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Admin password not accepted for updating system software

Recently I had to recover my macOS Monterey M1 machine. Therefore I needed to reinstall some things on it. For this process I created my 'new' admin account on the computer and I have been using it. I may log in and out, I may install programs, access to iCloud... but there is a specific situation in which I cannot go any further. In programs where extensions in the kernel are needed my admin password is not accepted by no means. More specifically, in System Preferences -> Security & Privacy -> General , once I click on the locker and may access (yes, there my password is accepted), when saying in the lower end "Some system software requires your attention before it can be used." and I click on "Details" it opens up a window showing a list and then I click on "Ok", then it opens up another windows saying "System Preferences is trying to authenticate user." and there my admin password is not accepted by no means -- it does not matter how many times I try.


I would certainly appreciate if anyone might suggest something I might try to solve this issue or would point me to some place where I may find a possible solution. I was even wondering whether the problem could be because of the recovery process.


I am placing this message here as a last resource since I do not really know how to proceed.


Thank you very much in advance. Greetings.


Tomás.

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 12.6

Posted on Oct 11, 2022 1:37 AM

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Posted on Oct 11, 2022 2:29 AM

About system extensions and macOS


Some system extensions aren't compatible with current versions of macOS or won't be compatible with a future version of macOS. Learn what to do if you see an alert about system extensions or kernel extensions. 


System extensions work in the background to extend the functionality of your Mac. Some apps install kernel extensions, or kexts—a kind of system extension that works using older methods that aren't as secure or reliable as modern alternatives. Your Mac identifies these as legacy system extensions.

In 2019, Apple informed developers that macOS Catalina will be the last macOS to fully support legacy system extensions, and we've been working with developers to transition their software.



If you get an alert about a system extension

You may see an alert on your Mac that says that a program loaded or tried to load a system extension signed by the developer of that extension. 

  • The alert may ask you to open Security & Privacy preferences to allow the extension. You may also need to restart your Mac. 
  • The alert may ask you to contact the developer for support because the extension needs to be updated or will be incompatible with a future version of macOS.
  • The alert may inform you that it will damage your computer and has been blocked.


On a Mac with Apple silicon, you may first need to use Startup Security Utility to set the security policy to Reduced Security and select the “Allow user management of kernel extensions from identified developers” checkbox.


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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 11, 2022 2:29 AM in response to taghoter

About system extensions and macOS


Some system extensions aren't compatible with current versions of macOS or won't be compatible with a future version of macOS. Learn what to do if you see an alert about system extensions or kernel extensions. 


System extensions work in the background to extend the functionality of your Mac. Some apps install kernel extensions, or kexts—a kind of system extension that works using older methods that aren't as secure or reliable as modern alternatives. Your Mac identifies these as legacy system extensions.

In 2019, Apple informed developers that macOS Catalina will be the last macOS to fully support legacy system extensions, and we've been working with developers to transition their software.



If you get an alert about a system extension

You may see an alert on your Mac that says that a program loaded or tried to load a system extension signed by the developer of that extension. 

  • The alert may ask you to open Security & Privacy preferences to allow the extension. You may also need to restart your Mac. 
  • The alert may ask you to contact the developer for support because the extension needs to be updated or will be incompatible with a future version of macOS.
  • The alert may inform you that it will damage your computer and has been blocked.


On a Mac with Apple silicon, you may first need to use Startup Security Utility to set the security policy to Reduced Security and select the “Allow user management of kernel extensions from identified developers” checkbox.


Oct 11, 2022 4:17 AM in response to taghoter

Thank you for the additional information.


What I am very aware of and especially on Computers with the Secure Enclave Chip " Ownership " is a very key element of the setup.


By that measure - the Ownership of the computer is normally the Very First User Account used when the computer was setup as New - First Boot Up out of the box.


Additional Admin Accounts can be added afterwards but true " Ownership " belongs to that First Account outlined above


That said, at present, is there More than One Admin Account on this computer ?

Oct 11, 2022 4:52 AM in response to taghoter

If and I mean if you what to " Start Over " from almost like Out of the Box


How to erase all content and settings - Apple Support (CA)


This will remove all your present setup including Setting, Applications etc but keep the version of macOS presently installed on the computer.


Then, do not use Setup Assist to bring anything back into the computer from a TM Backup.


If one does do this, it will probably Re-Introduce the existing issues back into the computer and Negate All the hard work you have tried to do.




Oct 14, 2022 2:37 AM in response to taghoter

I was finally lucky. By following the suggestion mentioned in another post in this forum, System Preferences won't accept password … - Apple Community, I managed to solve this issue. Basically, I had to enter into Recovery Mode and execute the command 'resetpassword' inside a Terminal. I modified the password as if I had lost it (well, I had to enter my password previously for arriving to that step, what makes that assumption a bit confusing), and with that my problem was solved.


I leave this message here just in case that I might help someone with this problem.


Oct 11, 2022 2:36 AM in response to PRP_53

I am afraid I did not explain that I performed already that procedure that you suggest. Anyway, what it currently worries me is that the admin password is not accepted in the step described. It behaves exactly as if I would type in anything else. Moreover, in that step another window is also opened asking for rebooting the system in order to rebuild the extensions database, and I have also done that, but it does not change anything after reboot.




Oct 11, 2022 3:22 AM in response to PRP_53

I had the system installed for some years, performing updates even on the Mac operating system, as usual. Some day last month I touched something that made that I could not start the system anymore after logging in. Therefore I had to start the system in recovery mode for reinstalling the operating system, as if it were from scratch, but the disk was not formatted. I could access finally to the previous data I had in my account (that was tricky as well -- it appeared as "inaccessible space" in the disk, but I managed finally to access to it.


I was wondering since the beginning whether this could be the reason that now I would not recognise the "new" password when trying to make this operation. I am using in principle exactly the same one, yes, but who knows whether it were stored differently because of a cryptical issue and now it could not be recognised when put in -- don't know, I am just trying to guess. Because all of this I had finally placed my question here for some help if possible.


Thank you very much for your help.

Oct 11, 2022 4:27 AM in response to PRP_53

Right now there are two, but I only used the second one for making tests, to see whether I could solve something.


Concerning what you have added, I was also trying to find a procedure for setting "me" as the "true owner". I will explain...


After the recovery, in the initial steps when installing MacOS once again, I had to place "me" with a local account on the computer -- I had problems for connecting to iCloud. Later, after being able to progress in the MacOS installation with that "initial" account, I managed to connect to iCloud but... I found strange (in my innocence) that I could not update an application from the Apple Store because I was not the owner of the computer. That was an issue I did not understand, and that is why I was trying to also look for a way to state myself that it was *me* the owner of the computer. Later on I found a way for updating the application from a terminal, but I had the impression that I had missing something left to be fixed: the true ownership of the computer.


Right now I have the Apple Store connected with my iCloud identifier, I may install new applications, but I do not currently know what it might happen if I would need to update one of them -- at least from the Apple Store application.


Perhaps that is the true problem that make things not working as expected. How might I check and solve that issue?

Admin password not accepted for updating system software

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