Mac freezes after entering login details

[rev_ollie]

Hi,

I work in IT and our organisation is about to begin supporting 5 macs on out network (something they have put of for a while)
I'm the new guy so I have been given the task - I got the mac working on the domain but now all of a sudden it won't load a user account.

When I say it won't load an account I mean local or network.
It starts up ok - and brings up the login screen. You click the username from the list and put in the password and as soon as you press login/enter - it freezes.

It shows the white and blue loading bar (which never moves) and then the cursor turns into the rainbow ring. That's it. I can't do anything except restart. I have left it for a fair while and it never goes anywhere.

Any ideas what I could try?
I can't get into the local admin account either through normal or safe mode.

I saw somewhere that I could delete some temp account files - which could cause a problem. Could I boot into a live linux disk and remove them through there?

Don't facy going to the lady who owns the mac to say I broke it so want to try what I can before asking for the disk

I am a Windows user so this is fairly new although I have gathered some experience along the way.
Its a Mac Mini running OSX 10.6...hope thats of some help!

If there are any logs I can get to help find a reason or anything that can be deleted without loosing the data and accounts that would be grand!

Thanks

 

[Kaveman]

Given this is a commercial problem, why haven't you received some profession development. There are lots of good Mac support people who would gladly get paid to come and show you how easy it is to get Macs onto all manner of networks. I'm available if you can't find someone local;-)

NO, don't put a Linux disk in there, OSX and Linux are different, very different.
Don't go deleting or editing the Unix under pinnings, you'll really stuff it up!

Take it off the Network, Get another working Mac, boot the broken one into Target Mode, Get the users data off.

Then get your helpful Mac support technician/trainer to show you how to set up a Mac, and Migrate the user data back in.

 

[rev_ollie]

Well we have no commercial help becase a, we can't afford a nice helpful mac technician and b, there are only going to ever be 5 macs that needed adding. The matter of how local you are would also fall under the cost bracket...NZ to the UK...hmm somewhat doubtful!

My training is going to be all we have simply be reading things online and learning from there.
If its an issue it being commercial then I will have to go elsewhere it seems...

 

[Kaveman]

We do distance support all around the world, what am I doing right now???;-)

That's sad, because it is very easy and the real problem will be because you thought it was hard.

As I said your first priority is rescuing her data. Target Mode, hold the T key down while booting, it will show up on the other Macs Desktop as a Standard Drive and you should be able to rescue her data.

 

[rev_ollie]

It is sad really - but thats local government in the UK for you - id like to say its a learning curve but its a dangerous one for them.
Adn yes I agree - it looked like a hard problem that required to much more doing and now here I am.

Anyhow - I take it I need to connect the 2 macs together somehow. Is there a preffered method? Believe it would be firewire?...

 

[Kaveman]

Yes, FireWire is the best. This is just to rescue her data.

Did you check that it didn't just work, before you started changing things? There is no learning curve, if its a standard DCHP network the Mac would have just joined when it was plugged in, they love joining networks;-)

 

[rev_ollie]

Yes the mac didn't join origionally - it had static addressing on their own subnet. They could ping some devices on the network but they needed access to AD to get to their shares etc.

Also our printers are networked running off credentials in AD so it needed adding in order to be authenticated on the domain.

 

[Kaveman]

The first thing to do is to make a new Location, as I said Macs love joining networks and can have lots of Network Locations. this would enable you to set it back to whatever they had set to, after making your changes.

Strange the default is Automatic DHCP, I'm guessing you have a router or server handing out DHCP or are you saying you wanted them to be static and on there own subnet? If they were getting a self assigned IP address it was because they weren't seeing the DHCP server, cabling problem. Macs will create their own Network at the drop of a hat, plug 2 together with an ethernet cable and they'll make a network.

Seriously AD and integrating Macs, is something you should go and talk to Apple or a local support person, theres lots of resources over at Apple Support www.apple.com/support, but an hour with a Pro will really get you started. You'll be doing yourself a big favour coming up to speed, trust me, if you let one Mac in you're going to have a lot more and the iPhones and iPads too. Get some training, its not hard. I tell our people, if its hard you're doing it wrong. 3 of us support 2000 Macs spread over 45 networks and 1,000km, and I still have time to program and play on line;-) but you've got to know your stuff.

