Major Problem About to Get Worse

Question

Level 1

23 points

Major Problem About to Get Worse

Hi Folks,

I have found that over the last few weeks my iMac has been progressively getting worse.

The most recent is that I receive a message after start up: INSECURE STARTUP ITEMS FOLDER DETECTED Items in the Startup Items folder (“/Library/StartupItems/”) have not been started because the folder does not have the proper security settings.

...I have deleted the StartupItems folder (it was empty) in Library and created a new one, but upon restart the message still appears. I have also used (frequently anyway) Disk Utility. It 'sometimes' mentions StartupItems, repairs it but nothing changes upon restart.

Other issues:

1. Any changes I make to Mail preferences are not saved when re-opening Mail. It reverts to how it was before I made the changes. It also asks me to verify a certificate that does not expire until next year, so I verify to always remember, but the error occurs upon reopening Mail and reverts Mail preferences as previously mentioned.

2. When I open Calendar it opens in March and not at today's date and month. This is one of the first things my iMac did about two months ago, I've kept my eye on it and now these other little errors have appeared.

3. Contacts used to reopen in the last contact I was in, but now it opens with the same contact every time, regardless.

4. Transmit (app for FTP) doesn't save favourites. I've been sent a fix from the developer but I'm certain it wouldn't have happened if my system wasn't playing up.

5. Lastly, last night (the final straw), I took a combination of 60 videos and photos on my iPhone, and the one image that I wanted the most has disappeared (Sod's Law). I did not delete it and it is not in the Recently Deleted folder. I had not synced with my iMac at this point so I know it's not there (and nor is it in the Recently Deleted folder on the iMac either). What is strange is that I imported my iPhone to Photos this afternoon but only some of the items came across into Photos. I kept on having to click on 'import' and 'delete after import' because only a few moved across each time. I kept doing that until all items were on my iMac (approx. ten times). I have since selected the items that I wish to move back to my iPhone but none of them seem to want to move.

So, without performing a complete reinstall, which I have done countless times over the last 22 years (always the nightmare scenario), is there anything you may be able to suggest?

Many thanks in advance.

iMac (24-inch Early 2009), OS X Yosemite (10.10.3), null

Posted on May 26, 2015 2:57 PM

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Answer 1

inknpaper Author

Level 1

23 points

May 26, 2015 4:13 PM in response to inknpaper

Oh, and I am also unable to set up my Twitter account in System Preferences / iCloud. It won't save my login details.

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Answer 2

Old Toad

Level 10

207,727 points

May 26, 2015 4:41 PM in response to inknpaper

Download and run Etrecheck. Copy and paste the results into your reply. Etrecheck is a diagnostic tool that was developed by one of the most respected users here (and recommended by Apple Support personnel) in the ASC to help identify the more obvious culprits that can adversely affect a Mac's performance.

In the meantime Boot into the Recovery volume (boot with the Command + R keys held down), select Disk Utility and repair both the disk permissions and the disk. Reboot normally.

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Answer 3

Drew Reece

Level 6

10,660 points

May 26, 2015 4:55 PM in response to inknpaper

inknpaper wrote:

Hi Folks,

I have found that over the last few weeks my iMac has been progressively getting worse.

The most recent is that I receive a message after start up: INSECURE STARTUP ITEMS FOLDER DETECTED Items in the Startup Items folder (“/Library/StartupItems/”) have not been started because the folder does not have the proper security settings.

...I have deleted the StartupItems folder (it was empty) in Library and created a new one, but upon restart the message still appears. I have also used (frequently anyway) Disk Utility. It 'sometimes' mentions StartupItems, repairs it but nothing changes upon restart.

Did you remove the library in that location, or did you remove it from within your home folder?

It's easy to mix up OS X libraries & work on the wrong path. What does this output when entered into Terminal (in Applications/Utilities)

ls -la /Library/StartupItems/

1-4 sound like possible permissions errors on your user account. Disk Utility WILL NOT FIX THESE. Try resetting the user permissions…

Backup before you begin – just in case.

