Home Forums Hardware Mac Desktops & Notebooks FindAllFile Question

This is a question I asked the developer of FindAnyFile:

I downloaded 4k Video Downloader and it didn’t work properly, so I want to delete it. I deleted all the files via FindAnyFile except the one shown this I get an error message and can’t delete it. I can’t find it in the Finder either. Any ideas what I can do?

This was his answer: Files inside the /private/var/db/ folder are managed and protected by macOS - you shouldn't worry about this, as they cannot cause any harm in that location. If you really need to remove such files, you need to boot into a separate macOS system, from which you can then delete such files.

Can you tell me what his last sentence means and how to do it?

It means you must have two bootable volumes on your computer and be logged on to the second bootable volume in order to delete the file. It also means deleting the file could easily would probably render the volume unbootable and it would have to be reinstalled, and the advice you received to leave it alone is sound. (Personally I would never attempt deleting such a file (unless I suddenly developed an irresistable compulsion to erase and reinstall the system from scratch. ).

AFTER THOUGHT: If you have a few hours to spare and and a coupe of spare drives, I have thought of safe way of deleting the file that might work. But it will take several steps and each step will take some time to accomplish, and in the end might not work., but it would reduce the risk. If you are determined I can outline the process.

Shades of booting into OS 9 to delete stuff from early versions of OS X!

I've had a couple of exchanges with FAF's dev, and I've found him to be extremely conservative about stuff like this, his attitude (wisely) being "if you need to ask, I'm not going to empower you."

I run FAF in root mode by default, and although I'm certain that Rita's recalcitrant file can be deleted by root user, Thomas would never put that in writing.

PS: When I trash an app, I delete every file it's planted, regardless of its location in my OS, and I've never run into an issue.

What is root mode? I keep hearing the word "root" but never understood. Is it an easy process? If so, I would like to remove that stubborn little file. If not, I will just leave it. Or is root user an app I probably don't want to pay for?

I run FAF in root mode by default, and although I'm certain that Rita's recalcitrant file can be deleted by root user, Thomas would never put that in writing.

PS: When I trash an app, I delete every file it's planted, regardless of its location in my OS, and I've never run into an issue. [/quote]

[/quote]

This Apple doc explains root user. If the FAF trick works, forget about it until the next time you need to ask for help!

Do your search again, but this time press "Option" first, and "Find" will change to "Find All." (If you don't run in dark mode, your screen should turn dark.)

Then try to delete your file.

Basically, FAF enables you as root user for just this one particular operation.

Yeah, well I still don't get it because I don't get the idea of "root." It's okay. It probably won't hurt my Mac. Thanks, Artie.

The version of macOS we see has got built-in controls that prevent us from doing stuff on a lark that we shouldn't be doing. Root is a version of macOS that isn't bound by those controls. (To put in the vernacular, root user has got a "00" code number, and much like James Bond has a license to kill.)

I don't see why you're reluctant to simply press an extra key in FAF. It's not like you need to enable root, and you're generally experimental.

I am willing to "press any key" as long as I know which key. Not sure what you're talking about. I don't have enough details to know what to do. It sounded complicated.

I don't see why you're reluctant to simply press an extra key in FAF. It's not like you need to enable root, and you're generally experimental. [/quote]

Wow, you're tough! I thought I've been explicit at least twice, but obviously not.

Launch FAF, type in your search term ("4kvideo" and "4k video" yield different results), press "Option" ("Find" will change to "Find All"), press "Find All."

That surprises me, but at least we've now covered all bases. Since you've tried and failed as root, I guess the file is locked.

Have you tried "Retry?"

Have you done a "Get Info" on the file to see if you can unlock it?

(See https://www.finetunedmac.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=63648#Post63648)

Forgot to mention that I d/l'ed 4k Video to see if I could duplicate your experience and play with it, but merely launching the app wasn't enough to generate your file.

Did you delete it using FAF and they all disappeared?

I just now tried it cause you mentioned it. Retry brought just the same error message. Get Info told me I didn't have permission to change to read and write.

I never duplicated your file. Just launching the app wasn't enough to turn the trick.

Thinking back, I've got an eery suspicion that I saw your pop-up a looong time ago and deleted the file from a different volume.

Since your clone is in all likelihood non-bootable, your probably stuck, unless you want to go through joemike's lengthy procedure.

For the heck of it, I'd be inclined to email the dev and ask "What," "Why," and "How do I get rid of it?"

I already posted what he said above. Here you go: Files inside the /private/var/db/ folder are managed and protected by macOS - you shouldn't worry about this, as they cannot cause any harm in that location. If you really need to remove such files, you need to boot into a separate macOS system, from which you can then delete such files.


For the heck of it, I'd be inclined to email the dev and ask "What," "Why," and "How do I get rid of it?" [/quote]