OS X Tip #61
Repairing disk permissions is recommended after installing new applications, when you are experiencing problems, or once every month or so of normal usage.

This reminds me a lot like rebuilding the desktop back in Mac OS 9 days. In truth, it didn’t fix as much as some people thought, but it rarely did any harm and sometimes did some good. Well OS X does not need to really have its desktop rebuilt, but repairing disk permissions can fix problems you may be having.

OS X, being based on BSD UNIX, has file permissions associated with each file and folder on your hard drive. This is one of the reasons that OS X has such a great track record for security. Sometimes installing applications and other tasks can disturb the default file permissions and this can cause problems on your Mac.

Repairing file permissions can sometimes solve problems with applications that won’t launch or a system responding sluggishly (like seeing the spinning beach ball a lot). It may also correct problems where you have not been able to trash files you no longer want. Repairing disk permissions is often a good first step in general troubleshooting.

Here’s how:
Go to Applications ->Utility folder and launch Disk Utility.

Click on the First Aid tab at the top of the Disk Utility window.

Choose your start-up drive on the left side of the window by clicking on it.

Click on the Repair Disk Permissions button.

This will usually take awhile. Disk Utility will repair disk permissions and set them to the default settings. This may very well fix problems you may be having and make your Mac run smoother.

    | Tags: mac tips, troubleshooting