Dialog From Hell: Your network settings have been changed by another app - Page 2

dubbadan · 03-03-2009, 05:43 AM

worked for me too, thanks! it does seem like an odd solution to the recurring dialog problem, but that said, i am soooo relieved.

)

EMEK · 05-06-2009, 07:12 PM

Requiring an admin password to make changes worked for me but later when I switched from broadband (DSL) to dial-up temporarily the same problem arose with the inbuilt modem unable to connect ( iBook G4 Tiger 10.4.1.1) The "Require password to unlock secure..." in Security prefs was still checked, so after a bit of puzzlement I just deleted the dialup connection entries in Network PPP and in the Internet Connect box -user name, password, dial-up number. Then selected Apply changes. Then did a restart. Then re-entered the dial-up account info. Apply changes. Then the dialup worked. Here's hoping it holds!

ganbustein · 05-07-2009, 09:32 PM

We've been having an interesting discussion of this issue over on MacFixit Forums. The gist of it is that the problem arose because Apple stopped doing something stupid.

The stupid thing they used to do is store your PPP login password (in the clear) in the preference file used by the Network panel of System Preferences. Then along came a security update that made it so they would start storing the password in the Keychain, instead.

But there's a bug in the migration path. When you go to the Network pane, they see the plaintext password there, realize they should move it, and then somehow get the idea that someone else must have changed your settings. They tell you about that, and then re-read the preferences file to make sure they're starting from the same page as that "someone else". The plaintext password is still there, so they realize they should move it, and ... well, you get the idea.

If the padlock is locked when you open Network, they see the plaintext password but know they don't have authorization to change it, so they keep mum. That's how you keep out of the loop.

Setting "Require password to change secure system settings" helps, because it means the padlock is always locked when you launch System Preferences. That makes it more likely that it's already locked when you go the Network pane, but it's the being locked that's the important thing, not the setting of "Require password...".

You can remove the plaintext password from the preferences by unchecking "Remember password" on the PPP (or PPPoE) subpane where it appears. You can immediately re-enter the password if you wish; the new password will be stored in the keychain where it belongs.

You have to do this in every panel that has a "Remember password" checkbox. A single plaintext password anywhere in your Network settings can potentially trigger the dialog loop. It does not have to be in your active location.

But you only have to do it once for each plaintext password. Once you can get to Network with the padlock unlocked, and get no dialog, you know your settings are clean.

If you can't remember the password, it's probably the same as your email password for the same service provider. Look in the keychain for your email password. (Use Keychain Access in /Applications/Utilities to browse your keychain. You'll need to know the keychain password to be able to view your other passwords.)

The MFIF thread mentioned above discusses other ways to retrieve your password using Terminal commands, even from a non-admin account. The fact that that was even possible is the security hole that the Security Patch was trying to plug.

hayne · 05-07-2009, 10:34 PM

Thanks for the info, ganbustein.
It would seem from what you say, that another way of fixing the problem would be to go into /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration and rename the file "preferences.plist" - wouldn't that prevent the loop you describe?
Of course that would result in all of your network preferences being gone so you'd need to fill them all in again.

ganbustein · 05-08-2009, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hayne


	Thanks for the info, ganbustein. It would seem from what you say, that another way of fixing the problem would be to go into /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration and rename the file "preferences.plist" - wouldn't that prevent the loop you describe? Of course that would result in all of your network preferences being gone so you'd need to fill them all in again.

Yes on both counts. I'm of the belief that simply re-entering a few passwords is a LOT less work than re-entering everything (including those very same passwords) from scratch.

wendell · 05-16-2009, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AHunter3


	Sounds like two unrelated issues. Mine was with the Security Update and while I can't swear that everyone who gets messed up by that gets their problem solved by adding the pw requirement to any change of secure system prefs, it certainly worked for me. For the heck of it I downloaded DNS Changer Removal Tool but it confirmed I didn't have it on my system.

Mine was with the Security Update also. I run Tiger 10.4.11 on an iMac PowerPC G4.

lolcaption · 11-14-2009, 12:10 AM

Hi All,

I had this same problem recently and just found a way to fix it so I thought I'd post it here.