Boot holding cmd+R. Recovery mode should startup (assuming you have a recovery partition).

Select Terminal from the Utilities menu.

Enter the word…

resetpassword

… & hit return.

The GUI app will open, select the main boot disk.

Select your user account in the popup menu.

Then click the Reset button at the bottom right. It will "Reset Home Folder Permissions & ACL's"

Repeat for the other users.

Quit ResetPassword from the menu,

Quit Terminal & reboot, test to see if your apps can save the preferences.

If you have no backup, seriously consider making one asap - it is possible for a failing disk to cause strange issues like this.

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Answer 4

notcloudy

Level 4

1,252 points

May 26, 2015 4:59 PM in response to inknpaper

inknpaper wrote:

Oh, and I am also unable to set up my Twitter account in System Preferences / iCloud. It won't save my login details.

First try the ultimate clean up -- shut down the system (power off) - apple calls this a Hard Restart - wait a minute and Power back up.

Particularly with Yosemite this will clean up stranded modules and junk in Ram.

(I may not be at Yosemite - but that doesn't mean I haven't researched pros and cons about updating to it - and if you don't see improvement follow Old Toad advice and run Etrecheck - this will point out problems for clean up.)

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Answer 5

inknpaper Author

Level 1

23 points

May 26, 2015 5:26 PM in response to Old Toad

Thanks for your input. I tried Booting into the Recovery volume and used Disk Utility but nothing changed upon restart. I have just run it again and have added the results at the foot of this reply.

I already had EtreCheck, and here's what it came back with:

EtreCheck version: 2.2 (132)

Report generated 5/27/15, 1:10 AM

Download EtreCheck from http://etresoft.com/etrecheck

Click the [Click for support] links for help with non-Apple products.

Click the [Click for details] links for more information about that line.

Click the [Click to remove] links for help removing adware.

Hardware Information: ℹ️

iMac (24-inch, Early 2009) (Verified)

iMac - model: iMac9,1

1 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU: 2-core

4 GB RAM Upgradeable

BANK 0/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported

Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n

Video Information: ℹ️

NVIDIA GeForce 9400 - VRAM: 256 MB

iMac 1920 x 1200

System Software: ℹ️

OS X 10.10.3 (14D136) - Time since boot: 0:7:14

Disk Information: ℹ️

WDC WD6400AAKS-40H2B0 disk0 : (640.14 GB)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Jupiter (disk0s2) / : 639.28 GB (187.67 GB free)

Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB

OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5670S

USB Information: ℹ️

Apple Inc. Built-in iSight

Apple, Inc. Keyboard Hub

Apple, Inc Apple Keyboard

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

Kensington Kensington Expert Mouse

Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Configuration files: ℹ️

/etc/hosts - Count: 1

Gatekeeper: ℹ️

Mac App Store and identified developers

Kernel Extensions: ℹ️

/Applications/Toast 7 Titanium/Toast Titanium.app

[not loaded] com.roxio.TDIXController (1.4) [Click for support]

/Applications/Transmit.app

[not loaded] com.panic.TransmitDisk.transmitdiskfs (4.0.0 - SDK 10.6) [Click for support]

/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.caiaq.driver.NIUSBGuitarRigMobileDriver (2.6.0 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.caiaq.driver.NIUSBHardwareDriver (2.6.0 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

[loaded] jp.plentycom.driver.SteerMouse (4.1.8 - SDK 10.6) [Click for support]

/System/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.IKMultimedia.driver.StompIO1 (1.0.0) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.focusrite.driver.usb.audio (2.2) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.ikmultimedia.driver.StealthPedal (1.0.0) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.kensington.mouseworks.iokit.KensingtonMouseDriver (3.0) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.kensington.trackballworks.driver (1.1.1 - SDK 10.6) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.realtek.driver.RTL8187B (1150) [Click for support]

[loaded] tc.tctechnologies.driver.Saffire (4.1.4 18735 - SDK 10.6) [Click for support]

