dcysurfer

Q: Location Services stopped with 10.11.4 fresh install

I completed a fresh install of 10.11.4 only to find that Location Services are no longer available (Maps, Weather, System Services). I've toggled "Enable Location Services" off and on numerous times in an attempt to activate the service but still no joy. In the Time Zone panel, selecting "Set time zone automatically using current location" immediately gets an "Unable to determine current location at this time" error.

 

My other computers running 10.11.4 (they were auto-updated from 10.11.3, i.e. not a fresh install of 10.11.4) don't have this problem and still have access to Location Services.

 

Has anyone else experienced this problem and found a solution?

 

TIA

Macintosh Plus, Mac OS 8.6 or Earlier, Mac user since 1986

Posted on Mar 24, 2016 3:54 PM

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Q: Location Services stopped with 10.11.4 fresh install

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  • by Carolyn Samit,

    Carolyn Samit Carolyn Samit Mar 24, 2016 3:58 PM in response to dcysurfer
    Level 10 (121,995 points)
    Apple Music
    Mar 24, 2016 3:58 PM in response to dcysurfer

    Make sure your Time Zone is set correctly >  About Location Services in OS X and Safari

  • by dcysurfer,

    dcysurfer dcysurfer Mar 24, 2016 4:01 PM in response to Carolyn Samit
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 24, 2016 4:01 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

    Yup, I've done all that and still no joy.

  • by dcysurfer,

    dcysurfer dcysurfer Mar 24, 2016 5:36 PM in response to dcysurfer
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 24, 2016 5:36 PM in response to dcysurfer

    Update: I've completed another clean install of 10.11.4 (using install version 10.11.4.1 from the App Store) and the problem with Location Services still exists.

     

    The locationd is talking to Apple's gs-loc.apple.com server (Diagnostic and Usage logs and Little Snitch confirm this activity).

  • by Duane,

    Duane Duane Mar 24, 2016 5:53 PM in response to dcysurfer
    Level 10 (124,018 points)
    Mar 24, 2016 5:53 PM in response to dcysurfer

    Just to confirm, you are connected via WiFi... correct?

     

    Location services only works if you are connected via WiFi. About Location Services in OS X and Safari - Apple Support

  • by dcysurfer,

    dcysurfer dcysurfer Mar 24, 2016 6:03 PM in response to Duane
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 24, 2016 6:03 PM in response to Duane

    Yes, my Wi-Fi is up and running as detailed in the support document HT204690.

     

    Just to mention again, this problem is specific to a clean install of 10.11.4. My other computers running the auto-updated 10.11.4 don't exhibit this problem, they are utilising Location Services just fine in all Apps and System Services.

  • by Duane,

    Duane Duane Mar 24, 2016 6:06 PM in response to dcysurfer
    Level 10 (124,018 points)
    Mar 24, 2016 6:06 PM in response to dcysurfer

    Just to be crystal clear... please confirm that this Mac is connected to the network via WiFi.

     

    It is not enough to have a WiFi network, the Mac must be connected to the network via WiFi.

  • by dcysurfer,

    dcysurfer dcysurfer Mar 24, 2016 6:17 PM in response to Duane
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 24, 2016 6:17 PM in response to Duane

    Yes, all the machines are connected to a network via Wi-Fi. They have fully functional Location Services bar the one with the clean install of 10.11.4

     

    I've just installed 10.11.3 again on the affected machine and Location Services are working. This a problem with clean installing 10.11.4.

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Mar 24, 2016 6:21 PM in response to dcysurfer
    Level 10 (207,963 points)
    Applications
    Mar 24, 2016 6:21 PM in response to dcysurfer

    First, Wi-Fi must be turned on, but you don't have to be connected to a Wi-Fi network for Location Services to work.

    Please read this whole message before doing anything.

    This procedure is a diagnostic test. It’s unlikely to solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.

    The purpose of the test is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party software that loads automatically at startup or login, by a peripheral device, by a font conflict, or by corruption of the file system or of certain system caches.

    Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards, if applicable. Start up in safe mode and log in to the account with the problem.

