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User profile for user: ApMaX
ApMaX Author
User level: Level 2
152 points

Cannot check-select-turn on Mac File Sharing on macOS 10.15 Catalina

Cannot check-select-turn on Mac File Sharing on macOS 10.15 Catalina.


Clicking it in "Apple - System Preferences - Sharing - File Sharing" does not select it. Trying to do it booting in safe mode does not work. Likewise resetting PRAM and SMC.


This issue arose some time ago. No problem before. The current macOS installed is the latest allowed for such Mac model:


System: macOS 10.15.7 (19H1922) Catalina on iMac 21.5‑inch (model identifier iMac13,1; late 2012). Booting from external USB SSD.

Posted on Jun 2, 2022 10:21 AM

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User profile for user: ApMaX
ApMaX Author
User level: Level 2
152 points

Posted on Jun 3, 2022 10:15 AM

Many thanks for your reply. I do not quite understand your question and was going to ask you if you could elaborate it. But I have great news…


WOW, WOW, WOW… I HAVE FOUND THE CULPRIT:


The culprit is macOS Catalina Security Update 2022-004 10.15.7 shown here:


Download Security Update 2022-004 (Catalina)

Download Security Update 2022-004 (Catalina) (UK)

About the security content of Security Update 2022-004 Catalina

About the security content of Security Update 2022-004 Catalina - Apple Support


This is how I have found it:


  1. Since the issue was driving me nuts, I reinstalled macOS (Command Option R) at booting, which installs the latest version of macOS compatible with your Mac.
  2. Fortunatelly, it did NOT install the latest macOS version but macOS 10.15.7 (19H15), and File Sharing worked OK. WOW, WOW, WOW!!!
  3. But Apple - About This Mac - Software Update showed the security update shown above, so I installed it.
  4. That installed macOS 10.15.7 (19H1922) Catalina, which AGAIN generated the PROBLEM.


Amazing!!! Such macOS 10.15.7 (19H1922) Catalina is the culprit. It breaks File Sharing as described in my first post above. Shocking!!!


BTW, unfortunately, macOS security updates breaking File Sharing is not something new. For instance:


Repair file sharing after Security Update 2017-001 for macOS High Sierra 10.13.1

Repair file sharing after Security Update 2017-001 for macOS High Sierra 10.13.1 - Apple Support


In such a case, it was fixed executing this in Terminal:

sudo /usr/libexec/configureLocalKDC


But in the problem that I have reported above, that does not fix the issue. How to fix it this time?

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User profile for user: ApMaX
ApMaX Author
User level: Level 2
152 points

Jun 3, 2022 10:15 AM in response to PRP_53

Many thanks for your reply. I do not quite understand your question and was going to ask you if you could elaborate it. But I have great news…


WOW, WOW, WOW… I HAVE FOUND THE CULPRIT:


The culprit is macOS Catalina Security Update 2022-004 10.15.7 shown here:


Download Security Update 2022-004 (Catalina)

Download Security Update 2022-004 (Catalina) (UK)

About the security content of Security Update 2022-004 Catalina

About the security content of Security Update 2022-004 Catalina - Apple Support


This is how I have found it:


  1. Since the issue was driving me nuts, I reinstalled macOS (Command Option R) at booting, which installs the latest version of macOS compatible with your Mac.
  2. Fortunatelly, it did NOT install the latest macOS version but macOS 10.15.7 (19H15), and File Sharing worked OK. WOW, WOW, WOW!!!
  3. But Apple - About This Mac - Software Update showed the security update shown above, so I installed it.
  4. That installed macOS 10.15.7 (19H1922) Catalina, which AGAIN generated the PROBLEM.


Amazing!!! Such macOS 10.15.7 (19H1922) Catalina is the culprit. It breaks File Sharing as described in my first post above. Shocking!!!


