Authorizing iTunes: SC Info
Posted May 2nd, 2003 @ 08:22am by Erik J. Barzeski
My friend Jason couldn't authorize iTunes to play some songs he'd purchased (on the same machine he'd purchased them on), and he found the answer on a discussion board:
% sudo mkdir -p /Users/Shared % sudo chmod 777 /Users/Shared
Doing some investigating of my own, I found a hidden "SC Info" folder that directly links to the iTunes authorization mechanism. I deleted the folder and iTunes prompted me to enter my authorization information again, and then the folder was there again. The folder contains only a single file:
[8:18am iacas@Gaia:/Users/Shared/SC Info] % lis total 8 drwxrwxrwx 3 iacas wheel 102 May 2 08:17 ./ drwxrwxrwt 3 root wheel 102 May 2 08:17 ../ -rw-rw-rw- 1 iacas wheel 200 May 2 08:17 SC Info.sidb
Wonder what "SC" and "si" (db = database I would imagine) stand for… At any rate, a useful and helpful hint to those having trouble getting authorization to "stick."
Donate Life
Posted 02 May 2003 at 12:12pm #
SC Info= Song Copyright Info ?
Posted 03 May 2003 at 3:12pm #
iTounes
Je suis un peu en retard sur le scoop ici. Apple a fait des choses qui ont fait beaucoup jaser...
Posted 07 May 2003 at 7:18pm #
Could be a hash of some sort--maybe a hash of the password used to authorize?
Posted 21 May 2003 at 6:25pm #
i'm pretty sure it's a database of decryption keys, i don't think that the decryption has anything to do with the username or password, other than a single key decrypts files bought by that user name, user name and password only corresponds to the server which dispatches the music and 3 decryption keys. The decryption keys might have something tied to the machines they are downloaded too, (like mac address) because when i diff'd what should have been a database of identical keys from two machines, they came up different (though same files size). I haven't tried copying to another machine, or authorizing making a backup and deauthorizing and seeing if it works. The ipods also have an SC info database as well if you search though one via the terminal.
Posted 29 Mar 2004 at 2:29pm #
jlj's code parses this file
Posted 14 Dec 2004 at 5:49pm #
I'm pretty sure it's MAC address related because when I added a new PCI NIC (network) card and try to connect to the internet through that instead of the built-in one it asks me to reauthorize.
Posted 05 Nov 2005 at 1:01pm #
I am not a high tech person, but need to fix iTunes aurthorization, but don't know where to find this SC Info folder to delete it. Could you explain in laymans terms. Much appreciated.
Posted 27 Sep 2006 at 12:11pm #
iTunes 4, 5, and 6 all required an "SC Info" folder in /Users/Shared to work with iTunes and the DRM. I looked today while running repairPermissions from the command line and the contents of the folder have changed. -rw-rw-rw- 1...
Posted 09 Dec 2006 at 4:31am #
Hi all,
It seems this is a relatively old post but yet the problem persists. I am using iTunes 7.0.2 and get that dang error.
Thanks for the usefull information. Apples website nearly helped. I had only just one file to authorise so it wasn't too much of a big deal to delete the SC Info dir and let iTunes recreate it as neccessary.
Thanks again. you saved me from having to phone the apple support people.
Posted 10 Feb 2007 at 8:39pm #
There is no apple phone support. I have had fits with the e-mail support and can only believe that the replies are computer generated. I have over a hundred songs that are deauthorized and am stuck unless I can figure out the sc info thing
Posted 15 Jun 2007 at 8:54pm #
I just bought a new macbook pro and I already have 5 other computers authorized from my g5, (friends and family who like to steal my music). But I just bought some stuff on itunes on my new computer and can't view it or listen to it because I can't authorize my new macbook. Are there anyways around deauthorizing everyone else or anyone else?
Posted 14 Jan 2009 at 6:32am #
That worked perfectly for me. I had some problems with some games that I downloaded, but now everything works perfectly.
THANK YOU!!! 🙂
Posted 23 Jan 2009 at 11:56am #
I had the "logic board" replaced on my Macbook Pro and in so doing the MAC / Ethernet address of my computer changed. iTunes would no longer allow me to play purchased music or sync purchased applications to my iPhone. Even when I tried to authorize again, I kept getting the message that my machine was "already authorized"... Apple technical support informed me to delete the SC Info folder. Deleting the folder /Users/Shared/SC Info was the secret to allowing me to reauthorize all my songs and applications. I hope this helps someone else.
Cliff.
Posted 08 Aug 2009 at 2:35pm #
this worked for me as iTunes was repeatedly asking for authorization
Posted 19 Mar 2011 at 1:58am #
Okay so I'm in the same situation as blahblah, and i understand I need to delete the /users/shared/sc thing, but how do I get to that? Thanks so much!
Posted 07 Feb 2012 at 7:40am #
I had this problem with just 3 songs I had purchased. Sent the email to apple and they said delete the sc info folder so I found it and deleted it but still the songs in question kept coming up with 'authorise this computer' box . email apple again and said to try again in a week. Also since I have removed this sc info folder now it seems like my trackpad 'sticks' and has to be tapped quite a few times to work ie open, close etc and worst my hotmail account cannot be accessed (on hotmail site not in mail app) I still receive emails just cant open any of them. Now I want to put this folder back but cant seem to find it anywhere. I have a capsule but have other problems with that so nothing on this mac has been backed up. I have an mac book pro. thanks if anyone else can help this is the first and only site I have been on