tmodi

Q: Unapproved Caller

I am recently updated OS X Mavericks and i was using just fine for about 2 weeks, recently i started to see issues and my loginwindow keep on crashing, When i try to open App Store it throws error " Unapproved Caller SecurityAgent may only be invoked by Apple Software" , it throws same error when i try to logout or restart my MBP.

 

Let me know if anyone has resolution to this problem.

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Nov 25, 2013 7:10 AM

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Q: Unapproved Caller

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  • by David-P,

    David-P David-P Nov 23, 2014 7:19 AM in response to David-P
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 23, 2014 7:19 AM in response to David-P

    Well, it has now been 2 months since my Unaprroved Caller problem. I upgraded my Mac mini from 10.9.4 directly to Yosemite and am now on 10.10.1. Yesterday Safari quit unexpectedly, leaving an Unapproved Caller message on my screen. Since that happened I have been experiencing this weirdness:

     

    o  Apps won't start when clicked in the Dock

    o  Apps start after flashing a black screen

    o  Apps unexpectedly quit

    o  I use a password-protected screen saver and when I return to my Mac and type in my password instead of opening to the Desktop it opens to the Login screen

    o  All the items on my desktop seemed frozen... I could not move them

    o  much more that I can't remember

     

    Usually I just reboot and try to continue. This is so frustrating. I wish Apple would read these forums and at least leave a note that they have read the issue.

     

    So some people replaced the cable that connects the drive to the motherboard inside their laptops. I am using a Mac mini and I don't even use the internal drive. Instead, I boot from a 1TB SSD inside an external drive enclosure that is connected via a Thunderbolt cable.

     

    And some people have tried deleting the cache files inside the /var/folders/ directory. Seems to be mixed results.

     

    What I'm wondering is this... has anyone tried reinstalling OS X on a freshly formatted hard drive (without installing any apps or data) to see if the errors still occur? If there are no errors then it would seem the next step is NOT to run Migration Assistant or copy everything back onto the new drive. Instead, reinstall the apps (re-download and re-install), and then only copy over the home directory.

     

    I haven't tried this, but if this Unapproved Caller thing continues to be a problem then that is what I'm tempted to try.

     

    And yes, I would love to know what causes this to happen in the first place. Let's keep this thread going.

  • by AMorrell,

    AMorrell AMorrell Nov 25, 2014 6:46 AM in response to David-P
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 25, 2014 6:46 AM in response to David-P

    I used this method

    Old Jul 31, 2014, 09:26 AM  #5

     

    E3BK

     

    macrumors 65816

     

    Join Date: Mar 2008

     

    Location: NYC

     

    Quote:

     

    Originally Posted by mimimelo View Post

    After doing lots of reading everywhere and trial and error, and getting very frustrated about this stupid "Ununapproved caller" apple message this is what worked for me:
    (Please pay close attention to the way the text is written and when there is a space. If you don't enter it exactly, it won't work)

     

    - Start on single user mode: Hit the Command and S keys at start-up

     

    Wait until the writing stops completely

     

    -At the line, type (after root): /sbin/fsck -fy (space after the k)
    Hit the ENTER key

     

    wait until it finishes and says "... appears to be OK"

     

    next, type: /sbin/mount -uw / (space after the t and after the w)
    Hit the ENTER key

     

    then type: rm -Rf /var/folders/* (space after the m and the f)

     

    Hit the ENTER key

     

    Run FSCK again (I did, just in case, but you may not have to):
    /sbin/fsck -fy

     

    Finally, type REBOOT, hit ENTER and wait until computer starts.

     

    Hope it works for you all as well as it did for me!

    THANK YOU!!!! I am crossing my fingers that this did the trick. I still don't understand how it happened. I tried another suggestion to just delete that var/folders folder but it kept coming back. So far, your method has stuck.