    Note: If FileVault is enabled in OS X 10.9 or earlier, or if a firmware password is set, or if the startup volume is a software RAID, you can’t do this. Ask for further instructions.

    Safe mode is much slower to start up and run than normal, with limited graphics performance, and some things won’t work at all, including sound output and Wi-Fi on certain models. The next normal startup may also be somewhat slow.

    The login screen appears even if you usually login automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.

    Test while in safe mode. Same problem?

    After testing, restart as usual (not in safe mode) and verify that you still have the problem. Post the results of the test.

  • by dcysurfer,

    dcysurfer dcysurfer Mar 24, 2016 6:45 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 24, 2016 6:45 PM in response to Linc Davis

    Cheers for the reply. I can confirm that after a restart in Safe Mode the problem still existed, no Location Services (locationd loaded and was visible in both Activity Monitor and Console logs). It was the one of the first diagnostic procedures I tried.

     

    Just as a footnote: no third party software was installed, just OS X straight from the install process. I used Little Snitch to aid diagnostics after the problem presented itself.

  • by Duane,

    Duane Duane Mar 24, 2016 6:49 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 10 (124,018 points)
    Mar 24, 2016 6:49 PM in response to Linc Davis

    Linc Davis wrote:

     

    First, Wi-Fi must be turned on, but you don't have to be connected to a Wi-Fi network for Location Services to work.

    ...

    Thanks for the correction.

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Mar 24, 2016 6:56 PM in response to dcysurfer
    Level 10 (207,963 points)
    Applications
    Mar 24, 2016 6:56 PM in response to dcysurfer

    1. This procedure is a diagnostic test. It changes nothing, for better or worse, and therefore will not, in itself, solve the problem. But with the aid of the test results, the solution may take a few minutes, instead of hours or days.

    The test works on OS X 10.8 ("Mountain Lion") and later. I don't recommend running it on older versions of OS X. It will do no harm, but it won't do much good either.

    Don't be put off by the complexity of these instructions. The process is much less complicated than the description. You do harder tasks with the computer all the time.

    2. If you don't already have a current backup, please back up all data before doing anything else. The backup is necessary on general principle, not because of anything in the test procedure. Backup is always a must, and when you're having any kind of trouble with the computer, you may be at higher than usual risk of losing data, whether you follow these instructions or not.

    There are ways to back up a computer that isn't fully functional. Ask if you need guidance.

    3. Below are instructions to run a UNIX shell script, a type of program. As I wrote above, it changes nothing. It doesn't send or receive any data on the network. All it does is to generate a human-readable report on the state of the computer. That report goes nowhere unless you choose to share it. If you prefer, you can act on it yourself without disclosing the contents to me or anyone else.

    You should be wondering whether you can believe me, and whether it's safe to run a program at the behest of a stranger. In general, no, it's not safe and I don't encourage it.

    In this case, however, there are ways for you to decide whether the program is safe without having to trust me. First, you can read it. Unlike an application that you download and click to run, it's transparent, so anyone who understands the code can verify what it does.

    You may not be able to understand the script yourself. But variations of it have been posted on this website many times over a period of years. Any one of the millions of registered users could have read the script and raised the alarm if it was harmful. Then I would not be here now and you would not be reading this message. See, for example, this discussion.

    Nevertheless, if you can't satisfy yourself that these instructions are safe, don't follow them. Ask for other options.

    4. Here's a general summary of what you need to do, if you choose to proceed:

    ☞ Copy the text of a particular web page (not this one) to the Clipboard.

    ☞ Paste into the window of another application.

    ☞ Wait for the test to run. It usually takes a few minutes.

    ☞ Paste the results, which will have been copied automatically, back into a reply on this page.

    These are not specific instructions; just an overview. The details are in parts 7 and 8 of this comment. The sequence is: copy, paste, wait, paste again. You don't need to copy a second time.

    5. Try to test under conditions that reproduce the problem, as far as possible. For example, if the computer is intermittently slow, run the test during a slowdown.

