Charles on… anything that comes along

So I posted previously about how OSX loses it mind: I can’t connect to the internet, can’t launch new applications (they just bounce endlessly in the Dock), my username - according to Activity Monitor - becomes “???”, services in the Terminal such as ping don’t work (even to local services, like the router), yet Appleshare does work. Trying to launch a new Terminal window gives the result seen in the picture. As I’m an administrator already, the only one who could have set my shell to an illegal value is root.

There have been plenty of comments, but having eliminated the possibility that it’s Menu Extra Enabler (let off: other people have similar problems but don’t have it installed) and .Mac’s keychain synchronisation (Eric sees this problem but doesn’t have it) and corrupted Keychain preferences (because how would that stop internet access?), we’re left with the most likely culprit: lookupd. Which, hey, runs with root privileges, and so could mess around with my “user id”. (While not preventing me doing things like taking screenshots..)

And there’s a thorny problem. It’s got a longstanding bug - known about since 2002, given the existence of the partial solution, unlockupd. Eric’s explanation -

My guess is that lookupd has gotten wedged in this scenario. Normally, if it crashes, it will exit and restart, because it is controlled by launchd. Sometimes, however, it will stop working, but not cleanly exit, meaning that it never gets respawned.

Lookupd mediates DNS lookups as well as connecting to Apple’s authentication system to log in to local resources. So, it fits with most of the symptoms. The AppleShare connection is governed by an external authentication system, so that is probably why it still works.

The intriguing thing is why more people don’t see this. Are there some circumstances that get in the way of lookupd dying cleanly, or restarting?

Simple. And all it needs is for Apple to fix it.

..tumbleweed..

..well, it’s been around since 2002 and nobody’s, you know, died. Can’t be that urgent, right?

These posts might be related (the database thinks..):
• When OSX loses its mind: passwords don't work, internet dead, but Appletalk OK (29 December 2006; score: 68.34%)
• Why is nmblookup the kiss of death for OSX? (31 July 2007; score: 40.14%)
• How I learnt to stop worrying about reinstalling Tiger and stopped the March of Doom (21 June 2006; score: 39.34%)