pre-install validation fails repeatedly

i am installing modx 1.02 for local development on a mac running os 10.5.8. i have done an installation in my root folder and another in a folder inside my sites directory and i have gotten the same pre-install validation errors both times (see text below). i am able to get info on the specific files and change their permissions to read and write, and then continue with a successful installation, but clearly this is not how you are supposed to do it! does anyone have any ideas why this is happening?

Pre-install validation
Setup has carried out a number of checks to see if everything’s ready to start the setup.

Checking PHP version: OK!

Checking if Register_Globals is off: OK!

Checking if sessions are properly configured: OK!

Checking if /assets/cache and /assets/cache/rss directories exist: OK!

Checking if /assets/cache and /assets/cache/rss directories are writable: FAILED!

Checking if /assets/cache/siteCache.idx.php file is writable: FAILED!

Checking if /assets/cache/sitePublishing.idx.php file is writable: FAILED!

Checking if /assets/images, /assets/files, /assets/flash and /assets/media directories exists: OK!

Checking if /assets/images, /assets/files, /assets/flash and /assets/media directories are writable: FAILED!

Checking if /assets/export directory exists: OK!

Checking if /assets/export directory is writable: FAILED!

Checking if /manager/includes/config.inc.php exists and is writable: FAILED!

For new Linux/Unix installs, please create a blank file named config.inc.php in the /manager/includes/ directory with file permissions set to 0666.

Creating connection to the database: OK!

Checking table prefix `modx_test_`: OK!

Checking MySQL version: OK! Your MySQL version is: 5.1.37

Checking MySQL for strict sql_mode: OK!

Unfortunately, Setup cannot continue at the moment, due to the above 6 errors. Please correct the errors, and try again. If you need help figuring out how to fix the problems, visit the MODx Forums.

For all failed directories see if web server user has write permissions into them.

Quote from: Unchqua at Jan 19, 2010, 01:57 AM

For all failed directories see if web server user has write permissions into them.

according to phpmyadmin, the user that created the installation had all privileges for the database, but in fact, after installation, the red-checked files only had read permissions and i had to change them manually, file by file. i am using xampp 1.7.2 for apache and mysql, and it uses php 5.3 and mysql 5.1.37. the general requirements say php 4.3.11 and mysql 4.1.20 or newer, but is it possible that i need to step back a release or two of xampp or use wampserver instead?

I think you may be confusing database privileges with directory and file permissions. Your database access is fine but MODX can’t write to the red-checked directories or files on the drive because they are read-only -- nothing to do with the database (or with XAMPP/MAMP) -- it’s the configuration of your OS. You may have the parent directory set to read-only and that status is being inherited by the files as they are installed. Or maybe there’s a setting that makes all new directories and files read-only.

Anyway, once you’ve cleared the read-only flag on the directories/files, you shouldn’t have any further problems with the install.