Hey Tim,
I think we could have the same problems. So far, the root cause has not been found , but here's where I am at:
- Problem 1: Adressbook beach balls, forgotten passwords, apps hanging, system preferences hanging. It is unpredictible which apps are affected. Sometimes all of them. Sometimes only some of them.
- Problem 1 is caused by Problem 2: AFP network homes are not fully released (umounted) on log out.
- Problem 2 is caused by Problem 3: When a user logs out, not all processes are terminated. This leaves files locked and prevents the AFP network home from being released. When the user next logs in, the apps cannot access all the users settings & files, because they are still locked. The desktop becomes unstable. This explains why problem 1 is not predictible - because what files are locked depends on what apps the user was running in the earlier login session.
- Problem 3 is caused by ????: I can't explain why yet. This is my focus. A fundamental rule of unix/macosx is that when a user logs out, all the "foreground processes" (apps and stuff) they are running are terminated. I just can't yet grasp how Macosx could be leaving processes running after a log out. I guess I will start by looking at the client and server logs.
I've been wondering if they are all related?
I beleive they all are indeed related - as I outlined above. Macs will always become very unreliable if the user's Library folder cannot be reliably accessed by the user. What could cause the user's folder to not be reliably accessed? Examples I've thought of are as follows (and also shows whether I've eliminated these on my site):
For Local Users & Network Users:
Incorrect permissions on the user's folders (eliminated)
For Network Users:
- Unreliable network connection (eliminated)
- Incorrect DNS configuration (eliminated)
- Incorrect File Sharing Configuration (eliminated)
- Incorrect Open Directory configuration / users and groups setting wrong (eliminated)
- Lock files caused by stale AFP connections (suspected)
- Locked files caused by the user logging into two machines on the network at the same time (eliminated)
- Fast switching between two network users on the same machine ... this changes the AFP mount to be owned by another user, causing the original user to loose write access to their files (eliminated)
These can all cause all the desktop problems .... addressbook beachballs, forgotten passwords, key chains error, system preferences.
On a MacMini 10.9.3, a different user seems to have the home directory get confused and a reboot is requried to get it back. Okay, not a real technical description but that is because I haven't figued a good one out yet.
That could happen if you are fast switching between two network users on the same machine.
When I set this system up a few months back I rebuilt both servers and workstations several times. Never could get this stuff to work right. But you're the first person I've seen with both the AFP and the addressbook/password problems. We may be able to help each other?
Are you using home directories shared over AFP? I tried a couple days ago so shift to SMB but that didn't work. Today I'm configured with both AFP and SMB turned on, home sharing is set to go over SMB, but in reality only AFP connections are made. I susepct I need to clear all the file sharing settings and try again. But now I'd like to hear your config first if you don't mind?
I can confirm I am using home directories shared over AFP. That is what I mean when I refer to "Network Users" above. I can also confirm both server and the client are Mavericks 10.9.3. I can also confirm they are abolutely vanilla installs, following Apple recommended settings. The user I am testing is always a brand new user, with a brand new user home directory. I always create a brand new user before starting my testing.
I have also proven that everything works fine when the user firsts logs in for the first time - ever. After that, anything can happen. The computer sleeps and reawakes, or the user logs out and back in, then all the problems start. Then user's experience on other client computers can be affected if the Library directory gets corrupted by this problem.
The most convincing test I have done is as follows:
- Local User - setup a local user on a Maverick 10.9.3 client.
- Network User - on another client, I setup a network user again, a Maverick 10.9.3 client.
- Both users are identical - same mail accounts, same email address, same login name, same iclould account, same key chain settings, same profiles, same everything. The only difference is that the local user's home directory is not on the server and therefore does not use AFP.
The local user has been running problem free for 1 month. The network user does not last one day.
Like you, I began to question everything about my network. Router, DNS, file sharing ... but I could not find anything. No packet errors, good ping times, excellent DNS resolution, ability to access and write to file shares .... everything was perfect.
Looks like AFP and unterminated processes are close to the root cause ... and it is looking more and more like an Mavericks defect rather than a configuration issue. But until I get to the bottom of it, I can't be sure.
Hope this helps.
Pete.