10.7.4 Login window accpets user credentials, flashes grey screen, then returns back to login window

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10.7.4 Login window accpets user credentials, flashes grey screen, then returns back to login window

Hello all,

I'm an IT administrator for a school district, and we've been having a long-running issue with our 10.7.4 MacBook Pros. Basically, when the students try to log in, it accpets their login credentials, spins for a second, flashes a grey screen like it's about to show their desktop, and then spits it back out to the login window with the username and password fields cleared.

I'm positive that their username/pass are correct because it will simply shake if entered incorrectly. For reference, the students are using mobile accounts (without syncing) through OD and it only happens if they already have a mobile account on the local machine. But it doesn't happen 100% of the time. I can't find the common denominator. Also, this issue has yet to rear it's head on our other 2 carts of laptops, which happen to be Air's rather than Pro's.

I've been working around this issue by logging in as admin (which I can still do) and deleting their mobile account through System Preferences. After that, they log in and everything's great.

I believe these are early 2011 MacBook Pros running 10.7.4.

If anyone has any idea at all, I would greatly appreciate the assistance. Let me know if you need more information.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on Oct 29, 2012 11:58 AM

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Answer 1

iToaster

Level 3

739 points

Nov 1, 2012 8:08 AM in response to mjtill

This is from 10.7.5 list of fixes

Enforce managed preference based on a user's primary group

Check OD home directory

Check user homes on client machines

Could be some setting in the MacBook computer group is efecting users logins

Quick test would be removing one of the MacBooks from the group and see if the problem goes away

Do the students have indervidual logins

If not check and see if multiple login is enabled

Do you have anything set for startup at login

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Answer 2

mjtill Author

Level 1

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Nov 1, 2012 9:31 AM in response to iToaster

Thanks for your reply.

I believe I tried updating one of the MacBooks to 10.7.5, but I'll try it again to make sure.

When the student logs in, it creates them a home directory (if one doesn't already extist) using the User Template on the local machine. Therefore, I highly doubt thr problem is related to their OD home directory because it isn't used in the creation of the account.

As for their local home directories; the student can log in, have a home created for them, log right back out without doing a single thing, try to log back in, and the problem will reoccur. It's crazy.

Your point about it being a setting in the Computer group in WGM is a good one, and I will try that next time the problem occurs and get back to you.

The students do have individual logins, they use their first and last name and a 6 digit number for their password.

The only thing set to startup at log in is Papercut, a program that controls how namy prints the student can use. But the teachers and the other laptop carts also have this same program and do not have this issue. It also mounts their network home folder when they login. But again, the teachers and other laptop carts do the same thing without problems.

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Answer 3

iToaster

Level 3

739 points

Nov 1, 2012 7:03 PM in response to mjtill

I would start looking at computer group settings could be someone has enabled

Mobility on the computer group and it's conflicting with user mobility settings

On a test machine Disable any thing that's auto login

Check home directories in OD when setting local home I have had the odd users home directory

blank entry Instead of /Users/username

but usually that's pretty obvious when that's the case

If your using profile manager make sure nothing there is conflicting also

Papercut mounting home dir ? Could be that's causing the problem

When the user logs on the second login and papercut has already mounted it

That might explain why it's intermintant user and papercut fight for the home dir mounting

Are students local home and teachers network home?

Do the client and server logs shed any light on what's going on

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