How to debug the user login process?

Question

Level 1

8 points

How to debug the user login process?

After the Catalina update I can't login with my main user any more. Mostly all I get is the turning wheel but once I got Welcome message notification and clicking that started Safari. And from the Apple menu I was able the system settings and the app store.

I also have a few secondary users and I can login to those just fine. Which is different to the very many reports of user who where logged out after the Catalina update. Some where the user was left with deleting the hard drive to solve the problem.

Since I still have one working admin user I hope that I'm spared that fate. It seemed that the update itself was successful and the OS itself is still in working order.

I can also login to the damaged user via `su`.

What I want to know is: Is there a way to debug the login process to see where the login hangs?

iMac 27", macOS 10.15

Posted on Feb 17, 2020 12:03 AM

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Answer 1

dialabrain

Level 10

124,865 points

Feb 17, 2020 5:49 AM in response to krischik

krischik wrote:

But then again, none of the warnings told me I need to deinstall a certain applications before updating else the system would stop working.

FWIW, any 32bit apps will just not run in Catalina so there's no need to actually uninstall them. However, there is a warning when installing Catalina…

Learn more

"If the installer shows a list of apps that are not optimized for your Mac, learn about 32-bit app compatibility, then choose whether to proceed with the installation."

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Answer 2

LD150

Level 10

91,211 points

Feb 17, 2020 3:54 AM in response to krischik

I agree that *if* a library is so critical that it needs editing from time to time to restore normal functioning then it should not be hidden by default. It should have an admin panel and a reset function. The ultimate full ~/Library reset is create a new user and move all your stuff there.

Having said that there have been plenty of warnings that 32bit apps would not run on Catalina.

However they could have produced their own version of the Go64 app and made a bigger fuss over the 32bit problem than they did. They gave warnings but many users didn't spot them.

This for those who criticise me for always supporting Apple.

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Answer 3

krischik Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 17, 2020 5:35 AM in response to LD150

peter_watt wrote:

Having said that there have been plenty of warnings that 32bit apps would not run on Catalina.

Too many warnings. So many that it just dull you down and makes you click “continue anyway” on auto pilot. Yes, something like Go64 would have been the way to go. One big warning right before the update.

But then again, none of the warnings told me I need to deinstall a certain applications before updating else the system would stop working.

Martin

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Answer 4

LD150

Level 10

91,211 points

Feb 17, 2020 12:43 AM in response to krischik

Log into the affected user in Safe Boot mode and check/delete the Login items in System Preferences, Users and groups. If you have 32bit apps set to run on login it can cause problems

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