[kat81]

I already called the (less than helpful) AppleCare and after some 'duh you must be an idiot so lets do the basic' troubleshooting, they suggested a clean install of OSX (I did a archive install earlier in the week, and the problem came back).
I'd like to avoid that.

So anytime I need to authorize myself (installed apps, changing things in System Prefs, unlocking/locking things), it shows the Name and Password window, and then the window vanishes. I check the logs, and it say SecurityAgent crashed.
I've tried some of the 'basic' troubleshooting tips (repair permission, delete prefs, repair disk, and so on) and still - same issue.

I am desperately trying to avoid a clean install of OSX. Because of the issue at hand, I'd have to clean install OSX and all apps - so copying things over won't be an option. All I can do is copy my personal shtuff (music, movies and such) and redownload/install all the rest. This would be a big big big headache.

Anyway, does anyone have any ideas of what I can do? What is going wrong? How to find out what is causing the crash?

Here is the first bit of the crashlog - any other info I need to share?

Date/Time: 2007-04-07 13:58:16.264 -0400
OS Version: 10.4.9 (Build 8P135)
Report Version: 4

Command: SecurityAgent
Path: /System/Library/CoreServices/SecurityAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/SecurityAgent
Parent: securityd [46]

Version: 3.7 (30561)
Build Version: 3
Project Name: SecurityAgent
Source Version: 305610000

PID: 407
Thread: 0

Exception: EXC_BAD_ACCESS (0x0001)
Codes: KERN_PROTECTION_FAILURE (0x0002) at 0x00000000

Thread 0 Crashed:
0 Component6e 0x0482e880 0x47c8000 + 419968
1 Component6e 0x0482e9c0 0x47c8000 + 420288
2 Component6e 0x0482e1b4 0x47c8000 + 418228
3 Component6e 0x047f233c 0x47c8000 + 172860
4 ...ple.CoreServices.CarbonCore 0x90bdf0d8 CallComponentFunctionCommon + 1044
5 CarbonLibpwpc 0x04857620 0x484d000 + 42528
6 Component6e 0x047f1f18 0x47c8000 + 171800
7 ...ple.CoreServices.CarbonCore 0x90bdec60 CallComponent + 260
8 ...ple.CoreServices.CarbonCore 0x90bdeb38 CallComponentOpen + 40
9 ...ple.CoreServices.CarbonCore 0x90bdddb4 OpenAComponent + 520
10 ...ple.CoreServices.CarbonCore 0x90be997c OpenComponent + 20

[CharlesS]

Any haxies, InputManager plugins, SIMBL plugins, etc. installed?

[kat81]

Yup. Be specific if you want to know which ones - although I only had this problem for the first time last week, and I haven't installed any (of those) around then.

[CharlesS]

Try removing all the hacks and see if your problem goes away or not.

[kat81]

Did that already.
I'd like to fully test that theory again in a new/fresh user, but I have no way to login to a new user. I managed to make a new admin user in Terminal, but because I can't authorize current user I can't change the auto-login option, or turn fast-user switching on and so forth.

[CharlesS]

Post the full crash log. It can be as a .txt file on your website if you want, with only a link here. But we should see the whole thing.

[mfbernstein]

One way to create a clean user is simply to boot into single user mode, and after mounting the drive read-write, rename your current user directory:
mv /Users/username /Users/username.old

When you boot up again, you'll have the same settings as a new account. To revert, you simply rename the folders again.

[kat81]

Just FYI - I did a clean install of OSX after buying a new hd with the room I needed.
(off topic for a minute) I saved some $$$ by buying an internal drive alone (on sale, with mail in rebate for a total of $70 for 320gb), and just using the same external enclosure that I had for my (full) 250gb drive. The enclosure I have claimed to be swappable, but after 12 screws...I'd have to say it's annoying. Idiots.

Anyway, so far so good with the fresh install. I'm being...careful about what I install now. But the problem is, I LIKE some programs but I'm not sure if some of them could be potential destructive since I still am not 100% sure what went wrong before. Although after spending several hours on the phone with someone at my local Genius Bar, it seems that in the end...the SecurityAgent crash might have been from something random or even just a bad allocation of a file somewhere.

So how do I know what programs I should avoid?

[locolo]

please, check this:
http://forums.macosxhints.com/showth...682#post373682

Maybe is the solution