     

    UPDATE: The problem came back. But I think I figured out what the problem was. I started getting these errors when I upgraded my other MBP to Yosemite. I think because the iCloud drive updated, it's causing some kind of conflict/error on the one I left on Mavericks. I decided to see if the problem went away if I upgraded the problem Mac to Yosemite as well. Looks like the issue went away for real this time. Cross fingers that it stays away.

     

    So I followed this process and have not had it return. Probably goof=d for two weeks now with no return of the glitch. Hope it helps.

  • by deejayres,

    deejayres deejayres Nov 25, 2014 3:51 PM in response to abstert
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 25, 2014 3:51 PM in response to abstert

    This fixed it for me.

  • by David-P,

    David-P David-P Dec 1, 2014 6:12 AM in response to David-P
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 1, 2014 6:12 AM in response to David-P

    It's been 8 days since I posted about this issue on my 10.10.1 Mac mini. I didn't do a thing. I didn't check permissions. I didn't screw around in /var/folders. All I did was reboot a couple of times. Haven't had a problem since then. Thank God. Very weird.

  • by JDFS404,

    JDFS404 JDFS404 Dec 5, 2014 6:43 AM in response to tmodi
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 5, 2014 6:43 AM in response to tmodi

    I got this message "Unapproved Caller" for the first time in April 2014 on my MacBook Pro 13" early-2011. I was using Chrome and suddenly Chrome stopped working and all other things too. I have two drives, one SSD for the OS and one HDD for other things.

     

    I formatted my main drive (SSD) twice or maybe three times, but still after couple of times the message came back and back and back... I was, as always, stubborn and thought it was the fault of my system, not of its wiring (read: SATA-cable). So sometimes booting my Macbook became a race/game against the clock in which I deleted the /var/folders/etc like some suggested. But the message came back as usual.

     

    ****, I DJ sometimes and just before a gig my Macbook just died on me... Had to reinstall the OS and I was very nervous... But eventually the OS reinstalled. Anyways...

     

    Then, I formatted my HDD together with the SSD and installed Mac OS X Lion (had to do Internet Recovery) on my SSD. Ta da! Mac was working good . But, you would've guess it by now; Unapproved Caller came back. And after some time, my Macbook stopped booting at all! So I took it to the Apple Store in Amsterdam (Netherlands), to one of their not-so-Genius bars. The guy there hasn't see the message ever and his superiors neither. He tested my Macbook and the test said that my SSD was the problem!!! Mind you, I have a Windows PC and the SSD is a Samsung one. I checked its health via Samsung Magician and it said it was alright. So he said he couldn't take my Macbook for reparation. F*ckers. I knew there was nothing wrong with my Mac.

     

    After a couple of days Disk Utility couldn't recognize my SSD anymore, only my HDD in the Opti-bay. ****** even more. So, I purchased a new SATA-cable, after reading all these problems regarding the "Unapproved Caller" message. I was very skeptical, but general opinion was that in Apple's batch of MacBook Pros of early-2011, there were problems with SATA-cables.

     

    A couple of weeks ago I installed the new SATA-cable very securely and prayed that Internet Recovery should work. It worked! Now, I'm back up and running and just punching myself for the head that I hadn't purchased the SATA-cable much, much earlier.

     

    I believe that the only way in which you could get rid of all issues, is by simply purchasing a new SATA-cable!!! I don't know any technical details, but now my Macbook is just working like it did before my issues.

  • by Jkiat88,

    Jkiat88 Jkiat88 Dec 11, 2014 10:29 AM in response to GuillermoMedina
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 11, 2014 10:29 AM in response to GuillermoMedina

    Hi, have u solved the problem?because im facing the same issue.

  • by maina_s,

    maina_s maina_s Dec 16, 2014 6:57 AM in response to olli.vdl
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 16, 2014 6:57 AM in response to olli.vdl

    wwhen you press the T key on the sick Mac, what do you see on the screen? I see a lighting sign and a kind of a y sign. Is that correct. I am asking because I don't have access to a healthy Mac or thunderbolt cable an before I go looking for them I just want to be sure that this process will work on my sick Mac.

