How do I fix the "Administrator Privilege Error" when licensing IBM SPSS on Macs?
Answer
After installing IBM SPSS on a Mac, you'll occasionally run into an "Administrator Privilege Error" while trying to license SPSS. This error is due to an issue with the SPSS installer that doesn't give the /Applications/IBM folder proper permissions. This guide will show you how to fix that.
- Quit any open IBM applications (SPSS, SPSS License Authorization Wizard).
- Open a Finder window and navigate to /Applications/IBM/Statistics.
- There's a folder for the version of SPSS you just installed, e.g., 25. Right-click (or Option-Click) that folder > Select Get Info from the pop-up menu.
- At the bottom of the Get Info window, under the Sharing & Permissions section, click the lock icon and enter your computer password to unlock it.
- Make sure that the Name admin has the Privilege Read & Write (Click on the up/down arrow icon to the right of the Name "admin" to change its corresponding Privilege value.)
- Click the gear icon at the bottom of the Sharing & Permissions section, and select Apply to enclosed items....
- You'll be given a warning along the lines of "Are you sure you want to apply the selected permissions to all enclosed items?" Click OK. If you're prompted for your computer password, provide it.
- When it's done, click the lock at the bottom of the Get Info window to lock it.
- Restart your computer, log back in to your computer user, launch the SPSS Statistics License Authorization Wizard (located at /Applications/IBM/SPSS/[your version number]/SPSS Statistics License Authorization Wizard), and try entering your license code again
If you still get a permissions error, make an appointment with Richard LaHue via Request Tracker (email computing@help.carthage.edu and Cc rlahue@carthage.edu).