You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

After Yosemite & OS X Server Upgrade: WindowServer Starts Loginwindow/SecurityAgent Processes in a Loop

I decided to upgrade my Mac Mini from Mountain Lion w/ OS X Server 2 to Yosemite w/ OS X Server 4. The Yosemite upgrade went well enough. I proceeded to the Server upgrade and noticed sluggish response shortly afterward. I rebooted - it took minutes to shutdown - and afterwards there was continuing sluggishness. Examining process status (ps -fe) showed a number of loginwindow processes. There was of course the expected 'loginwindow console' with launchd as the parent process - then there were also many unexpected loginwindow processes parented by WindowServer. For each such login process, a SecurityAgent process appeared as well (parented by launchd). Every 15secs, a new loginwindow/SecurityAgent process paie appeared. This accumulated over time. At first I thought I had a damaged disk since, as luck would have it, one member of my two-member RAID disk group just happened to go AWOL, leaving me with a working but 'degraded' RAID device. However, I booted single-user and ran an 'fsck -yf'. No problems reported. I mounted the root filesystem and cleared some caches. Then rebooted and ran a permission repair with Disk Utility. None of this had any impact. At a glance, the disk seems intact in spite of having lost one mirror (after all, RAID 1 is supposed to be resilient to the loss of one mirror). So I don't quite think I can chalk all this off as a disk problem; the coincidental loss of a mirror is more of a red herring. Obviously. something seems to have gone wrong at the point where I upgraded Server, and I of course need to replace the lost mirror. But, mirror replacement aside, I'd like to take a stab at getting a grasp of what exactly happened before I resort to restoring from backups and starting all over (after all, it there is a pitfall I've stumbled into, I could restore and repeat the upgrade only to end up in the same situation). Following is an excerpt of /var/log/system.log that shows messages between two consecutive loginwindow/SecurityAgent process startups in the WindowServer loop. I'm having trouble interpreting this. I would welcome any guidance from someone who knows OS X internals...


Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq.whb-consulting.com loginwindow[619]: Login Window Application Started

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq.whb-consulting.com WindowServer[161]: _CGXNewConnectionPort: Call from workspace. Updating audit session 100000 -> 100037

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq.whb-consulting.com DMProxy[620]: CGSCopyDisplayInfoDictionary: error requesting display info dictionary (0x3e8)

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq.whb-consulting.com WindowServer[161]: CGXSetDisplayColorProfileAndTransfer: Display 0x41dc9d00: Unit 0; ColorProfile { 2049706347 }; TransferFormula (1.000000, 1.000000, 1.000000)

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq.whb-consulting.com com.apple.AmbientDisplayAgent[214]: AMBD Agent: xpc connection became invalid during event handler

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.AssistiveControl.running): The HideUntilCheckIn property is an architectural performance issue. Please transition away from it.

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.UserEventAgent-LoginWindow): This service is defined to be constantly running and is inherently inefficient.

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.VoiceOver.running): The HideUntilCheckIn property is an architectural performance issue. Please transition away from it.

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.ZoomWindow.running): The HideUntilCheckIn property is an architectural performance issue. Please transition away from it.

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.btsa): This key does not do anything: OnDemand

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.coreservices.lsactivity): Unknown key for Boolean: DrainMessagesAfterFailedInit

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.helpd): This key does not do anything: OnDemand

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.noticeboard.agent): This key does not do anything: OnDemand

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.speech.speechsynthesisd): This key does not do anything: OnDemand

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.inputswitcher.running): The HideUntilCheckIn property is an architectural performance issue. Please transition away from it.

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.xpc.launchd.domain.user.loginwindow.619.4294967295): Could not read path: path = /Library/LaunchAgents/com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist, error = 2: No such file or directory

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq.whb-consulting.com ManagedClient[629]: MCX.createConnection bootstrap_register failed = 1100

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.universalaccesscontrol.running): The HideUntilCheckIn property is an architectural performance issue. Please transition away from it.

