Program unable to obtain user’s home folder

Originator:textmate
Number:rdar://10261043 Date Originated:10-Oct-2011
Status:Duplicate/9821898 Resolved:No
Product:Mac OS X Product Version:10.7.2
Classification:Other Bug Reproducible:Unable
 
Programs that access user’s home folder via getpwuid() sometimes get back NULL pointer.

When this happens the user has to reboot to fix the issue and all programs on the system seems affected.

This happened occasionally prior to 10.6, I have never seen it happen on 10.6 (for me or user reports) but it seems to be back in 10.7.1 and 10.7.2 and the frequency might even be higher than prior to 10.6.

This is the code I presently use to obtain user’s home folder:

    std::string home ()
    {
        passwd* entry = getpwuid(getuid());
        if(!entry || !entry->pw_dir || access(entry->pw_dir, R_OK) != 0)
        {
            fprintf(stderr, "%s: abort due to missing home folder.\n", getprogname());
            abort();
        }
        return entry->pw_dir;
    }

Unfortunately the abort() is triggered for some users (on 10.7+).

Comments

2 desktop HDDs connected along with internal HDD

Just happened to me for the first time, as I was waking up from sleep. Normally, it's just my main HDD (2.5" 500GB spinning disk) and a Time Machine disk via FW, and I never had problems. Today, I connected up an extra disk via FW (so, 2 HDDs connected via FW in series), and I got this error.

By kji2080 at Aug. 30, 2012, 9:39 p.m. (reply...)

SSD/HDD with this issue

just got this after a wake from sleep in 10.7.4. I have a 5 year old MacBook Pro with system/home folder on SSD (OCZ Vertex) with an HDD where the optical dive used to be, which is used for TimeMachine backups only.

By dorian at Aug. 18, 2012, 11:39 p.m. (reply...)

SSD/HDD with this issue

just got this after a wake from sleep in 10.7.4. I have a 5 year old MacBook Pro with system/home folder on SSD (OCZ Vertex) with an HDD where the optical dive used to be, which is used for TimeMachine backups only.

By dorian at Aug. 18, 2012, 11:39 p.m. (reply...)

General problem for me from time to time (Lion w SSD)

From time to time, my mac forgets who I am. I just got this error in TextMate 2; nice that they are smart enough to trap for it. When I'm am in a terminal window and I type "uid", it normal says "unknown uid: 502" (502 is my user id in the /etc/password file.

Anyway, that's my general experience. Typically, a reboot is required to fix the issue. Also, I normal cannot start any other applications and my process spikes to 100% usage.

By eric.ewalker at Aug. 6, 2012, 7:13 a.m. (reply...)

Just a HDD

I have just a spinning drive. The error occurred for my when waking the computer up. I had nearly drained the battery before allowing it to charge overnight. The low-battery dialog had not appeared but it was moments away.

The disconcerting thing about the error is that it gives no indication that TextMate 2 is the application affected. I'm using TextMate 2 (9147).

By mark.nichols at July 22, 2012, 4:08 p.m. (reply...)

I also have an HDD and an SSD

Very similar setup as oscar (first commenter). Textmate 2.0 (9064) and just woke up from sleep. Textmate has files open on the secondary disk.

By joelgreutman at July 1, 2012, 8:47 p.m. (reply...)

I don't use Deep Sleep, nor do I have an SSD.

I just had this issue appear, running 10.7.4. It appeared after screensaver had been dismissed.

I am using Textmate 2.0 (9090).

By matt at June 25, 2012, 1:47 a.m. (reply...)

I have an HDD and an SSD

Just experienced this on wake. I have an HDD where my optical drive was, but my OS, apps, and most of my home folder are on the SSD that replaced my original HDD.

By alanhogan at May 3, 2012, 3:46 p.m. (reply...)

Got it too just now, first time. I don't use Deep Sleep or other kinds of special sleep tools.

By jeroen.vanderham at March 3, 2012, 8:46 a.m. (reply...)

Deep Sleep

Just happened to me, fixed by restarting.

Version 2.0 (9064) on 10.7.3

Might be occurring more often?... I don't know.

By maxwellswadling at Feb. 29, 2012, 12:20 a.m. (reply...)

Deep Sleep

I experience the same problems when Textmate 2.0 (8971) is opened combined with the usage of the Deep Sleep widget: http://deepsleep.free.fr/

By gawin.dapper at Feb. 3, 2012, 7:11 a.m. (reply...)

Dual disks

I got it just now, (was on when I woke the computer so I don't know what may have caused it) But I have dual disks, an SSD with the system, programs etc and a secondary mechanical drive that holds the homefolder which is symlinked in the Users folder.

Don't know if this information will be of any assistance.

By oscar.diedrichs at Jan. 24, 2012, 4:46 a.m. (reply...)

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