Go to Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration and delete the following (suggest make copies to the desktop first if in doubt):

com.apple.airport.preferences.plist
NetworkInterfaces.plist
preferences.plist
com.apple.nat.plist

All these files will regenerate as necessary when the associated system features are accessed. If you're using Airport or Internet Sharing you'll have to reestablish the appropriate settings, because these will have been lost when the preferences files are removed.

Thanks to Maddog who originally found the fix.

---
iPhone 3GS - G4 Windtunnel - Macbook Unibody
Sites I run: LOLCaption.com

05-06-2009, 07:12 PM	#22
EMEK Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 1	Network Settings Changed Requiring an admin password to make changes worked for me but later when I switched from broadband (DSL) to dial-up temporarily the same problem arose with the inbuilt modem unable to connect ( iBook G4 Tiger 10.4.1.1) The "Require password to unlock secure..." in Security prefs was still checked, so after a bit of puzzlement I just deleted the dialup connection entries in Network PPP and in the Internet Connect box -user name, password, dial-up number. Then selected Apply changes. Then did a restart. Then re-entered the dial-up account info. Apply changes. Then the dialup worked. Here's hoping it holds!

05-07-2009, 10:34 PM	#24
hayne Site Admin Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Montreal Posts: 32,473	Thanks for the info, ganbustein. It would seem from what you say, that another way of fixing the problem would be to go into /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration and rename the file "preferences.plist" - wouldn't that prevent the loop you describe? Of course that would result in all of your network preferences being gone so you'd need to fill them all in again. __________________ hayne.net/macosx.html

11-14-2009, 12:10 AM	#27
lolcaption Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 1	Solution Hi All, I had this same problem recently and just found a way to fix it so I thought I'd post it here. Go to Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration and delete the following (suggest make copies to the desktop first if in doubt): com.apple.airport.preferences.plist NetworkInterfaces.plist preferences.plist com.apple.nat.plist All these files will regenerate as necessary when the associated system features are accessed. If you're using Airport or Internet Sharing you'll have to reestablish the appropriate settings, because these will have been lost when the preferences files are removed. Thanks to Maddog who originally found the fix. --- iPhone 3GS - G4 Windtunnel - Macbook Unibody Sites I run: LOLCaption.com

03-03-2009, 05:43 AM	#21
dubbadan Prospect Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 3	worked for me too, thanks! it does seem like an odd solution to the recurring dialog problem, but that said, i am soooo relieved. )

05-07-2009, 09:32 PM	#23
ganbustein MVP Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Berkeley CA USA Posts: 1,205	We've been having an interesting discussion of this issue over on MacFixit Forums. The gist of it is that the problem arose because Apple stopped doing something stupid. The stupid thing they used to do is store your PPP login password (in the clear) in the preference file used by the Network panel of System Preferences. Then along came a security update that made it so they would start storing the password in the Keychain, instead. But there's a bug in the migration path. When you go to the Network pane, they see the plaintext password there, realize they should move it, and then somehow get the idea that someone else must have changed your settings. They tell you about that, and then re-read the preferences file to make sure they're starting from the same page as that "someone else". The plaintext password is still there, so they realize they should move it, and ... well, you get the idea. If the padlock is locked when you open Network, they see the plaintext password but know they don't have authorization to change it, so they keep mum. That's how you keep out of the loop. Setting "Require password to change secure system settings" helps, because it means the padlock is always locked when you launch System Preferences. That makes it more likely that it's already locked when you go the Network pane, but it's the being locked that's the important thing, not the setting of "Require password...". You can remove the plaintext password from the preferences by unchecking "Remember password" on the PPP (or PPPoE) subpane where it appears. You can immediately re-enter the password if you wish; the new password will be stored in the keychain where it belongs. You have to do this in every panel that has a "Remember password" checkbox. A single plaintext password anywhere in your Network settings can potentially trigger the dialog loop. It does not have to be in your active location. But you only have to do it once for each plaintext password. Once you can get to Network with the padlock unlocked, and get no dialog, you know your settings are clean. If you can't remember the password, it's probably the same as your email password for the same service provider. Look in the keychain for your email password. (Use Keychain Access in /Applications/Utilities to browse your keychain. You'll need to know the keychain password to be able to view your other passwords.) The MFIF thread mentioned above discusses other ways to retrieve your password using Terminal commands, even from a non-admin account. The fact that that was even possible is the security hole that the Security Patch was trying to plug.