@Trevor

my-name-computer:~ myname$ ls -alheiu /Library/Preferences/com.apple.sidebarlists.plist
1129046 -rw------- 1 myname admin 4K Oct 22 17:33 /Library/Preferences/com.apple.sidebarlists.plist


@Hayne
uid=501(myname) gid=501(myname) groups=501(myname), 80(admin)
my-name-computer:~ myname$ echo "Contents of system-wide plist:"
Contents of system-wide plist:
my-name-computer:~ myname$ defaults read /Library/Preferences/com.apple.sidebarlists | sed 's/<.*>;/<>;/g'
{
useritems = {
Controller = CustomListItems;
CustomListItems = (
{
Alias = <>;
Icon = <>;
Name = Desktop;
},
{
Alias = <>;
Icon = <>;
Name = myname;
},
{
Alias = <>;
Icon = <>;
Name = Applications;
},
{
Alias = <>;
Icon = <>;
Name = Documents;
},
{
Alias = <>;
Icon = <>;
Name = Movies;
},
{
Alias = <>;
Icon = <>;
Name = Music;
},
{
Alias = <>;
Icon = <>;
Name = Pictures;
}
);
};
}
my-name-computer:~ myname$ echo "Contents of per-user plist:"
Contents of per-user plist:
my-name-computer:~ myname$ defaults read ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.sidebarlists | sed 's/<.*>;/<>;/g'
{
useritems = {
Controller = CustomListItems;
CustomListItems = (
{
Alias = <>;
Icon = <>;
Name = Desktop;
},
{
Alias = <>;
Icon = <>;
Name = myname;
},
{
Alias = <>;
Icon = <>;
Name = Applications;
},
{
Alias = <>;
Icon = <>;
Name = Documents;
},
{
Alias = <>;
Icon = <>;
Name = Movies;
},
{
Alias = <>;
Icon = <>;
Name = Music;
},
{
Alias = <>;
Icon = <>;
Name = Pictures;
}
);
};
}
my-name-computer:~ myname$ echo "done"


Hayne, I didn't have to press return for the command ou asked me to copy and paste. I copied and pasted, then it automatically spit all that ^^ stuff out. I don't know if that makes a difference.Hope this makes more sense to you guys than it does to me.

Did any of you understand what that stuff was?^^^^

Trevor and Hayne do you need anymore info?

JUS2MCH, I don't see anything particularly revealing about the permissions. myname has ownership, and can read and write. The fact that it is in /Library/Preferences and owned by myname is not particularly unusual.

I still don't know why it's in /Library/Permissions, but I have no new clues.

Trevor

Have you installed any software that "enhances" the system or which is a utility that runs all the time?

I'm leaning towards recommending that you do an "archive and install" from the Install CD/DVD being sure to select the option to preserve users.
(See this Apple doc: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107120)
This will keep all your user files and just replace the OS X system files and applications. You should run Software Update afterwards to get your system up to date again.
It would be best if you did a backup of your user files first - just in case something goes wrong (even though this isn't very likely).

If I archive and install, can I safely delete the previous systems folder?

Yes - the previous system folder is just there in case you need something (3rd party files) from the previous system. If all is working well after you archive & install, you can delete the previous system folder.