 

[rev_ollie]

Hi,

Thanks for the tips so far.
I believe we have everything off it that we need. Had to borrow an external mac so if we have missed anything then nothing we can do now - but they said there was nothing of much importance.

So what best to go to now? We have dug out the snow leopard Install DVD. So would a fresh install be best or is there another way round? Think I saw mention of Archive and install?...

As for the addressing - I have probably confused you (not that it matters to much now). The macs origionally were on static addresses - we put them in manually so we could provide some services to them.
We have the servers/routers handling DHCP and so as part of the plan to get them on the domain they are Dynamically addressed now.

 

[Kaveman]

Boot the Mac with the C key held down, and select an option you feel comfortable with.


And you did this through the Apple Menu > System Preferences > Network Panel?

Are you saying you have been successful with this on other Macs or is it still a work in progress.

 

[rev_ollie]

Great thanks for that - will try archiving it tomorrow - at least then anything that was missed is accesible.

I believe it was through the network panel - like I say I'm the new guy so someone else will have done it - why they stopped there and who did it I have no idea

I am leaving the other macs for now - I have taken on board your suggestion and trying to find some way of gaining some help/support with it all.
I don't want to be doing this forever but may as well take my time as there is no huge rush just yet.

The only thing that was left to do really was security. The macs joined the domain etc and printed but the user on the mac was able to access the other staffs M: drives.
Each staff is given a private section (as I'm sure every organisation has) that's not accessible to other staff besides admin. The mac however was able to get into anything besides a few other shares on the network. Not sure if there is a way round that?
They aren't roaming profiles just the static drive mapped in Active Directory.
That's clearly going to be the project stopper if not but I can't think why It couldn't be done - again just my lack of experience.

 

[rev_ollie]

Forgot to reply

Mac is up and running again - tried a few different options before reinstalling but to no avail.
We didn't miss any backups though which is a plus.

Have added it onto the domain again and seems to be working fine so still no closer to finiding out what happend.

Now its on again the next step is still security - like before now it has been added the mac can gain access to almost every server and accout folder that it does not have/should not have the permissions to view.
As thats access based permissions in AD then I would presume I have to find an alternative now its joined.

 

[Kaveman]

Ah, Window security;-)

If its right while the Macs will see the Shares they should not be able to access them without the right UserName and Password.

Put an Alias of the Shares you want them to Access on their Desktops.

Then uncheck the Finder> Preference > General > Connected servers
and in Sidebar uncheck Connected servers this just hides all the servers.

PS. I accept PayPal;-)

 

[rev_ollie]

Aw dam - looks like im dipping into company funds then

Strange one that - connected servers wasn't ticked wasn't ticked in the sidebar properties either...
Yet they are still coming up -

Also when I click on one of the servers is saying connecting as *username* and then goes through to connection established and lists the file contents of the server...as if its saying (simply put) screw you to the security settings and domain.

 

[Kaveman]

Hmm, that really does sound like something is not right at the AD end of things.

I'm pretty much out of ideas, you need to get someone with eyes;-)

The only thing I recommend is give Dave a call at the Bluewater Apple Store and you might be able to get him to show you what needs tweaking.

 

[rev_ollie]

Ah no worries then - least I have a working mac again!
Thanks for all the help - much appreciated

 

[rev_ollie]

OH result!
Just realised I made an epic mistake!

Ok - when I login as a restricted user I can get into the users folders. Now with Windows that would be rejected. But it seems with the Mac its not.
Now I thought that was because the accress rights were off - but no. The Mac is able to get into the directory but none of the files are listed and the user on the mac cannot write to the directory!

So unlike Windows which displays a message stopping you getting in - the mac can seemingly get in but you can't do anything and nothin can be seen.
So its all going much smoother than I thought. Same for the servers. Directories with files inside open but nothing can be seen or used and not changes can be made at all.

Got a little excited so sorry for the double post