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deleting things that are owned by root

howard

howard

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Nov 18, 2002
2,017
4
awhile back software update downloaded the ipod 2.01 or whatever software and since then a user guides and information folder has been right on my harddrive...and i can't get rid of it!!!! all it contains is a picture thing of instructions on how to use the ipod. how can i delete this? please help!!
 
You go to get info and then go to privaleges and at the place where it says owned my root, change it to your username(me). Then you can delete it.
 
i would open netinfo manager and enable root user. then logout and log back in as root. then do whatever you want. just be careful, you can do hard if you delete the wrong thing in root.

iJon
 
Originally posted by AHDuke99
You go to get info and then go to privaleges and at the place where it says owned my root, change it to your username(me). Then you can delete it.
Click to expand...

thank you very much for your help!!! i didn't know that you could do that...how useful
 
In the Terminal you can type 'sudo su' (if you are an Administrator) and you can become root without having root enabled, or having a root password set up.

The lesson: Don't give administrator privileges to someone unless you know they won't hose your computer.
 
thank god for this thread! i deleted a user from my system recently and i've been going nuts trying to get rid of the "Deleted Users" folder in my Users folder in OSX. i'm on a new PowerBook so i don't have the OS 9 option. i'm gonna go for the root login thing and i have my fingers crossed. thanks all.

edit: worked like a charm! nice.
 
-tjwett, howard

Obligatory Tips on Root:

As iJon mentioned, to activate Root user (Solaris guys call it Superuser), launch NetInfo Manager, and 'Enable Root User', and assign your password. Make it very different than your normal passwords - root is God here!

Make sure in the "Login Options" tab in the 'Accounts' pref in System Preferences is set to "List of Users".

Be sure to disable AutoLogin as well.

Now Log Out.

Root is accessible via the User list now from the 'Other' user. From there enter 'root' as UID and your newly enable password in the PW field.

Feel free to borrow from some of my experience:

Tip 1: Change the background color to something you can immediately recognize as being in root. I set mine to grey. This is helpful in case you get distracted and forget you were in root when you come back. I'd also consider locking the screen saver. This makes you careful.

Tip 2: Root is great for system maintenance like 'Repair Permissions', and backing up or cloning via Carbon Copy Cloner.

Tip 3: Watch your a**!!! Remember, root is God here. The system will not second guess you or even stop you from doing anything. If you Trash your system, it will happily go about deleting the system files, until it chokes on itself. So be very deliberate when deleting things. Even review your Trash contents before emptying it.

Tip 4: Don't install new software - especially drivers while in Root. Some installers can have sloppy install code that the root will, again, happily execute. Wherease if you installed the same in a mere Administrator account would simply "bounce off the walls" without you being the wiser.
 
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