Archived - Mac OS X, Mac OS X Server: Changing Privileges for System Software Components May Prevent Proper Startup

A computer may not start up correctly with Mac OS X if the privileges (or "permissions") have been changed for system software components. This may occur after a change of guest user privileges.

Products Affected

Mac OS X 10.0, Mac OS X 10.2, Mac OS X 10.3, Mac OS X 10.4, Mac OS X Server 10.3

This article has been archived and is no longer updated by Apple.
Symptom

The computer does not start up properly.

Solution

Do not change the privileges for system software components. Instead, change your share point selection.

Some people change these privileges after noticing that the guest user has rights to some system software components. However, these privileges must remain in place for the computer to start up properly.

The proper way to address this concern is to make share points from individual folders, rather than making an entire disk a share point. This approach should also prevent you from making privileges changes to the entire startup disk when using the Workgroup Manager or Server Admin application included with Mac OS X Server.

For more information, see technical document 106805, "Mac OS X: Do Not Move 'mach_kernel' or Other System-Installed Files and Folders, Some of Which Are Normally Invisible".
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