Level 1

6 points

Verifying "<various program name>" xprotectservice?

Since the iMac updated to Catalina and I launch an application like MS Word, Excel, PP, OR Pages, KeyNote, Numbers, the XProtect service seems to run a window that reads it is "verifying" the application and it is a slow process in some cases. Prior to the Catalina upgrade the programs would just open like flipping a light switch. Attached is a screen shot example.

I reached out to Apple and they've had me re-install Catalina. Do a hard drive First Aid, and then again re-install Catalina. It's still happening.

Anyone else experiencing this?

Posted on Oct 19, 2019 4:31 PM

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MrHoffman

Level 10

161,361 points

Posted on Oct 21, 2019 8:09 PM

Remove CleanMyMac. Add-on cleaners and add-on security apps have a long history of causing issues. Some problem or some incompatibility here involving this cleaner would be my first assumption, too.

Files owned by root:wheel? That’s unexpected. I’d expect files in your home directory would be owned by you, and not wheel.

Profiles? Is this system managed, or Apple Configurator in use? Otherwise, that’s not an auspicious sign.

Those system modifications are probably involved in this mess, too.

OSXFUSE is almost certainly not 64-bit, based solely on the age. That TimeMachineScheduler looks ancient, too. And SilverLight is long dead.

I’d look for any existing installed 32-bit apps too, using Go64. Either update those apps, or remove them. 32-bit apps will not work on Catalina.

As an aside, I‘d look at replacing the HDD with an SSD, too. That’ll substantially increase your performance, for most folks.

But start by removing CleanMyMac per the vendor documentation, reboot, and try again. Some corruptions by some of the add-on cleaner apps have required wholesale macOS re-installation.

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24 replies

GSDP Author

Level 1

6 points

Oct 22, 2019 12:28 PM in response to MrHoffman

Interesting thing about the profiles. I've never created any. I don't even have the App Configurator installed to do so. The Etre report says I have them and when I click OPEN, the screen below shows "No Profiles" installed. Nothing shows in System Preferences to indicated they exist. Odd?

Kevin852

Level 1

9 points

Oct 31, 2019 6:40 AM in response to GSDP

Yes, same issue here. Every time, after restarting my iMac, when I open Pages, Numbers, Keynote, as well as some third party apps such as Dropbox, it goes through this time-consuming verifying process. Never had the problem before the upgrade to Catalina. Because I saw in other posts that Apple support suggested running disc First Aid, as well as resetting NVRAM, PRAM and SMC, I did all of that, even though those people who contacted support had no success either.

Now, this iMac is a Late 2013 with a fusion drive and 16 GB of memory. I don't seem to be having the same problem with my 2019 work iMac. If this is a problem with earlier iMacs only, then Apple, please let us know that, and let us know if a fix is on the way!

GSDP Author

Level 1

6 points

Nov 1, 2019 11:11 AM in response to Kevin852

I cannot get Apple to confirm that re-installing the OS from scratch (clean install) would resolve this issue, although that was their recommendation if all else had failed. I am hesitant to invest the time at this point and I would need to ensure I have all the backups in place.

Oct 20, 2019 6:43 PM in response to GSDP

I am getting this verification process with Adobe Elements organizer, too.

Oct 20, 2019 6:47 PM in response to Donna M H

I'm really very frustrated and angry about having this flawed product (macOS catalina) forced upon me!

GSDP Author

Level 1

6 points

Oct 20, 2019 6:50 PM in response to MrHoffman

none.

GSDP Author

Level 1

6 points

Oct 21, 2019 4:45 PM in response to MrHoffman

Etra Report

MrHoffman

Level 10

161,361 points

Oct 22, 2019 10:58 AM in response to GSDP

Okay. I’d finish removing the cleaner, as part-removed add-on cleaning and part-removed add-on security apps can be problems later.

Next, are those configuration profiles something that you or your IT organization have created, or are those unexpected?

GSDP Author

Level 1

6 points

Nov 1, 2019 11:09 AM in response to John Galt

Results:

NameA [1] attribute: profile identifier: system.siri.digital_health_restrictions.system.siri

NameB [2] attribute: profile identifier: system.siri.digital_health_restrictions.system.siri

NameA [3] attribute: profile identifier: system.web.contentfilter.basic.digital.health_restrictions.system.webcontentfilter.basic

NameB [4] attribute: profile identifier: system.web.contentfilter.basic.digital.health_restrictions.system.webcontentfilter.basic

NameA and NameB actually have names of two other people who have a user account on the system. Interestingly, there are also two other people who use the system, but they don't show up with any of these config profiles. The local accounts for NameA and NameB have been removed, but the profiles still exist.

Apple Support says the profiles are part of the system files. I argued that it is impossible given there are real people names attached to them. The next reply was that they don't provide support for command lines.

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Verifying "<various program name>" xprotectservice?