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OS X keeps appending "(2)" to computer name
- Thread starter BriMercer
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so you gave up the entire OS for a minor issue that will probably be fixed in the first update?
Yep I also see some issues in Safari that I don't care for. I can wait for the messes to be ironed out, then I will take another run at it.
I'm considering putting Mavericks back on my SSD drive and demoting Yosemite back to a spinner for a while. It may be a small issue but it's damned irritating at the moment.
I deleted the files (from my earlier post) on Sunday at about noon. Im still good - no (x) renames on either my rMBP or my wife's iMac.
I believe I licked it
I believe that I have solved the issue here on my MBP.
Things I did:
Deleted these files:
Macintosh HD/Library/Preferences/com.apple.preferences.sharing.plist
Macintosh HD > Library > Preferences > SystemConfiguration
com.apple.airport.preferences.plist
NetworkInterfaces.plist
preferences.plist
Toggled "Find my Mac" multiple times in the iCloud pref pane and each time went back to the Sharing Preference and removed the appending numbers.
Unplugged my Airport Extreme and restarted my computer.
Let the computer restart and then plugged the AE back in.
I did note that when I toggled the "Find my Mac" in the iCloud preference pane that it would complain that I had "Wake for network access" turned off. But the thing is, I didn't have it turned off. Toggling that off and on didn't make any difference. Whenever I chose "Find my Mac" it said that Wake for network access was turned off (it wasn't). This confirmed for me that my preference files were screwed up.
After tossing the pref files and restarting, I could toggle the Find my Mac and it would accurately assess that the Wake for network access was checked.
Note that for me "Wake for network access" is enabled and the problem has disappeared for me.
Finally, for good measure, I restarted the computer with Command-R and erased my hard drive, reinstalled Yosemite and restored my computer from a Time Machine Backup. When I restored I did not choose to reimport my computer and network settings.
So far so good!!!
I believe that I have solved the issue here on my MBP.
Things I did:
Deleted these files:
Macintosh HD/Library/Preferences/com.apple.preferences.sharing.plist
Macintosh HD > Library > Preferences > SystemConfiguration
com.apple.airport.preferences.plist
NetworkInterfaces.plist
preferences.plist
Toggled "Find my Mac" multiple times in the iCloud pref pane and each time went back to the Sharing Preference and removed the appending numbers.
Unplugged my Airport Extreme and restarted my computer.
Let the computer restart and then plugged the AE back in.
I did note that when I toggled the "Find my Mac" in the iCloud preference pane that it would complain that I had "Wake for network access" turned off. But the thing is, I didn't have it turned off. Toggling that off and on didn't make any difference. Whenever I chose "Find my Mac" it said that Wake for network access was turned off (it wasn't). This confirmed for me that my preference files were screwed up.
After tossing the pref files and restarting, I could toggle the Find my Mac and it would accurately assess that the Wake for network access was checked.
Note that for me "Wake for network access" is enabled and the problem has disappeared for me.
Finally, for good measure, I restarted the computer with Command-R and erased my hard drive, reinstalled Yosemite and restored my computer from a Time Machine Backup. When I restored I did not choose to reimport my computer and network settings.
So far so good!!!
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That's why I wrote fixed with quotation marks...
It is not fixed, but my computer doesn't change its name no more!
You'll notice that when the problem comes back, so does that .plist file.
Macintosh HD/Library/Preferences/com.apple.preferences.sharing.plist
Again, Onyx shows that file as corrupt.
Enabling any of the "Services" under "Sharing" is clearly the source of the problem.
Note: I'm testing this on two computers. The second computer has not yet recreated the .plist file and is not having the problem. I'm betting that it will recreate the .plist and the problem will come back.
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Let us know if the ".plist" file comes back with the problem. That's what happened to me. So far shutting off all of the services seems to be the only solution that works for me.
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After the fresh install did you import your account(s) using Time Machine or any other method that would bring your preference files on to the fresh install?
What I'm wondering is if anyone is having this problem with a fresh install that did not restore the preference files.
I wouldn't be adverse to Apple releasing an OS every 18 to 24 months as opposed to every 12 months. That would give the new OS longer to bake and be ready for mass distribution with, hopefully, less glitches. Plus we'd have a nice and mature current OS that would be more stable for longer.
You understand that those .post files are required by the OS. The issue is that the existing .plist file is corrupt. By deleting it, you remove the corruption and OS X recreates the missing, yet necessary file.
The issue has never been that the .plist file(s) exist, but rather that it (they) is (are) corrupted.
My computer that doesn't have this file just renamed itself back to (2). Power Nap and Wake for Network Access were enabled, though.
I simply gave up on trying to predict, when the issue arises.
However, this evening I observed a new problem...instead of adding a (2) oder (3) behind my computer name, an (invisible) space was added. Like in pressing the spacebar once. It was not visible in the name, but I realised it was there, when the Time Machine backup started being inaccessible again.
Usually the name is "mycomputer.sparsebundle". It was switched to "mycomputer .sparsebundle" with a space behind the computer name.
I know, it is a First World problem, but it is driving me nuts.
And I keep losing Time Machine Backups.
However, this evening I observed a new problem...instead of adding a (2) oder (3) behind my computer name, an (invisible) space was added. Like in pressing the spacebar once. It was not visible in the name, but I realised it was there, when the Time Machine backup started being inaccessible again.
Usually the name is "mycomputer.sparsebundle". It was switched to "mycomputer .sparsebundle" with a space behind the computer name.
I know, it is a First World problem, but it is driving me nuts.
And I keep losing Time Machine Backups.
UPDATE: I'm still in good shape. The first time I screen shared after my "fix", another computer turned up. Then I turned off ALL sleep modes in addition to the sleep settings for the hard drive I had before. I also deselected all share settings. I re-booted the Time Capsule and the second computer (ghost computer) "disappeared". I then added my other computers to the Shared mode and since then, I have used Screen Sharing and have had no return of the multiple computers. So far this solution is working for me.
Sorry it did not solve the problem for me, after putting my computer to sleep yesterday after trying this I now discovered that it not permanently solve it... my (2) is back....
Sorry to hear that. I’m over a week now on two different computers.
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And were back. I went almost 8 full days without the renaming issue.
Back on the phone with the "senior advisor" at Apple.
Back on the phone with the "senior advisor" at Apple.