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.universalaccessd.running): The HideUntilCheckIn property is an architectural performance issue. Please transition away from it.

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.xpc.launchd.domain.system): Service "com.apple.xpc.launchd.unmanaged.ManagedClient.629" tried to hijack endpoint "com.apple.mcxd" from owner: com.apple.xpc.launchd.unmanaged.ManagedClient.226

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq.whb-consulting.com ManagedClient[629]: ManagedClient - Unable to create the connection

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq.whb-consulting.com ManagedClient[629]: ManagedClient- runloop could not be started; status = -2

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq.whb-consulting.com WindowServer[161]: _CGXNewConnectionPort: Call from workspace. Updating audit session 100037 -> 100037

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.DataDetectorsDynamicData): The JoinExistingSession key is only available to Application services.

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.appkit.xpc.sandboxedServiceRunner): The JoinExistingSession key is only available to Application services.

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq.whb-consulting.com loginwindow[619]: Login Window Started Security Agent

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq.whb-consulting.com com.apple.SecurityServer[55]: Session 100037 created

Oct 25 23:55:11 hdq askpermissiond[622]: objc[622]: Class FALogging is implemented in both /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/FamilyCircle.framework/Versions/A/FamilyCircl e and /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/FamilyNotification.framework/Versions/A/Famil yNotification. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.

Oct 25 23:55:12 hdq.whb-consulting.com WindowServer[161]: 3891612: App SecurityAgent cannot order in untagged windows before login.

Oct 25 23:55:12 hdq.whb-consulting.com WindowServer[161]: WSOrderWinsAndPanels: error ordering window

Oct 25 23:55:12 hdq.whb-consulting.com askpermissiond[622]: StoreTransport: Resetting APS Connection using environment name production

Oct 25 23:55:12 hdq.whb-consulting.com UserEventAgent[621]: Failed to copy info dictionary for bundle /System/Library/UserEventPlugins/alfUIplugin.plugin

Oct 25 23:55:12 hdq.whb-consulting.com WiFiAgent[628]: [NO client logger] <Sep 9 2014 16:12:26> WIFICLOUDSYNC WiFiCloudSyncEngineCreate: created...

Oct 25 23:55:12 hdq.whb-consulting.com WiFiAgent[628]: [NO client logger] <Sep 9 2014 16:12:26> WIFICLOUDSYNC WiFiCloudSyncEngineRegisterCallbacks: WiFiCloudSyncEngineCallbacks version - 0, bundle id - com.apple.wifi.WiFiAgent

Oct 25 23:55:12 hdq.whb-consulting.com WiFiAgent[628]: securityd_message_with_reply_sync Failed to talk to secd after 4 attempts.

Oct 25 23:55:12 hdq.whb-consulting.com UserEventAgent[621]: user agent networkd: built Sep 9 2014 16:11:57

Oct 25 23:55:13 hdq com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.xpc.launchd.domain.system): Caller not allowed to perform action: SecurityAgent.630, action = legacy spawn, code = 1: Operation not permitted, uid = 92, euid = 92, gid = 92, egid = 92, asid = 100037

Oct 25 23:55:13 hdq.whb-consulting.com SecurityAgent[630]: spawn_via_launchd() failed, errno=1 label=[0x0-0x62062].com.apple.AppleSpell path=/System/Library/Services/AppleSpell.service/Contents/MacOS/AppleSpell flags=0 : LaunchApplicationClient.cp #963 LaunchApplicationWithSpawnViaLaunchD() q=NSTextCheckingOperationQueue :: NSOperation 0x7ff033612f80 (QOS: USER_INITIATED)

Oct 25 23:55:13 hdq.whb-consulting.com SecurityAgent[630]: spawn_via_launchd() failed, errno=1 label=[0x0-0x62062].com.apple.AppleSpell path=/System/Library/Services/AppleSpell.service/Contents/MacOS/AppleSpell flags=0

