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YOU MUST AUTHENTICATE TO UNLOCK THE SCREEN

This is actually the same as issue:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1203732

Occasionally (once or twice a week) when I return to my MacBook, instead of the usual screen saver, followed by the usual login window with my username filled in... just waiting for my password... it is displaying the "Flurry" screen saver (which I have never used), followed by a strange login box with the text:

"YOU MUST AUTHENTICATE TO UNLOCK THE SCREEN. TYPE IN AN ADMINISTRATOR'S NAME AND PASSWORD TO MAKE CHANGES TO MAC OS X."

No mater what one types in there fields, it is impossible to login. The only solution is to power off and login after the reboot. This is REALLY frustrating.

I have a suspicion that this may be some sort of an attack, but there is absolutely no information on the web about it, except the one post mentioned above (which I guess never satisfactorily solved magnettarpit's problem either.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Apr 14, 2008 12:21 AM

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4 replies

Apr 14, 2008 12:31 AM in response to ornithorhynchus

Forgot to mention... when this strange login box appears, there is no username pre-filled. Both username and password box are empty.

I changed the login style to be "List of users" hoping that might get around the problem but it does not. As soon as I select the user, I get the strange login box.

Also... just to mention... 99% of the time when I return to my MacBook Pro everything works as normal with the login. Even if left overnight or longer periods.

Apr 14, 2008 1:03 AM in response to ornithorhynchus

I'm not against conspiracy theories, I have plenty of my own! 🙂

But I think this is an occasional flaky RAM thing, (well, a bit flipping, which could be CPU, MB, etc. too), a workaround may be to set up the Screen/Wake from Sleep Pasword with a good name and PW, then turn it off again, thereby hopefully when it THINKS it needs a PW, it can find it.

Welcome to the Forums btw! 🙂

YOU MUST AUTHENTICATE TO UNLOCK THE SCREEN

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