User can't log in after display resolution change

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User can't log in after display resolution change

Hi,

i have an mac pro intel 2x2.66 OS: 10.4.11

my screen died so i had to get the 27 led and have the atlona converter between the display and mac ( which works fine)

I logged into my main user and then into user2 my main user's display resolution is set to 2560 and user2 was set to 1920

i opened preferences and switched resolution in user2 to 2560 the screen flashed a bit and logged me out. then it would not log back in (it actually logged me out of the main user too)

what happens is that it starts to log in, there were a few finder windows open so, it starts to open those. but it doesn't show any icons or the text with available disk space... there's a beach ball for 30 seconds or so then it just logs back out.

it's totally user specific because i can log in and use my main user fine. i can even log in to another user account that i never really used.

I tried logging in in safe mode and get the same results. I can log in in with terminal with that user and see it's files, etc...

I even tried using command line to move some prefs out out (i put them back after it didn't work).

I imagine some file related to the finder is corrupted or something? one of the prefs i tried to move was com.apple.finder.plist as well as bunch of others like windowserver desktop displays, etc...

Can anyone help me?? It would be a serious drag if i can't get into this account...

thanks so so much!!

Posted on Apr 13, 2012 2:22 PM

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Answer 1

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BDAqua

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239,111 points

Apr 13, 2012 2:54 PM in response to trevytrev

Try moving these files out somewhere...

/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist

/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.dock.plist

/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist

/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.sidebarlists.plist

/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.desktop.plist

/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.recentitems.plist

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Answer 2

trevytrev Author

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Apr 13, 2012 8:15 PM in response to BDAqua

I moved all those files with the same results.

is there something besides plist files that would be preventing only a specific user from being able to log on?

any other plist files that could be the culprit?

😟

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Answer 3

BDAqua

Level 10

239,111 points

Apr 13, 2012 8:25 PM in response to trevytrev

Many files a possibility, even the PW DB or Keychain, have you tried changing the PW for that user?

/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.keychainaccess.plist

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Answer 4

trevytrev Author

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Apr 14, 2012 11:14 AM in response to BDAqua

i moved that file and changed the user PW. with same results.

seeing as it's only this user and that I'm able to login with terminal and move files, etc... Do you think it's reasonable to expect that I'll eventually be able to login with this user? I know that's hard to know but just a bit discouraged and hoping that I can eventually resolve this...

It's hard for me to know but it seems like it's hanging during the process where it loads the icons on the desktop, and displaying the info in the finder window like "x items, xxGB available"

are there any other files or steps to try?

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Answer 5

BDAqua

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Apr 14, 2012 11:54 AM in response to trevytrev

Is there tons of stuff in that User's Desktop folder? Some people have accidently or on purpose moved thousands of files there, bringing OSX to a halt that can take days to get fully logged in.

Might it not be easier to move all the stuff to a new User's folder & change the permissions on the moved stuff?

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Answer 6

trevytrev Author

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Apr 14, 2012 12:11 PM in response to BDAqua

there aren't thousands but yeah, there's a lot of stuff... I guess i wasn't sure if it was a problem since it had been logging in no problem with that much before.

I'm going to try moving everything out of the desktop folder to another folder. just to be sure, the command is:

mv * /users/username/whateverfolder ...right?

was your suggestion to move it all in command line?

like, create a new user and then login as my old user and do like "mv * /users/newuser/oldusersfiles" ?? (before this hapened, there were a few files that I couldn't drag copy to an external drive. i guess maybe bad blocks? I was going to open and save as... if i move them in this way, will i get an error or will it just move it even though there might be some bad blocks or something?)

BTW thanks for the help!!! I really really appreciate it!!

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Answer 7

BDAqua

Level 10

239,111 points

Apr 14, 2012 1:29 PM in response to trevytrev

Well, to move the stuff, make a New Account, log into a different admin account & get BatchMod, it's much better/easier than the Finder for recursive Permission changes...

http://www.lagentesoft.com/batchmod/index.html

Now careful with BatchMod, it's crazy powerful, but easier than Command Line.

Oh, this bad user isn't using FileVault I hope???

OK, once BatchMod is loaded, you can drag the whole bad user's folder to it's icon and set the Ownership/permissions to the new replacement user, check Apply to Enclosed items, go.

Oh, if you have room you might make a copy of that User's folder first & use the copy.

Then open the bad User's folder, Select All, drag to new replacement User's folder.

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Answer 8

trevytrev Author

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Apr 14, 2012 3:04 PM in response to BDAqua

no, no file vault.

your comment about items on the desktop makes me suspect that might be it. Since it was loading fine before, i didn't think of it...

first i think i'll try moving them all to another folder. with "mv * /users/username/moveddesktopfiles"

i'm just being cautious. that can't hurt anything, right?

yeah, my last resort was going to be to change the permssions to that user's folder to my admin, and then just mine it for the files... but i was hoping that I could get back in normally...

I'll try batchmod if moving the files doesn't work... i don't have enough space on my startup drive to copy, would batchmod let me copy it to another drive? (sorry if that's obvious, i haven't installed it yet)

thanks!

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