, e.g.,

ls -l /usr/bin/sudo

and the ls of the trublueEnv file

[mikelite]

Okay, so when I type in: ls -l /usr/bin/sudo, darwin responds with ---s--x--x 1 root wheel 107608 Feb 23 21:02 /usr/bin/sudo

I wasn't 100% sure of what to type in for the next command, since it seemed like request and response in one. So, I tried both. When I first typed in: ls -l /System/Library/CoreServices/Classic, it comes back with no such file or directory. But when I reply with the whole shebang
( ls -l /System/Library/CoreServices/Classic \Startup.app/Contents/Resources/TruBlueEnvironment ) ...it says the same thing.

hey merv, thanks for all of your help. The karma debt always gets repaid.

ML

[Phil St. Romain]

I solved some of those permission problems by giving full permissions to everyone to do everything in some of my apps that wouldn't open. I used the Permissions tab in the Get Info dialogue for SNAX to do it, and it worked. Since I'm the only one that uses my computers with OS X, giving permissions doesn't matter much. You might try resetting the permissions if merv's advice doesn't seem to work.

[mikelite]

thanks man, i'll dl when I get home.

ML

[mervTormel]

phil, mike,

the problem with the SNAX/gui approach is that it doesn't have the stones to
set the special mode bits for SetUID, which is the bit that is problematic on
the TruBlueEnvironment file, i suspect. we really need to see mike's problem
before we can address it, but, FWIW...

perhaps this command will work for you; the the file name is quoted because
it has a space in it. and i put code tags around it so it'll show up as one line
here...

% ls -l "/System/Library/CoreServices/Classic Startup.app/Contents/Resources/TruBlueEnvironment"
-rwsr-xr-x 1 root wheel 476800 Feb 19 19:49 /System/<snip>/TruBlueEnvironment

see that -rws in the user permissions mask? SNAX isn't going to serve your
need to get that 's' in there.

there is one gui app i know that will do this: XRay

but that's for kids...

% sudo chmod u+xs "/System/Library/CoreServices/Classic Startup.app/Contents/Resources/TruBlueEnvironment"

mike, show us your results.

[mikelite]

i'm a little confused guys. I entered the first command in and it still came back with "No such file..."

should there be a space in there? I tried it with the space, without the space, and nothing.

and what's the second command line? I know there's something big behind the sudo thing, so I didn't want to mess with it.

is there any place I can learn about all this crap? the unix underpinnings, paths, terminal, mac os x basics, etc? I was an OS 9 g-d before (did Mac tech support for 6 yrs in NYC), but I have no experience with X or unix. I was so reluctant to switch because I'm back to toddler level again.

thanks,
ML

[Phil St. Romain]

Mike, I don't know much about Unix, but wizards like Merv, Hugh, Craig and a few others can walk you through if you hang with it. If a gui app like SNAX or XRay doesn't do the trick, then the next best place to go is to open that Terminal and try what the pros suggest. Keep going.

[mervTormel]

well, if you don't got the file, you don't got the file, but you should copy/paste your terminal antics in here, so we can look at them and ping you for fat fingers or whatnot. right?

regarding learning all about this crap. well, not all, but there's the man pages and searches on google.com. dig in.

[mikelite]

thanks for your help phil, I really appreciate it.
ML

[mikelite]

Okay, I've got no idea how or what, but I booted into Classic then went back into X and now it works. I've always been on the giving end of the voodoo, but for once I'm on the receiving end. I'm able to do my quark homework and even install Photoshop 7.

thanks again boys,
ML

[hschickel]

Phil - thanks for the kind endorsement. Unfortunately I don't think I qualify with the company you put me in. The 2 of them save my butt in a 10:1 or higher ratio to me saving theirs. With merv its probably 30:1.

Mike - you've discovered one of the neat properties of OSX and Classic. It seems to be somewhat self repairing.

#1 fix for Classic permissions problems: Select the Classic System Folder you wish to boot Classic from in the Startup Disk preference pane. Then boot from it. If you can't select it for some reason <option> start and select it or boot from an OS9 CD and select it. Once you've booted from an OS9 system - it seems to solve most permissions issues. This should always be the first step. The unixy goodness underneath is for round 2.

Hugh