Network login requires client restart

Question

Network login requires client restart

Hello,

I am using an Xserve 2009 running OS X 10.9.5 and OS X Server 3.1.2.

I am able to log in to network accounts on bound clients and access their home folders which are stored on a shared Users folder on the server.

The problem I am encountering is that if I try to log out of User1's account and out and log in as User2, I receive an error saying that the User2's home folder has either moved or is inaccessible. If I restart the client computer, I am then able to log in as User2, but if I try to log in as User1, I get the same error. I am only able to log in with the first account I try after restarting the client. To log in as a different user I have to restart the client. I have replicated this many times. I have tried using different shared folders for the users' home folder, but the problem remains.

Does anybody have any suggestions on how to fix this?

Thanks,

Erik

Xserve, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)

Posted on Jan 6, 2015 10:23 AM

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Answer 1

Jan 8, 2015 6:02 PM in response to AbyssusAeterno

We are having a similar issue with Mavericks and Yosemite. In our environment network home folders are used.

We have mail, contacts, and calendars configured for the users (using the Apple apps), and if a user logs out and then back in, or if another user logs in straight after, the use that logs in second loses all their passwords for these accounts.

After much investigation I found that passwords are stored in the Local Items keychain, which (although it lives in the user's network home Library folder), doesn't keep copies of passwords across different machines. This was a deliberate change of behaviour under Mavericks. So a user has to re-enter these passwords if they move to another machines. That's massively inconvenient for my clients.

Worse, though, is that they MUST reboot the Mac to not lose the password ON THE SAME MACHINE.

It seems to stem from a user process which keeps running even after the user has logged out, called secd. I tested logging out, logging in as a local admin, killing this process, then logging out again, and then logging in as a network user again - no problem.

Rebooting the Mac kills the process and the problem is resolved. Again, a massive inconvenience for my clients.

Why is a USER process still running after the user logs out? I don't know - but it's clearly a fundamental flaw.

After a significant amount of time with AppleCare Enterprise support I have been advised that engineering has been aware of this issue for some time, but there's no timeframe for a fix.

A similar thread can be found here... Keychain issue with network users on 10.10 clients

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Answer 2

Jan 8, 2015 7:09 PM in response to AbyssusAeterno

Same issue in thread started nearly a year and full OS ago...

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5773334?answerId=27036745022#27036745022

Unfortunately this is not new and Server users are not being properly cared for as this is a huge issue for anyone running network users.

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Answer 3

CCSchool

Level 1

5 points

Jan 9, 2015 7:52 PM in response to AbyssusAeterno

Mavericks network homes

This issue has been around for a while and seems to be related to Mavericks as the client. I tested with mav clients on different servers and had the issue, tested with different clients against a mav server, no issue. Somehow it seems mav clients do not let go of the homeshare. There are several threads about it. You'll notice on the client machine a new folder in the root called "Networ" (sic)

Upgrading to Yosemite fixed that issue and gave me a whole new set to deal with!

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