    You may have started up in safe mode. If the system is now in safe mode and works well enough in normal mode to run the test, restart as usual before running it. If you can only test in safe mode, do that.

    6. If you have more than one user, and only one user is affected by the problem,, and the affected user is not an administrator, then please run the test twice: once while logged in as the affected user, and once as an administrator. The results may be different. The user that is created automatically on a new computer when you start it for the first time is an administrator. If you can't log in as an administrator, test as the affected user. Most personal Macs have only one user, and in that case this section doesn’t apply. Don't log in as root.

    7. Load this linked web page (on the website "Pastebin.") Press the key combination command-A to select all the text, then copy it to the Clipboard by pressing command-C.

    8. Launch the built-in Terminal application in any one of the following ways:

    ☞ Enter the first few letters of its name ("Terminal") into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)

    ☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.

    ☞ Open LaunchPad and start typing the name.

    Click anywhere in the Terminal window to activate it. Paste from the Clipboard into the window by pressing command-V, then press return. The text you pasted should vanish immediately.

    9. If you're logged in as an administrator, you'll be prompted for your login password. Nothing will be displayed when you type it. You will not see the usual dots in place of typed characters. Make sure caps lock is off. Type carefully and then press return. You may get a one-time warning to be careful. If you make three failed attempts to enter the password, the test will run anyway, but it will produce less information. If you don't know the password, or if you prefer not to enter it, just press return three times at the password prompt. Again, the script will still run.

    If the test is taking much longer than usual to run because the computer is very slow, you might be prompted for your password a second time. The authorization that you grant by entering it expires automatically after five minutes.

    If you're not logged in as an administrator, you won't be prompted for a password. The test will still run. It just won't do anything that requires administrator privileges.

    10. The test may take a few minutes to run, depending on how many files you have and the speed of the computer. A computer that's abnormally slow may take longer to run the test. While it's running, a series of lines will appear in the Terminal window like this:

        Test started
            Part 1 of 4 done at: … sec
            …
            Part 4 of 4 done at: … sec
        The test results are on the Clipboard.
        Please close this window.

    The intervals between parts won't be exactly equal, but they give a rough indication of progress.

    Wait for the final message "Please close this window" to appear—again, usually within a few minutes. If you don't see that message within about 30 minutes, the test probably won't complete in a reasonable time. In that case, press the key combination control-C or command-period to stop it. Then go to the next step. You'll have incomplete results, but still something.

    In order to get results, the test must either be allowed to complete or else manually stopped as above. If you close the Terminal window while the test is still running, the partial results won't be saved.

    11. When the test is complete, or if you stopped it manually, quit Terminal. The results will have been saved to the Clipboard automatically. They are not shown in the Terminal window. Please don't copy anything from there. All you have to do is start a reply to this comment and then paste by pressing command-V again.

    At the top of the results, there will be a line that begins with the words "Start time." If you don't see that, but instead see a mass of gibberish, you didn't wait for the "close this window" message. Please wait for it and try again.

    If any private information, such as your name or email address, appears in the results, anonymize it before posting. Usually that won't be necessary.

    12. When you post the results, you might see an error message on the web page: "You have included content in your post that is not permitted," or "The message contains invalid characters." That's a bug in the software that runs this website. Please post the test results on Pastebin, then post a link here to the page you created.

    If you have an account on Pastebin, please don't select Private from the Paste Exposure menu on the page, because then no one but you will be able to see it.

    13. When you're done with the test, it's gone. There is nothing to uninstall or clean up.

    14. This is a public forum, and others may give you advice based on the results of the test. They speak for themselves, not for me. The test itself is harmless, but whatever else you do may not be. For others who choose to run it, I don't recommend that you post the test results on this website unless I asked you to.

    15. The linked UNIX shell script bears a notice of copyright. Readers of ASC may copy it for their own personal use. Neither the whole nor any part may be redistributed.

  • by dcysurfer,

    dcysurfer dcysurfer Mar 24, 2016 7:16 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 24, 2016 7:16 PM in response to Linc Davis

    I'm in the process of installing 10.11.4 again and will post the results of your diagnostic script as quickly as I can.

