How do you rebuild extensions

[rbpeirce]

When I restart my computer I get the attached window but going to Security Preferences doesn't say anything about extensions! Where are they and how do I rebuild them?

 

[Rod]

The notification actually suggests you "Re-Enable" them.
Can I ask what operating system are you using?
Have you tried turning the device off then back on after a few minutes. Or running Disk Utility > First Aid on Macintosh HD. This might vary dependent on your operating system.

 

[rbpeirce]

That's the problem. I don't know how to re-enable them. I'm running Monterey, 12.6.1 on an M1 MacBook Pro. There isn't an extension setting anywhere in Security & Privacy. There is an Extensions setting in System Preferences but that isn't it either.

I've not actually tried turning it off, just rebooting. I'll try that.

I tried running First Aid on Macintosh HD, but I got a message it would take a really long time so I didn't do it. If a total shutdown doesn't work I'll try that.

 

[rbpeirce]

I tried a shutdown. No joy.
I ran First Aid on my HD. Also no joy.

I still get the message and I still don't know how to re-enable them.

 

[ferrarr]

See if this article describes how to enable extensions on an M1 Mac?

Extensions, Big Sur and M1 Macs

How to use kernel extensions, and their replacement system extensions, on Macs running Big Sur, including M1 Macs.

eclecticlight.co

 

[rbpeirce]

I seem to have no system extensions but I found out where to re-enable the older extensions under the General tab. However, I don't want to enable any of them. They all refer to stuff I don't use anymore. Is that what login is asking me to do?

 

[MacInWin]

If you don't want them, remove the app that they are associated with, or just delete them altogether.

 

[rbpeirce]

Unfortunately I can't find them or the app. There are 17 identified as Legacy Developer: HP, which I assume has something to do with Hewlett Packard, although I don't actually know that! Another is identified as Legacy Developer: Paceap and I have no idea what that refers to. The other is Brother Industries, LTD. which I think is associated with a Brother Scanner I used to have. Is there a way to remove these?

 

[MacInWin]

Use Etrecheck. It will show the full path to all extensions. Then go there in Finder and delete them. Sounds like most are associated with old printers, although what "Paceap" is I have no idea.

 

[rbpeirce]

Thanks. I found an app called EtreCheck Pro which I need to download.

 

[IWT]

although what "Paceap" is I have no idea.

PACE Anti-Piracy | #1 App Protection & Software Licensing

Secure your software IP with robust App Protection & iLok Software Licensing. Expert in obfuscation, anti-tamper and white-box cryptography.

paceap.com

Ian

 

[rbpeirce]

I tried etre but it didn't do what I wanted so I searched them out myself. I got everything but the Brother extension. The others were actually at the root level. Search wouldn't have found them but fortunately I do an SD! system backup and Search found them in the backup.

I still have no idea what Brother is doing. I used to have a brother page scanner and it is probably related to that but I can't find it. It must have a different name than brother.

At least pace and hp are gone!

 

[rbpeirce]

Found it!! It was identified as a ds-620. Again it was at the root level but I found it in the SD! backup. I now have no extensions that can't load. Unfortunately I have no idea what extensions can load! Let sleeping dogs lie.

 

[pm-r]

Unfortunately I can't find them or the app. There are 17 identified as Legacy Developer:

Maybe have a read of this Apple Help article and hopefully it will help:

About system extensions and macOS - Apple Support

Some system extensions aren't compatible with current versions of macOS or won't be compatible with a future version of macOS. Learn what to do if you see an alert about system extensions or kernel extensions.

support.apple.com

- Patrick
=======

 

[Rod]

Yet another reason for performing a "clean" instal of macOS occasionally.

 

[rbpeirce]

Yet another reason for performing a "clean" instal of macOS occasionally.

If you do that how do you make sure you get your personal stuff back? Is everything in your home directory?

 

[IWT]

If you do that how do you make sure you get your personal stuff back? Is everything in your home directory?

Put simply: you have or create a full backup of your Mac's internal drive.

You then, using Recovery Mode, wipe the Drive completely and then download a fresh copy of the OS.

Then you manually copy all your data from your backup to the clean Drive and it's new OS. This can be done, for example, by using Migration Assistant (an app which is part of the OS).

There's a touch more to it than that but that's the basics. After all your data, apps, photos, music etc is copied over, you are left with adjusting your settings and suchlike.
All your "personal stuff" is back where it should be.

Ian

 

[pm-r]

If you do that how do you make sure you get your personal stuff back? Is everything in your home directory?

Personally I find the "clean OS install" suggestion a big waste of a user's time and quite unsatisfactory as well and certainly not worth the effort and I have never noticed any real gain, but doing so can create a lot of extra work getting everything reset to work properly and conveniently.

But to each their own I guess... ;-)

I also never update if and when I am having any Mac problems unless an update or upgrade might have caused the problem, and seldom ever recommend doing so. It seldom seems to fix any problems anyway unlike possibly reinstalling the same OS version which may.




- Patrick
=======

 

[Rod]

There was a time when my MBP's were HDD spinner drives and I used to perform a "clean" instal once a year at the release of the next major OS upgrade.
These days it would be detrimental to perform a complete erase and reformat on an SSD every year and probably unnecessary. On a HDD it also performed the defragmentation process, popular then, that is also now unnecessary and definitely not recommended.

That does not mean that an occasional clean instal is not worth the trouble. Depending on use maybe once every three years.

You will undoubtedly rid yourself of all those little quirks, bugs and problems you could never pin down to any specific cause. Over time it's easy to develop workarounds for things that don't quite work, accept or ignore that this app is always slow to load, those sites don't load right, can't edit this list, don't know what these files are for but scared to remove them, etc, and accept shortcomings in performance because after all it still works, maybe just not as well as it used to.

If you want to renew that "fresh out of the box" feel there's nothing like a clean instal. You will eliminate leftovers, old app support files, scripts, redundant preferences and setup your device the way you always wished you had but were unsure how.
You get a chance to familiarise yourself with upgraded settings, menus and options, no doubt discovering things you can do today that were not possible before.
Last, but not least copying your applications back from an external source and or reinstalling them online will almost always result in omitting some old, seldom if ever used applications.
The combined results of all of this will inevitably be a faster, more responsive device with more storage than before and the feel of a new machine.

Ian has described the process in brief post #17, with the M1 and later you no longer need to create a Bootable macOS Installer on removable media to erase, format and map your internal drive. The whole process can be done using the Restore procedure, Recovery Assistant and a Terminal command.

Would I bother to do this for rbpeirce's problem? No, but over time these little things build up and it's nice to know that we can have a fresh start any time we want without going to the expense of buying a new device.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

Personally I find the "clean OS install" suggestion a big waste of a user's time and quite unsatisfactory as well and certainly not worth the effort and I have never noticed any real gain, but doing so can create a lot of extra work getting everything reset to work properly and conveniently.

You should read this thread. This member spent a lot of time going back and forth between Apple and Epson. A clean reinstall is what finally resolved his issue.

Installer encountered an error ... Epson printer driver

Bernard, it can be either but the SSD will be much faster:) Ian

www.mac-forums.com