/System/Library/Extensions/KensingtonMouseDriver.kext/Contents/PlugIns

[not loaded] com.kensington.mouseworks.driver.ADBID32Mouse (3.0) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.kensington.mouseworks.driver.ADBID32MouseX1 (3.0) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.kensington.mouseworks.driver.ADBID4Mouse (3.0) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.kensington.mouseworks.driver.ADBID4MouseX1 (3.0) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.kensington.mouseworks.driver.KMWBluetoothHIDMouse (3.0) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.kensington.mouseworks.driver.KMWBluetoothOldHIDMouse (3.0) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.kensington.mouseworks.driver.KMWUSBHIDMouse (3.0) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.kensington.mouseworks.driver.USBMouseX1 (3.0) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.kensington.mouseworks.driver.VirtualMouse (3.0) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.kensington.mouseworks.driver.VirtualMouseX1 (3.0) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.kensington.mouseworks.iokit.KensingtonMouseDriverX1 (3.0) [Click for support]

Launch Agents: ℹ️

[not loaded] com.adobe.CS4ServiceManager.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.netgear.wutility [Click for support]

[loaded] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist [Click for support]

Launch Daemons: ℹ️

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.adobe.versioncueCS3.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.bombich.ccc.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.caphyon.awrserver.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.marketcircle.daylite.dlconfigd.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.paceap.eden.licensed.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] tc.tctechnologies.Saffire.plist [Click for support]

User Launch Agents: ℹ️

[not loaded] com.marketcircle.daylite.dlbackuppersonal.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.marketcircle.daylite.pidclear.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.spigot.SearchProtection.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.valvesoftware.steamclean.plist [Click for support]

User Login Items: ℹ️

TrackballWorksHelper Application Hidden (/Library/PreferencePanes/TrackballWorks.prefPane/Contents/Resources/TrackballW orksHelper.app)

NIHardwareAgent Application Hidden (/Library/Application Support/Native Instruments/Hardware/NIHardwareAgent.app)

Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

NPDjVu: Version: Unknown [Click for support]

JavaPlugin2_NPAPI: Version: 15.0.0 - SDK 10.7

Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10

Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 2.2.1.11 [Click for support]

npBTEmailConfig: Version: 1.0 [Click for support]

PrintDialogExt: Version: 3.5 [Click for support]

OfficeLiveBrowserPlugin: Version: 12.2.0 [Click for support]

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 17.0.0.169 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Silverlight: Version: 5.1.30514.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Flash Player: Version: 17.0.0.169 - SDK 10.6 Outdated! Update

iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0 - SDK 10.7

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

AdobePDFViewer: Version: 8.1.0 [Click for support]

JavaAppletPlugin: Version: Java 8 Update 31 Check version

User internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

fbplugin_1_0_3: Version: Unknown [Click for support]

Safari Extensions: ℹ️ (These are all OFF)

JavaScript Blocker

Reload Button

Validator

wide-vimeo-safari

Twitter for Safari

Slick Savings Adware! [Click to remove]

Evernote Web Clipper

A Cleaner YouTube

Alexa Site Stats

Amazon Shopping Assistant Adware! [Click to remove]

AdBlock

Franker

Searchme Adware! [Click to remove]

Ebay Shopping Assistant Adware! [Click to remove]

Translate

Turn Off the Lights

VimeoEmbiggener

YoutubeWide

BuiltWith

3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️

3ivx MPEG-4 [Click for support]

Adobe Version Cue CS3 [Click for support]

Flash Player [Click for support]

Flip4Mac WMV [Click for support]

iStat menus [Click for support]

Java [Click for support]

TrackballWorks [Click for support]

Kensington MouseWorks [Click for support]

Native Instruments USB Audio [Click for support]

SteerMouse [Click for support]

StuffIt AVR [Click for support]

Time Machine: ℹ️ (I don't use this)

Skip System Files: NO

Auto backup: YES

Volumes being backed up:

Destinations:

Time [Local]

Total size: 0 B

Total number of backups: 0

Oldest backup: -

Last backup: -

Size of backup disk: Excellent

Backup size 0 B > (Disk size 0 B X 3)

Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️

54% mdworker(4)