  • by maina_s,

    maina_s maina_s Dec 16, 2014 9:31 AM in response to olli.vdl
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 16, 2014 9:31 AM in response to olli.vdl

    Olli,

     

    So i followed all your directions...but am facing an issue. Please help

     

    - got a happy mac and connected the sick and happy mac using a thunderbolt cable

    - switched on the sick mac by pressing down the T key

    - in the happy mac went to folder...saw the sick mac's HD in the left review pain..clicked cmd+shift+g and then typed

              /volumes/Macintosh HD 1/private/var/folders/

         note: in Yosemite it isn't /etc/var/folders/ but instead is /private/var/folder/

    - tried to empty this folder but got the error "The operation can’t be completed because an unexpected error occurred (error code -50)."


    What should i do? Anyone got any ideas?

  • by maina_s,

    maina_s maina_s Dec 16, 2014 9:51 AM in response to abstert
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 16, 2014 9:51 AM in response to abstert

    Abstert,

    Since my mac wouldn't even start in safe mode, I tried Olli's method and connected it to another mac to clean the /var/folders/. However when try to empty the folder I get the error "The operation can’t be completed because an unexpected error occurred (error code -50)." What else can I do?

  • by maina_s,

    maina_s maina_s Dec 16, 2014 10:37 AM in response to AMorrell
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 16, 2014 10:37 AM in response to AMorrell

    AMorrell,

    Thanks for these commands. I have just run them and fingers crossed too. One quick question: how long does it take to run rm -Rf /var/folders/* . The reason I ask is because I hit this command 10mins ago and it is still running.

  • by Derrankyle,

    Derrankyle Derrankyle Dec 19, 2014 7:25 AM in response to abstert
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 19, 2014 7:25 AM in response to abstert

    Wow !,, this worked for me also.

    I could not get my mac into single user mode, so i used the terminal from the install USB, i ran:

     

    fsck

     

    then i removed the folder in question with:


    rm -R /var/folders/*


    then after a reboot, all was fine, thanks !

  • by abstert,

    abstert abstert Dec 24, 2014 11:05 PM in response to maina_s
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Dec 24, 2014 11:05 PM in response to maina_s

    Abstert,

    Since my mac wouldn't even start in safe mode, I tried Olli's method and connected it to another mac to clean the /var/folders/. However when try to empty the folder I get the error "The operation can’t be completed because an unexpected error occurred (error code -50)." What else can I do?

    Hey maina_s,

     

    You need to run the command in Terminal to remove those files in the /private/var/folders.  This should not take too long.

  • by Jkiat88,

    Jkiat88 Jkiat88 Dec 27, 2014 2:58 PM in response to JDFS404
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 27, 2014 2:58 PM in response to JDFS404

    Hi.

    Im getting the unapproved securityagent thing for the past month. I went to genius bar today again and they said they have done all the test that they have and there's no problem with my mbp. So after changing the SATA cable, does the problem come back again?

  • by JDFS404,

    JDFS404 JDFS404 Dec 28, 2014 9:02 AM in response to Jkiat88
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 28, 2014 9:02 AM in response to Jkiat88

    Now 4 weeks up and running, NO single issue yet!!!! Apple not so Genius Bar doesn't really help you since this problem exceeds their "knowledge". I've lost all faith in Genius Bar and from now on I'll fix my own problems. But trust me, SATA cable is the problem!

  • by Derrankyle,

    Derrankyle Derrankyle Dec 28, 2014 9:18 AM in response to tmodi
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 28, 2014 9:18 AM in response to tmodi

    I Had this problem, I tried everything including erasing all my drives and re installing , the fix for this issue is a SATA connector replacement , I did this myself for £30 , quick to do if you are okay with the insides of a Mac.

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