# Insecure Startup Items



## leuca (Jul 15, 2010)

On startup I get the following displayed several times in succession (each time clicking on OK)

Insecure Startup Item Disabled
"/Library/Startupitems/.DS_Store" has not been started because it does not have the proper security settings

This is clearly MacPro HD/Library ... there is no Home/Library/Startupitems

If there is a .DS_Store, I can't see it, perhaps because it is a hidden file?

I am seeing some inconsistent and non-repeatable events which could be related.

Please help


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## DeltaMac (Jul 15, 2010)

The leading dot (.) in the file name tells you the file is hidden.
And, the file simply stores OS X folder settings for that folder, and is not any type of startup file. The system should ignore it as a startup file.
You can make that file visible a variety of different methods, and remove it.
What other problems are you having?
Sounds like you might have your security settings just a tad too tight.


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## ex2bot (Jul 16, 2010)

This is a security feature. The directory is protected. This prevents program from launching themselves in this hidden manner without authentication. Sounds like someone viewed that directory, creating a .DS_Store. This file is used by Finder to save view preferences for a folder (I believe).

You can use Terminal to delete the .DS_Store. 

Be careful with Terminal, and especially with the rm command:

1. Run "Terminal". Search for it using the magnifying glass in the upper right corner (Spotlight).

2. Wait for the prompt "something$".

3. Type:

cd /Library/StartupItems/              [and then press the Return key]
(*must* be capitalized as shown above)

4. type

ls -al                                           [press Return]

5. You should see .DS_Store as one of the files listed.

6. Type (*caution* type it exactly as below):

rm -i .DS_Store [press Return]

7. That's it. The "rm" command will delete the .DS_Store", first asking for your confirmation. (If it tries to delete anything else, press and hold the Control key and then press C. The -i flag asks for confirmation before deleting, to avoid possible disasters.) Press Command-Q to quit Terminal.


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## leuca (Jul 16, 2010)

OK. Prior to looking at your reply on this site I did the following.
1. Used Onyx to make invisible file visible.
2. Had an aha moment and looked in the logs to find that a file HP<something> was not owned by uid(0). 
3. Opened the offending directory and deleted .DS_store which immediately reappeared.
4. Booted from the installation DVD and did Repair Disk and Repair Disk Permissions.

No change.

Odd errors happening have been cursor freezing - it could be moved but clicking did not happen. Also did not raise dock. Sometimes could not get to System Preference. Sometimes could, but mouse click did nothing.
Also (intermittent) had to do hard (power) shutdown.


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## ex2bot (Jul 16, 2010)

Finder creates .DS_Store, so if you delete it then use Finder to open a window to that folder, Finder creates another .DS_Store. Following my directions should remove it for good. Just don't go to that folder in Finder.

As for the rest of your issues, can you think of anything you may have done just before the mouse/syspref issues began? I can think of troubleshooting ideas to attempt to resolve the issues, but I'm not sure of the cause.

The first thing I'd do (assuming you can get into System Preferences) would be to create another administrator account. Then try booting from that account. No issues in this account would mean the problem is in your main account's files. That would help us narrow down the problem.

I'm using my iPad now (slow typing), but I'll try to post again from my Mac so I can go into more detail.


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## leuca (Jul 16, 2010)

New admin account made no difference. Deleted .DS_store with Terminal and restarted. Messaged still occur. Digging around the logs I found this wich may, or may not be significant. NOTABLY a new version of VirtualBox has been installed, but I would hesitate to blame it given all the other erros here. I hope this is not too indigestible.

17/07/10 10:43:58 AM	com.apple.loginwindow[12544]	2010-07-17 10:43:58.454 loginwindow[12544:107] Error loading /Library/QuickTime/DivX Decoder.component/Contents/MacOS/DivX Decoder:  dlopen(/Library/QuickTime/DivX Decoder.component/Contents/MacOS/DivX Decoder, 262): no suitable image found.  Did find:
17/07/10 10:43:58 AM	com.apple.loginwindow[12544]		/Library/QuickTime/DivX Decoder.component/Contents/MacOS/DivX Decoder: no matching architecture in universal wrapper

<this repeats many times> then

17/07/10 10:44:03 AM	com.apple.notifyd[11]	EV_DELETE failed for file watcher 135
17/07/10 10:44:03 AM	com.apple.notifyd[11]	EV_DELETE failed for file watcher 125
17/07/10 10:44:03 AM	com.apple.notifyd[11]	EV_DELETE failed for file watcher 126
17/07/10 10:44:03 AM	com.apple.notifyd[11]	EV_DELETE failed for file watcher 131