4% WindowServer

0% taskgated

0% SystemUIServer

0% askpermissiond

Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️

518 MB kernel_task

115 MB mdworker(4)

74 MB Dock

74 MB Finder

57 MB mds_stores

Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️

1.28 GB Free RAM

2.72 GB Used RAM

0 B Swap Used

Diagnostics Information: ℹ️

May 27, 2015, 12:58:25 AM Self test - passed

May 26, 2015, 10:03:57 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Mail_2015-05-26-220357_[redacted].hang

May 26, 2015, 01:55:14 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.WebKit.Plugin.64_2015-05-26-135514_[r edacted].hang

May 26, 2015, 11:56:28 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.preference.security. remoteservice_2015-05-26-115628_[redacted].crash

May 26, 2015, 12:14:37 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/PTPCamera_2015-05-26-001437_[r edacted].crash

And here are the Disk Utility results:

Warning: SUID file “System/Library/CoreServices/RemoteManagement/ARDAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/ARDAg ent” has been modified and will not be repaired.ACL found but not expected on “Library/Printers”ACL found but not expected on “Library/Printers/PPDs”ACL found but not expected on “Users”User differs on “private/var/db/displaypolicyd”; should be 0; user is 244.Group differs on “private/var/db/displaypolicyd”; should be 0; group is 244.

Permissions verification complete

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Answer 6

Drew Reece

Level 6

10,660 points

May 26, 2015 6:00 PM in response to inknpaper

Please try the user permissions repair that I posted earlier. Disk Utility's permissions repair does not touch user permissions at all.

I suspect you need to resolve the permissions issues before you can look at the rest of it. Have you got a current backup?

Your EtreCheck report is concerning…

There are several adware extensions installed - remove them all from Safari.

See http://adwaremedic.com/ and http://thesafemac.com/for more info, or follow Apples adware removal guide…

Remove unwanted adware that displays pop-up ads and graphics on your Mac - Apple Support

Spigot search protection seems to be dubious to me - what does it do for you?

Re-check these are gone after you follow any removal steps.

Flash Player needs an update, remove it if you don't use it, it can be a security risk.

Your hosts file has an entry - do you know what that is for? It can be a change made from malicious software.

There are lots of kernel extensions that may need updates. Are you sure you need 2 or 3 different 'mouse controller' softwares? It's worth looking for updates if they have been installed for a while.

The recent crash logs are disconcerting, hopefully they are due to the user permissions issues.

Are you really sure you do not want to clean install? Backing up & starting over is a good way to clear out the older junk, especially because you have adware & other dubious software installed (it begs the questions what else have you installed over time & where are you getting this junk from?). You will need to avoid migrating the Applications but your user data may be OK to migrate after you remove the installed adware.

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Answer 7

inknpaper Author

Level 1

23 points

May 27, 2015 4:03 AM in response to Drew Reece

Hi Drew,

I wanted to upload the EtreCheck report before I went to bed last night (it was late) and that's why I didn't try your first suggestion, of which I am about to perform this afternoon.

To answer your question, there was only ONE StartupItems folder, and that was located here: System / Library

There wasn't a StartupItems within my user folder, or anywhere else.

There is another Library folder here: HD / Library but I'm confused as to what that is if there is another one located within the System folder.

I'll get back to you later, but I appreciate everyone's advice thus far.

Cheers.

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Answer 8

Drew Reece

Level 6

10,660 points

May 27, 2015 7:52 AM in response to inknpaper

/Library/ is the path where third parties install items. /System is intended for Apple only stuff, but sometimes third parties add items to that location.

Startup items have been deprecated by Apple for a few years and developers should have moved over to alternative methods by now. They can indicate that software is out of date (look for updates). Ideally you remove all pieces of the apps via their own removal tools or instructions.

The report doesn't list any, so you may not have any startup items now. Grab a screenshot or record the error message if it reappears on reboot.

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Answer 9

Eric Root

Level 10

684,057 points

May 27, 2015 1:55 PM in response to inknpaper

Startup - Mac OS X v10.6 or later: "Insecure Startup Items folder" message appears after logging in

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