Error: Insufficient privileges to write to MacPorts install prefix.

Ludwig macports at metaspasm.org
Thu Aug 6 23:38:41 PDT 2015


On Fri, 07 Aug 2015, Jim Mattingly wrote:

> Getting the above-referenced error code when attempting command: port install
> pspp, Have even tried sudo, although it is only a single-user computer at
> home, then sudo scolds me and asks for a password I don’t have. Downloaded
> Xcode from app store and macports, according to macports guide, and env
> command worked just fine, but both install and selfupdate commands tell me I
> don’t have the necessary privileges to run them. Simply running commands on
> apple terminal with Xcode open. Any ideas what to do? I’m perhaps a
> relatively advance user, but not an IT pro, so perhaps there is something
> simple I’m overlooking.  _______________________________________________


Sounds like you haven’t added yourself to sudoers. You may need to launch
Directory Utility and enable root; then use su to switch to the root account;
then run visudoers and add “[your short username]  ALL=(ALL) ALL” under the
User privilege specification section. 

Sudo should work for you after all that.

(Oh, and go back to Directory Utility and disable root. It’s a minor security
measure but it ain’t nothing.)


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