"There was a problem connecting to the server" error message

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"There was a problem connecting to the server" error message

"There was a problem connecting to the server

URLs with the type "file:" are not supported"

This message is driving me nuts. It appears constantly ever since Sonoma. It disappears with each security update, but then returns. It happens even when no programs are in startup or in memory. It takes from two to four clicks to get rid of it, then it returns a few minutes later.

I found a list online of a whole bunch of things to do, but those didn't help except to screw up my installation, like remove things from the dock (that I then had to manually fix).

I'm not knowingly connecting to any external server other than iCloud. I took everything out of startup. It appears even when there's no programs loaded. After loading the last security update (Sonoma 14.1.2), it went away, but then I had to reboot and it returned. Since the message is so obtuse, I don't know whether it's coming from the OS, from Safari or from an app, whether Apple's or third party, but it still appears if I quit every single program.

I never had this problem before Sonoma.

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 14.1

Posted on Dec 2, 2023 3:35 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

leroydouglas

Community+ 2025

Level 10

199,044 points

Dec 3, 2023 6:46 AM in response to ZoetMB

ZoetMB wrote:

"There was a problem connecting to the server

URLs with the type "file:" are not supported"

I don't know whether it's coming from the OS, from Safari or from an app, whether Apple's or third party, but it still appears if I quit every single program.

I never had this problem before Sonoma.

can you give an example of an URL— this makes it sound like a browser issue, no(?)

Try a different browser and compare your results...would be telling.

Do you have log in items that do not report as a running app?

>System Settings>Users & Groups>Login items

To trouble shoot further you can:

—A SafeBoot Use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support will sort many anomalies

Does a quick disk repair before it fully boots up, and certain system caches get cleared and rebuilt, third party system modifications and system accelerations are disabled.

Login and test. Reboot as normal and test. Caches get rebuilt automatically.

This test will tell you if third party interference; most* extensions etc are not loaded in safe boot mode.

—Test issue in another user (or guest user) account Change Users & Groups settings on Mac - Apple Support

This will tell you if it a universal issue or isolated to your user/admin account.

unplug all third party peripherals when testing

Uninstall all third party apps that are Cleaners/Optimizers/VPN/Anti-Virus

all known to cause issues on the macOS

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Answer 2

ZoetMB Author

Level 1

19 points

Dec 21, 2023 10:36 PM in response to ZoetMB

This was resolved with OS 14.2. Hope it doesn't return. Seems like it must have been an Apple problem all along.

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Answer 3

ZoetMB Author

Level 1

19 points

Dec 3, 2023 1:29 PM in response to leroydouglas

Thanks so much for responding.

Nothing seems to resolve the issue.

I noted the complete error message in my original post. It doesn't give you the complete URL, just what I indicated. If I knew the complete URL, I could probably have diagnosed what was causing it.

Happens in all accounts.

Happens in safe mode.

I get the error message when the machine reboots even before I log-in to an account and in that instance, it always takes 8 clicks to get rid of it. Most other times when it comes up, it takes two clicks to get rid of it. Because it happens before I log in, I don't think it's app related.

I have no log-in items (anymore)

I didn't uninstall virus protection, but I disabled it in the background applications list and quit the apps.

I haven't disabled every single background app, but they're all mainstream apps (Adobe, Microsoft) that shouldn't be causing issues. I just might have to go through them one by one, but that will be painful.

Whatever it is, it must be polling on some kind of schedule. I just got the error again as I was typing this.

Happens whether I'm using Safari or Google Chrome and when the one I'm not using has been Quit.

And once again, it didn't happen before Sonoma and it didn't seem to happen after the last security update until I had to reboot again.

Think I'm going to make an appointment and bring the machine into an Apple Store and see if they can figure it out. I've been using Macs since the 1980's. Never had an issue like this. I think the only major issue I had after an OS update and this was many years ago (I was using a G3 at the time) was that a font that tested well in the font manager was actually bad and screwed up the new OS.

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Answer 4

HWTech

Level 9

68,858 points

Dec 3, 2023 5:04 PM in response to ZoetMB

Can you provide a screenshot of this message?

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Answer 5

Feb 24, 2024 3:18 PM in response to HWTech

I have been having the same problem since the Sonoma upgrade several months ago. I have Sonoma 14.2.1 and even with Apple support, I can’t get rid of this. It’s highly obtrusive and annoying. It also seems to be slowing down my Mac.

The solution rests squarely on Apple’s shoulders; they need to install a patch for us. Plain and simple.

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Answer 6

ZoetMB Author

Level 1

19 points

Dec 3, 2023 8:28 PM in response to HWTech

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Answer 7

ZoetMB Author

Level 1

19 points

Feb 24, 2024 4:32 PM in response to 2595Rosie

What I’ve found is that whenever there’s an OS update, even a minor security update, it disappears, but if you have to reboot, it returns.

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