BTW, unfortunately, macOS security updates breaking File Sharing is not something new. For instance:


Repair file sharing after Security Update 2017-001 for macOS High Sierra 10.13.1

Repair file sharing after Security Update 2017-001 for macOS High Sierra 10.13.1 - Apple Support


In such a case, it was fixed executing this in Terminal:

sudo /usr/libexec/configureLocalKDC


But in the problem that I have reported above, that does not fix the issue. How to fix it this time?

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User profile for user: ApMaX
ApMaX Author
User level: Level 2
152 points

Jun 4, 2022 11:19 PM in response to ApMaX

Update:


File Sharing BROKEN in macOS 10.15.7 (19H1922) Catalina - UPDATE = FILE SHARING IS FROZEN-LOCKED - YOU CANNOT TURN IT ON OR OFF AFTER SUCH UPDATE!!!


SERIOUS MACOS CATALINA BUG CONFIRMED:


The bug is even more shocking. This has been confirmed erasing an external SSD, installing Catalina from scratch which generates macOS 10.15.7 (19H15) and Safari (File Sharing works OK then), and then installing the macOS Catalina Security Update 2022-004 10.15.7, which updates to macOS 10.15.7 (19H1922) (BREAKS File Sharing). The testing disk did NOT contain any third party software or user data. Just macOS installed from scratch on a previously deleted external SSD. Therefore, the conclusion below is 100% consistent.


File sharing worked as expected with "Apple - System Preferences - Sharing - File Sharing" selected in macOS 10.15.7 (19H15). It was possible to turn it on and off, as expected. It was left selected and then such external booting SSD was updated to macOS 10.15.7 (19H1922). As expected, File Sharing was selected then, but I CANNOT UNCHECK-UNSELECT it. Clicking on File Sharing does not uncheck it.


CONCLUSION: macOS Catalina Security Update 2022-004 10.15.7 BREAKS File Sharing, freezing-LOCKING it. If it was not selected (turned off), it cannot be selected. If it was selected, it cannot be turned off.


I hope that Apple fixes this serious bug, because that will probably be the latest Catalina update and there are many users with Mac models that cannot be further upgraded to Big Sur, Monterey, etc.

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User profile for user: ApMaX
ApMaX Author
User level: Level 2
152 points

Jul 13, 2022 7:07 AM in response to ApMaX

This serious security bug is 100% consistent and has been reproduced by many users, as shown in Apple discussion forums. For instance:


Cannot Turn File Sharing On

Cannot Turn File Sharing On - Apple Community


Unable to enable File Sharing - checkbox

Unable to enable File Sharing - checkbox - Apple Community


File sharing checkbox won't check "on"

File sharing checkbox won't check "on" - Apple Community


Cannot check-select-turn on Mac File Sharing on macOS 10.15 Catalina

Cannot check-select-turn on Mac File Shar… - Apple Community


In summary, as said in the first thread: "the latest security update on Catalina made the main checkbox to turn sharing on or off not work anymore. So if it's on, it cannot be turned off, and if it's off it cannot be turned on".


Apple should fix it. Some Macs CANNOT be upgraded beyond Catalina, so they are STUCK with this SERIOUS SECURITY BUG.


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User profile for user: ridley_walker
ridley_walker
User level: Level 1
22 points

Sep 7, 2022 8:11 AM in response to Jeff Miller2

I've got it working by doing another erase and clean install. This time, before applying the last security update, I set up sharing making sure to test it.


Once it was working I cloned the working drive as a failsafe. I then applied the security update and file sharing still works as it should. I have no idea why this should be but it's now working and I didn't need to sacrifice a goat.


I posted here as well: Catalina - external disk file sharing iss… - Apple Community


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User profile for user: ridley_walker
ridley_walker
User level: Level 1
22 points

Aug 18, 2022 10:35 AM in response to awaismk

Has there been any resolution to this issue? I also have a 2012 Mac mini server and cannot enable file sharing. I've done a complete erase and clean re-install to no avail.


The terminal commands others have suggested only appear to work as file sharing via afp mounts empty volumes and smb shares generate an error message that the original item could not be found.

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Cannot check-select-turn on Mac File Sharing on macOS 10.15 Catalina

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