"Connect As" Not Working in Finder

Question

"Connect As" Not Working in Finder

Hello Everyone! Please help!

I recently purchased a used but awesome Macbook Pro that was running 10.6.8 - everything worked fantastic, including connecting to my iMac (latest model) through Finder. Due to my need for xCode, I updated to Mountain Lion (which is also running on my iMac), and everything works great, except i no longer can access my iMac through finder on the Macbook Pro. I CAN access the MBP through my iMac. but just not the other way around.

The thing i find really peculiar is that I can see my iMac in finder, and it says connecting, but if i click "Connect As" it depresses but does absolutely nothing. I cannot connect via AFP either. Firewall is off, sharing enabled and all that. User permissions setup too.

Is it a problem with the Mountain Lion install? How do i go about fixing this? It left me udderly embaressed yesterday at a clients (when i found out it didnt work anymore)

Thanks so much to all for reviewing and helping me with this!

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Jan 12, 2013 4:13 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

projectRelentless Author

Level 1

11 points

Jan 14, 2013 3:26 PM in response to projectRelentless

im proud to report that a "wiped clean" install of Mountain Lion has solved my issue. I did a clean install via the recovery partition of my internal hard drive, as i couldnt get Lion Disk Maker to even load.

This tells me that something 3rd party on my Macbook was the problem, and through research i will find the culprit.

I did consult Apple Care on the issue, and after going through everything twice, they advised a clean install as well.

Thanks to Shootist007 for your time, your answer turned out to be the ticket, appreciate your time!

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Answer 2

Shootist007

Level 6

16,709 points

Jan 12, 2013 4:32 PM in response to projectRelentless

If you don't need any of the files on the MBP or have backup of them I would suggest you Wipe the drive and reinstall MT Lion.

But you kcould try repairing permissions first and see if that clears it up.

Are you using the same username and password on both Mac's?

In the sharing section there is an Options Button, have you selected your username and type in the passowrd for it?

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Answer 3

Shootist007

Level 6

16,709 points

Jan 13, 2013 2:13 AM in response to projectRelentless

Not sure about it getting confused. I only have one Mac and several PCs and use the same username and password on all of them (Why wouldn't I as I am the only user of those computers) and have no problem with OS X getting confused when connecting to a Win PC. Also I have 3 different versions of OS X installed on my Mac, Snow Leopard, Lion and Mt Lion and all connect to all my PCs and all my PCs can connect to any of the OS X versions.

Normally when you click on the Connect As button a dialog box POPs up with a Username (useually filled in) and a space for the password. Could be that dialog box is being hide behind the finder window? Just a thought.

What happens if you "Go To Server" and use the IP address of your other Mac?

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Answer 4

Shootist007

Level 6

16,709 points

Jan 13, 2013 7:32 AM in response to projectRelentless

That dialog box that pops up is from the computer you are connecting From, the one you are sitting at and using.

If I'm on Windows connecting to my Mac I get the Windows Username/Password dialog and if I'm connecting from my Mac to a Windows system I get the Mac/OS X dialog.

Please post a screen shot of the finder window when you click on the other Mac in the side bar.

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Answer 5

Shootist007

Level 6

16,709 points

Jan 13, 2013 8:49 AM in response to projectRelentless

Well then if it was my system I would do a Clean Reinstall. Of course I am slightly OCD and I would of done it yesterday.

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Answer 6

Shootist007

Level 6

16,709 points

Jan 13, 2013 9:06 AM in response to projectRelentless

Well Make a Time Machine Backup before you Wipe the drive. You can restore parts of it that you need.

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Answer 7

Apr 23, 2014 7:50 AM in response to Thunder1203

In my case I was able to change the IP and share name of the server. My mac was, then able to connect under the new info.

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Answer 8

i-Schm

Level 1

12 points

Jan 10, 2017 6:04 PM in response to projectRelentless

I had the same problem. Was able to actually see the shared folders one way but not the other. I also had same user and psw credentials on both IMac (2011) and Macbook Pro (2011) connected with ethernet cable (not twisted pair). Finally found that firewall was blocking it. Go to System Preferences> Security & Privacy - Firewall Tab then turn firewall off (after turning wifi off). This should get you connected. Once this is working add permissions in the firewall options for your user ID and you should by flying. No need for wiping and reinstalling.....

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Answer 9

Jan 12, 2013 7:37 PM in response to clintonfrombirmingham

Ok:

Repaired a good amount of permissions, seemed to be all itunes related

Username and pass the same on both and setup in sharing that way

Uggh, i really dont want to wipe it (i have no backup for this yet, my backup is dedicated to my imac) and lose everything, but i really need the connectivity to work. Its so strange that the imac connects to the mbp no problem, and its as if there is a bug or something as clicking connect as should give me a menu on how i want to connect, but does nothing...

out of options though huh? its especially odd that the afp wont work either, but it all worked fine before the mtn lion install, so its most likely an issue there..

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Answer 10

Jan 13, 2013 2:00 AM in response to Shootist007

did a reinstall without wipe, same deal. something else i didnt add, if i turn on screen sharing on the imac, i get a share screen button next to connect as, this button will actually bring the screen share icon to my dock on the mbp but does not bring up my imac screen, so they are clearly seeing each other..

let me ask this, if the user name and pass are the same on both macs, does it get confused or something, though i dont see why it would, maybe ill change it on the imac to a totally diff. user? im just baffled. if not i guess ill have to get another ext hdd to backup the mbp and completely wipe it....

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Answer 11

Jan 13, 2013 7:25 AM in response to Shootist007

Go to server just times out as well... heres something strange i just noticed, if i enable screen share on the imac, the screen share button appears on the mbp finder window, i touch it and for a split second i see the dialog box that is missing when i click connect as, the one that allows me to enter a user name and password... could this be something on my imacs end? i cant find anything, id love to wipe this and do a fresh install, but this mbp has really good dev tools that were already installed, and id like to back it all up, i just cant afford another ext hdd right now, can i back it up to my imac somehow?

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Answer 12

Jan 13, 2013 8:31 AM in response to projectRelentless

Not really much to see, just that the connect as button doesnt ork, but clicking screen share puts that icon in my dock but does nothing, that fast connect menu has only ever popped up one time and i cant get it to happen again unless i restart, then its so fast i cant get a screen shot. i wonder if there is a command in terminal to force it open...?

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Answer 13

Jan 13, 2013 8:46 AM in response to Shootist007

thats right, and if i use connect to server, just goes on and on never even does anything. So weird that the imac connects no problem... its gotta be a osx issue, but i need to back this up for a clean install...

which is my other question, can i backup to my imac..well..now that i think about it id need a firewire or something to connect them as ..ughhh so sad lol

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Answer 14

Jan 13, 2013 9:04 AM in response to Shootist007

oh me too, its just having no backup, but im looking at do i really care whats on this mbp right now, and am i going to lose anything i really care about...

one last thing im trying is booting to safe mode and seeing if that makes adifference..

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Answer 15

Jan 13, 2013 9:12 AM in response to projectRelentless

Ok, now we got something else... when i booted to safe mode, it legit tried to connect and i got an error telling me thart it cant connect, please check the server or ip address, ill post the screen shot of the error when mbp boots back up..

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