<and maybe here's the culprit>

17/07/10 10:51:23 AM	com.apple.SystemStarter[23]	Starting HP IO Monitor
17/07/10 10:51:23 AM	com.apple.SystemStarter[23]	/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxDD2GC.gc => /Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxDD2GC.gc-x86
17/07/10 10:51:23 AM	com.apple.SystemStarter[23]	/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxDDGC.gc => /Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxDDGC.gc-x86
17/07/10 10:51:23 AM	com.apple.SystemStarter[23]	/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxHeadless => /Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxHeadless-x86
17/07/10 10:51:23 AM	com.apple.SystemStarter[23]	/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxManage => /Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxManage-x86
17/07/10 10:51:23 AM	com.apple.SystemStarter[23]	/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxNetAdpCtl => /Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxNetAdpCtl-x86
17/07/10 10:51:23 AM	com.apple.SystemStarter[23]	/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxNetDHCP => /Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxNetDHCP-x86
17/07/10 10:51:23 AM	com.apple.SystemStarter[23]	/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxSVC => /Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxSVC-x86
17/07/10 10:51:23 AM	com.apple.SystemStarter[23]	/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxXPCOMIPCD => /Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxXPCOMIPCD-x86
17/07/10 10:51:23 AM	com.apple.SystemStarter[23]	/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VMMGC.gc => /Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VMMGC.gc-x86
17/07/10 10:51:23 AM	com.apple.SystemStarter[23]	/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VirtualBox => /Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VirtualBox-x86
17/07/10 10:51:23 AM	com.apple.SystemStarter[23]	/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VirtualBoxVM => /Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VirtualBoxVM-x86
17/07/10 10:51:23 AM	com.apple.SystemStarter[23]	/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/vboxwebsrv => /Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/vboxwebsrv-x86
17/07/10 10:51:23 AM	com.apple.SystemStarter[23]	Loading VBoxDrv.kext
17/07/10 10:51:23 AM	com.apple.SystemStarter[23]	Loading VBoxUSB.kext
17/07/10 10:51:23 AM	com.apple.SystemStarter[23]	Starting HP Trap Monitor
17/07/10 10:51:23 AM	com.apple.SystemStarter[23]	/Library/StartupItems/HP Trap Monitor/HP Trap Monitor: line 15: /Library/Printers/hp/hpio/HPIO Trap Monitor.app/Contents/MacOS/HPIO Trap Monitor: No such file or directory
17/07/10 10:51:23 AM	com.apple.SystemStarter[23]	Loading VBoxNetFlt.kext
17/07/10 10:51:24 AM	com.apple.SystemStarter[23]	Loading VBoxNetAdp.kext
17/07/10 10:51:25 AM	com.apple.WindowServer[79]	Sat Jul 17 10:51:25 Macintosh.local WindowServer[79] <Error>: kCGErrorFailure: Set a breakpoint @ CGErrorBreakpoint() to catch errors as they are logged.
17/07/10 10:51:26 AM	com.apple.notifyd[11]	EV_DELETE failed for file watcher 26
17/07/10 10:51:26 AM	com.apple.notifyd[11]	EV_DELETE failed for file watcher 16
17/07/10 10:51:26 AM	com.apple.notifyd[11]	EV_DELETE failed for file watcher 17
17/07/10 10:51:26 AM	com.apple.notifyd[11]	EV_DELETE failed for file watcher 22
17/07/10 10:52:40 AM	com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[222]	(com.apple.ReportCrash) Falling back to default Mach exception handler. Could not find: com.apple.ReportCrash.Self

<later,many like this>
17/07/10 10:53:54 AM	Console[298]	Error loading /Users/robertwright/Library/ScriptingAdditions/Property List Tools.osax/Contents/MacOS/Property List Tools:  dlopen(/Users/robertwright/Library/ScriptingAdditions/Property List Tools.osax/Contents/MacOS/Property List Tools, 262): no suitable image found.  Did find:
	/Users/robertwright/Library/ScriptingAdditions/Property List Tools.osax/Contents/MacOS/Property List Tools: no matching architecture in universal wrapper


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## ex2bot (Jul 17, 2010)

It wouldn't hurt to temporarily uninstall VirtalBox (but back up first!) as well as the HP printer software. VirtualBox is using kernel extension(s), which may possibly be causing you problems. Have you checked your hard drive with a good hard drive utility such as DiskWarrior? DiskWarrior will check all files for you, and it can also rebuild the hard drive's directory.

Even on a system that's running fine, you'll see errors in the logs. There's always a few errors scolding Microsoft for using an obsolete system call, for example. But with your unresponsive mouse, it solids like a system file or files is missing or damaged.

Since you're having some unusual OS issues, I'd recommend (after a filesystem check) reinstalling OS X. Back up first. If you have 10.6 "Snow Leopard", just reinstall. Put in the system or OS disc, double-click on it and follow directions. If you're using 10.5, make sure you select the "archive and install" option.


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## DeltaMac (Jul 17, 2010)

Found this thread about the 'Insecure Startup Items ...' message that you see.
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=10196341


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## ex2bot (Jul 17, 2010)

Yeah, Septicdeath offered a solution people thanked him for:

        quote:
"yes, using unix/bsd command 'chown' (change ownership) can be  used, if you know unix its a couple simple cmds, but its just as easy to  navigate finder to \Library and do a get info on the 'startup items'  folder (which should still have correct permissions of system: r/w,  wheel ro, everyone ro, if this is the case, unlock the functions by  clicking on the lock in the get info window, and use the drop down of  'Apply to enclosed items' which will change everything in it to the  correct settings.         "

Leuca, please let us know whether you're able to follow these directions.


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