copy ACLs ??

[thf]

Hi...

What are the pros and cons of the choice:

Options / Advanced / Copy ACLs

I would think copying them would invariably be a good idea, since I would think that some software would rely on them (eg, being set the way they were left)? Not true?

Thanks in advance for any time you might have for a reply,

Tom

[dnanian]

Leave it on. The option to turn it off is in case an advanced user (hence, Advanced tab) has some reason to not copy them, or if copying ACLs causes trouble (as it did in some cases when we were using Apple's API for copying them rather than our own - a 2.5 change).

[Cow]

I've been having issues with ACLs ever since I tried to move from a SuperDuper clone of a 2006 MacBook Pro to a 2011 MacBook Pro. The migration went horrible and I've have many permissions issues after dragging over tons of folders/settings. This all happened in an emergency situation, so I had no choice and didn't know the SuperDuper clone was going to fail on what I thought was similar hardware.

Anyway...

After lots of fudging around with permissions on folders, etc. and other issues, I'm finally able to get rid of most of of my Disk Utility ACL errors with this in Terminal:

sudo chmod -RN /var/db/launchd.db

But there's still some lingering ones here:


ACL found but not expected on "private/var/root/Library".
ACL found but not expected on "private/var/root/Library/Preferences"


All that said, what are the disadvantages of NOT copying over the ACLs with SuperDuper? What issues might arise? Because I'm thinking it might just flush things out for me and help, but I'm just not sure without being able to weigh the pros and cons.

[dnanian]

Don't worry about your ACL errors in Repair Permissions unless they're specifically causing actual problems. They're common. Don't muck about!

For your Home folder stuff, as I recall the "password reset" part of your OSX install disc (boot from it) also has a way of resetting ACLs there.

Whatever you do, don't skip copying ACLs. Big mistake.

[Cow]

Originally Posted by dnanian

Whatever you do, don't skip copying ACLs. Big mistake.

Thank you so much for your reply and I will certainly heed your advice and not skip copying ACLs. In the past I've tried to reset the ACLs with the boot disk, terminal, ACLr8 and everything and no joy.

My permissions issues since "migrating" to this new MBP "i7" from an older MBP "Dual 2 Core" SD clone has been awful, but due to circumstances, I simply don't have the time to reinstall the entire OS and all settings/apps. It would take weeks of work and can't be done at this point or in the foreseeable future.

Because of dire time constraints I was forced to drag and drop Library items, the entire Applications folder, etc. from the clone dmg image of the old MBP to the new MBP so all the applications settings, registration, etc. were in place and I could get right to work. Believe it or not, it's worked for the most part, but I've been plagued with massive ACL errors and permissions issues that I've "fixed" along the way. I have all kinds of things going on like folders having an "_unknown" name in the "get info" sharing & permissions pane that I can't delete, etc. Also, issues with read only folders that wouldn't work with Dreamweaver until I changed to read/write and applied to all enclosed in the folder.

Some apps like TextSoap, Meerkat don't work as intended and/or save settings properly because of ACL issues and some settings aren't saved in others like Parallels registration, etc.

BUT! I did notice something pretty cool. I ran Disk Utility after booting to a new clone of this MPB i7 on an external USB hard drive and almost all the hundreds of Application ACL errors were gone except:

ACL found but not expected on "private/var/root/Library".
ACL found but not expected on "private/var/root/Library/Preferences"

At first I thought it was because of the terminal command that I mentioned in my previous post, but I tried the same command on the source (not the clone) and it didn't remove the vast array of Application ACL errors.

So, I'm thinking I should just clone "the clone" back over and then I'll only have those two issues?

It would appear that something that SuperDuper is NOT bringing over in regards to ACLs is helpful. Once again, with my current time constraints I don't even have the time to clone "the clone" back over, but once I do, I'll report back here.

My hopes is that if anyone else is put into this situation they won't have to go through all the grief I have by checking out this thread.

[dnanian]

I've migrated hundreds of times without any problems like this, so I can't say your situation is normal at all. Very weird.