Oct 25 23:55:13 hdq.whb-consulting.com SecurityAgent[630]: Error launching spell checker for Multilingual: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=256 "The application “AppleSpell” could not be launched because a miscellaneous error occurred (OSStatus -10810)." UserInfo=0x7ff0335d4100 {NSURL=file:///System/Library/Services/AppleSpell.service/, NSLocalizedDescription=The application “AppleSpell” could not be launched because a miscellaneous error occurred (OSStatus -10810)., NSUnderlyingError=0x7ff0335d55f0 "The operation couldn’t be completed. (OSStatus error -10810.)"}

Oct 25 23:55:13 hdq com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.coreservices.appleid.authentication[604]): Service exited due to signal: Killed: 9

Oct 25 23:55:16 hdq.whb-consulting.com BezelServices 245.23[619]: ASSERTION FAILED: dvcAddrRef != ((void *)0) -[DriverServices getDeviceAddress:] line: 2602

Oct 25 23:55:18 --- last message repeated 1 time ---

Oct 25 23:55:18 hdq.whb-consulting.com emond[634]: SetUpLogs: uid = 0 gid = 0

Oct 25 23:55:18 hdq.whb-consulting.com emond[634]: SetUpLogs: opening /Library/Logs/EventMonitor/EventMonitor.error.log

Oct 25 23:55:18 hdq com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.emond): Service only ran for 0 seconds. Pushing respawn out by 10 seconds.

Oct 25 23:55:23 hdq.whb-consulting.com nsurlstoraged[208]: realpath() returned NULL for /var/root/Library/Caches/$(CFBundleIdentifier)

Oct 25 23:55:23 hdq.whb-consulting.com nsurlstoraged[208]: The read-connection to the DB=/var/root/Library/Caches/$(CFBundleIdentifier)/Cache.db is NOT valid. Unable to determine schema version.

Oct 25 23:55:23 hdq.whb-consulting.com nsurlstoraged[208]: realpath() returned NULL for /var/root/Library/Caches/$(CFBundleIdentifier)

Oct 25 23:55:23 --- last message repeated 1 time ---

Oct 25 23:55:23 hdq.whb-consulting.com nsurlstoraged[208]: ERROR: unable to determine file-system usage for FS-backed cache at /var/root/Library/Caches/$(CFBundleIdentifier)/fsCachedData. Errno=13

Oct 25 23:55:23 hdq.whb-consulting.com AppleIDAuthAgent[623]: AppleIdAuth URL: https://identity.apple.com/dsservices/dsxmlrpc

Oct 25 23:55:26 hdq.whb-consulting.com WindowServer[161]: Session 272 retained (2 references)

Oct 25 23:55:26 hdq.whb-consulting.com WindowServer[161]: Session 272 released (1 references)

Oct 25 23:55:26 hdq.whb-consulting.com loginwindow[637]: Login Window Application Started

PowerBook, Mac-Mini, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Oct 26, 2014 6:32 PM

Reply
1 reply

Dec 30, 2014 12:53 PM in response to wbloom

I am just seeing if anyone has a suggestion. The scenario is oddly similar. I had 2 drive in. First drive was being copied to second drive with Carbon Copy Cloner. First drive had some bad sectors and performance issues. Second drive wouldn't start up the system reliably, but the data was there. Installed a new drive, installed OS X 10.10.1. Everything runs great if I leave it there. Once I migrate the data from the 2nd drive in place, the loginwindow process slowly creeps up until 300 copies are running along with over 60 SecurityAgents. All memory is being used and the system is a challenge to work with (virtually impossible).


I am assuming a corrupt file is getting copied during the transfer, but I have no way to know what that file is. If it makes a difference, all loginwindow processes except "loginwindow console" are owned by root. "loginwindow console" is owned by my account as expected.

After Yosemite & OS X Server Upgrade: WindowServer Starts Loginwindow/SecurityAgent Processes in a Loop

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.