     

    Cheers.

  • by dcysurfer,

    dcysurfer dcysurfer Mar 24, 2016 8:15 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 24, 2016 8:15 PM in response to Linc Davis

       1  Start time: 20:08:26 03/24/16

       2 

       3  Revision: 1550

       4 

       5  Model Identifier: iMac13,2

       6  Boot ROM Version: IM131.010A.B09

       7  System Version: OS X 10.11.4 (15E65)

       8  Kernel Version: Darwin 15.4.0

       9  Time since boot: 11 minutes

      10 

      11  USB

      12 

      13      Microsoft USB Optical Mouse (Microsoft Corporation)

      14 

      15  Bluetooth

      16 

      17      Apple Wireless Trackpad

      18 

      19  Energy impact, lifetime (relative)

      20 

      21      Terminal (UID 501): 17.76

      22      bash (UID 501): 15.25

      23 

      24  CPU usage, lifetime (ms/s)

      25 

      26      Terminal (UID 501): 180.54

      27      bash (UID 501): 152.55

      28 

      29  Memory (MB)

      30 

      31      kernel_task (UID 0): 1452

      32 

      33  LS schemes: No

      34 

      35  HID errors: 2

      36 

      37  Kernel log

      38 

      39      Mar 24 19:56:19 000001.347643 PRT2@14200000: AppleUSB20XHCIPort::resetAndCreateDevice: failed to create device, disabling port

      40      Mar 24 19:56:19 000001.438100 PRT4@14400000: AppleUSB20XHCIPort::resetAndCreateDevice: failed to create device, disabling port

      41      Mar 24 19:56:29 IO80211ControllerMonitor::configureSubscriptions() failed to add subscriptionIO80211Controller::start _controller is 0xafd220f21b82bc31, provider is 0xafd220efdbce4f31

      42      Mar 24 19:56:29 init: error getting PHY_MODE;  using MODE_UNKNOWN

      43      Mar 24 19:56:33 pci pause: SDXC

      44      Mar 24 19:57:08 Process launchd [1] disabling system-wide I/O Throttling

      45      Mar 24 19:57:08 Process launchd [1] disabling system-wide CPU Throttling

      46      Mar 24 19:57:24 000001.582055 PRT2@14200000: AppleUSB20XHCIPort::resetAndCreateDevice: failed to create device, disabling port

      47      Mar 24 19:57:24 000001.672636 PRT4@14400000: AppleUSB20XHCIPort::resetAndCreateDevice: failed to create device, disabling port

      48      Mar 24 19:57:33 IO80211ControllerMonitor::configureSubscriptions() failed to add subscriptionIO80211Controller::start _controller is 0xe76fa7ce91febe03, provider is 0xe76fa7cc52ec1203

      49      Mar 24 19:57:34 init: error getting PHY_MODE;  using MODE_UNKNOWN

      50      Mar 24 19:57:51 pci pause: SDXC

      51      Mar 24 19:59:26 AppleKeyStore: operation failed (pid: 292 sel: 7 ret: e00002bc '-536870212')

      52      Mar 24 19:59:26 AppleKeyStore: operation failed (pid: 291 sel: 7 ret: e00002bc '-536870212')

      53      Mar 24 19:59:26 AppleKeyStore: operation failed (pid: 292 sel: 7 ret: e00002bc '-536870212')

      54      Mar 24 19:59:26 AppleKeyStore: operation failed (pid: 291 sel: 7 ret: e00002bc '-536870212')

      55 

      56  System log

      57 

      58      Mar 24 20:01:02 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 5 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 22

      59      Mar 24 20:01:04 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 11 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 22

      60      Mar 24 20:01:04 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 10 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 22

      61      Mar 24 20:01:04 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 9 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 22

      62      Mar 24 20:01:04 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 6 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 22

      63      Mar 24 20:01:12 WindowServer: _CGXRemoveWindowFromWindowMovementGroup: window 0x94 is not attached to window 0x95

      64      Mar 24 20:01:13 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 19 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 22

