What is the file EFIAllowListAll.bundle in the “Relocated Items” folder and can I delete it?

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Level 1

10 points

What is the file EFIAllowListAll.bundle in the “Relocated Items” folder and can I delete it?

I just upgraded my MacBook to Catalina 10.15.4 and now have a new folder shortcut on my desktop called “Relocated Items”. When I follow it, and drill down through, I finally reach a single file called EFIAllowListAll.bundle. The file size is 92.5 MB. The file location is:

~/Users/Shared/Relocated Items/Security/usr/libexec/firmwarecheckers/eficheck/

Please take note... I’ve seen this same question asked in another thread (on this site), however, your support staff never really answered it. Rather, they just posted a couple links to some vaguely related topics. So, let me be crystal clear in the asking, I’m not looking for a general explanation of “Relocated Items”, (I already have that) nor am I looking for links to vaguely related articles. I would like the following questions answered... specifically, not generally:

a) What is this file EFIAllowListAll.bundle (mentioned above) for?

b) What piece of software is it associated with?

i.e.

b.i) Is it a native Apple OS file?

b.ii) Is it part of a 3rd party program?

b.ii.1) If so which one?

c) Why couldn't the OS upgrade installer move/delete it during the install?

d) Now that it's there, what can I do to clean this file up at this point?

d.i)... or should I just ignore it?

Please, to the best of your ability, answer each of the above outlined questions, calling out which part you are answering when. Here is an outline for you to make sure all points are hit, you can copy/paste this section into your reply and answer each one below it's label:

a)

b)

b.i)

b.ii)

b.ii.1)

c)

d)

d.i)

Thanks,

-B

MacBook Pro

Posted on May 10, 2020 10:43 PM

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Answer 1

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Bee-Dub Author

Level 1

10 points

May 11, 2020 7:34 AM in response to Bee-Dub

UPDATE:

I did some research and found an article here that gave me some insight. So, I will go ahead and self-answer most of these. See my follow up answers below in bold italics:

a) What is this file EFIAllowListAll.bundle (mentioned above) for?

This file is a list of the valid EFI firmwares, including file hashes, that the EFI firmware checker uses when it does its weekly audit of your system to check the integrity of the EFI firmware in your Mac. Because EFI firmware is so critical to the security of the system, the firmware checker is designed to check each one to see if any of it has been corruptedted, altered, or switched out with a hacked version, by malicious code / hacker(s).

b) What piece of software is it associated with?

The EFI firmware checker, an integral part of macOS High Sierra (10.13).

b.i) Is it a native macOS file?

Yes it is, at least for the High Sierra (10.13) release of macOS. It's possibly part of Mojave (10.14) & Catalina (10.15) as well, but I'm not certain. If it is it seems it has changed locations as of Catalina.

b.ii) Is it part of a 3rd party program?

No, it's not... it is a native part of macOS.

b.ii.1) If so which one?

N/A

c) Why couldn't the OS upgrade installer move/delete it during the install?

<? I'm wondering about this one, but it's not critical I get one.> At this point this is the real mystery to me... why would the macOS Catalina (10.15) installer somehow be unable to clean up old files from High Sierra (10.13)? Any thoughts Apple?

d) Now that it's there, what can I do to clean this file up at this point?

In the end, I just deleted the file, and the nested directories it was buried in, all the way up to the "Relocated Files" folder. I also deleted the shortcut to this folder that was put on my desktop. It was not difficult to do; I didn't even have to use the command line. As to why the macOS 10.15 installer failed to do this for me... and/or why they would have expected me to know what to do with it in the "Relocated Items" folder, I find just bizarre. In my mind it's an utter fail from the developers & testers working on the macOS 10.15 installer. Granted, it is ultimately a low impact failure, but it should have been an easy bug to identify and fix.

d.i)... or should I just ignore it?

This is what Barney-15E has suggested, and I'm sure this would have been a valid course of action too. I however can be quite anal-retentive, and I want all the random left over obsolete files from previous versions of macOS obliterated from my machine.

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Answer 2

Barney-15E

Level 10

112,986 points

May 11, 2020 8:14 AM in response to Bee-Dub

I want all the random left over obsolete files from previous versions of macOS obliterated from my machine.

That's why it was put in Relocated Items. That folder is for the user to determine what to do with certain things the installer isn't sure about.

I have no idea why that specific item was placed there, but it is likely because whatever the installer uses to "relocate" files didn't include or reject (whichever it uses) that bundle.

The primary purpose of the folder is to move files that a user has stored in a location that is no longer accessible (root level of the drive), or to put modified configuration files (web server, SMB, etc) so the user can go back and modify the new config files. I have seen various config files that weren't modified show up there. Again, I don't know how it determines how a default config has been modified in order to include it in the relocated items.

Why would you want the installer to willy-nilly delete your files and configurations without notifying you in some way. I suppose they could have just said, "ha ha, you dummy. Storing files at root of hard drive is bad. You lose."

I'd rather the installer fail to identify something it could have deleted rather than fail by deleting information I needed.

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Answer 3

Bee-Dub Author

Level 1

10 points

May 11, 2020 8:45 AM in response to Barney-15E

I never said anything close to "I want the installer to willy-nilly delete my files", you're trying to put words in my mouth. And you think that a user should be aware of and know what to do with left over obsolete internal system files? You are reaching with these ridiculous arguments, and you're clearly are not trying to help... just argue for argument's sake.

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Answer 4

Barney-15E

Level 10

112,986 points

May 11, 2020 9:15 AM in response to Bee-Dub

I never said anything close to "I want the installer to willy-nilly delete my files", you're trying to put words in my mouth. And you think that a user should be aware of and know what to do with left over obsolete internal system files? You are reaching with these ridiculous arguments, and you're clearly are not trying to help... just argue for argument's sake.

You seem to have become unhinged about this.

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Answer 5

Barney-15E

Level 10

112,986 points

May 11, 2020 5:38 AM in response to Bee-Dub

You would need to ask Apple that question.

If you don't recognize something in the Relocated Items, you can ignore/delete it.

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What is the file EFIAllowListAll.bundle in the “Relocated Items” folder and can I delete it?

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