      65      Mar 24 20:01:33 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 14 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 32

      66      Mar 24 20:01:33 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 16 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 32

      67      Mar 24 20:01:33 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 17 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 32

      68      Mar 24 20:01:33 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 18 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 32

      69      Mar 24 20:01:41 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 13 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 32

      70      Mar 24 20:01:46 cloudphotosd: Failed to open '/Users/USER/Library/Containers/com.apple.cloudphotosd/Data/Library/Preferences /com.apple.cloudphotosd.plist' for events

      71      Mar 24 20:06:14 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 8 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 22

      72      Mar 24 20:06:14 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 7 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 22

      73      Mar 24 20:06:14 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 6 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 22

      74      Mar 24 20:06:14 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 2 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 22

      75      Mar 24 20:06:29 WindowServer: _CGXRemoveWindowFromWindowMovementGroup: window 0xa3 is not attached to window 0xa4

      76      Mar 24 20:06:29 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 37 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 22

      77      Mar 24 20:06:54 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 26 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 32

      78      Mar 24 20:06:54 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 27 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 32

      79      Mar 24 20:06:54 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 29 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 32

      80      Mar 24 20:06:54 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 28 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 32

      81      Mar 24 20:06:54 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 30 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 32

      82      Mar 24 20:06:57 Safari: tcp_connection_tls_session_error_callback_imp 23 __tcp_connection_tls_session_callback_write_block_invoke.434 error 32

      83 

      84  launchd log

      85 

      86      Mar 24 19:56:18 com.apple.airplaydiagnostics.server: Unrecognized MachService property: ResetAtClose

      87      Mar 24 19:56:42 com.apple.xpc.launchd.user.domain.248.100008.Aqua: Could not import service from caller: path = /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.FirmwareUpdateHelper.plist, caller = loginwindow.71, error = 138: Service cannot be loaded on this hardware

      88      Mar 24 19:57:23 com.apple.airplaydiagnostics.server: Unrecognized MachService property: ResetAtClose

      89      Mar 24 19:57:47 com.apple.xpc.launchd.user.domain.248.100008.Aqua: Could not import service from caller: path = /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.FirmwareUpdateHelper.plist, caller = loginwindow.83, error = 138: Service cannot be loaded on this hardware

      90      Mar 24 19:59:15 com.apple.xpc.launchd.user.domain.501.100016.Aqua: Could not import service from caller: path = /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.FirmwareUpdateHelper.plist, caller = loginwindow.348, error = 138: Service cannot be loaded on this hardware

      91 

      92  Console log

      93 

      94      Mar 24 19:59:25 fontd: Failed to open read-only database, regenerating DB

      95 

      96  System services loaded

      97 

      98      com.apple.logd

      99      - status: 1

    100      com.apple.watchdogd

    101 

    102  iCloud errors

    103 

    104      cloudd 7

    105      cloudphotosd 2

    106 

    107  Continuity errors

    108 

    109      sharingd 1

    110 

    111  Restrictive permissions: 2

    112 

    113  Bundles

    114 

    115      /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/Quartz Composer.webplugin

    116      - com.apple.QuartzComposer.webplugin

    117      - Software Signing

    118 

    119  Non-loading kernel extensions

    120 

    121      /System/Library/Extensions/AppleOSXUSBNCM.kext

    122      - com.apple.driver.AppleOSXUSBNCM

    123      - Software Signing

    124 

    125  Elapsed time (sec): 190

  • by JosueK,

    JosueK JosueK Mar 24, 2016 8:16 PM in response to dcysurfer
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 24, 2016 8:16 PM in response to dcysurfer

    I have the same issue with location service, since update to El Capitan the first thing stopped working was "airdrop" and now (10.11.4) "location", as far I tested the problem persist no matter if is a new install or update from Yosemite, the location services and airdrop always stop working, in fact the location works partially, sometimes works a few minutes and then stop and sometimes doesn't work at all.

    Right now I'm running Yosemite and location and airdrop are working fine all the time, so for me this issue is software related.

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