HCS: Problem-solving by Apple Certified Professionals

Prior to macOS Sierra if you wanted to find out whether or not a Caching Server is running on your network you could open up the Console.app and search for "AssetCache" in the logs. This no longer works in macOS Sierra.

Now in Sierra you can use a new tool: AssetCacheLocatorUtil
Enter this command in the Terminal.app and watch it give you detailed information.
It will, in a very verbose manner, tell you if and where a Caching Server is located. It even indicates if "personal caching" is supported. What is personal caching? Simply put it's the server caching personal iCloud data.

To learn more about caching server visit the link below.
https://help.apple.com/serverapp/mac/5.2/#/apd74DDE89F-08D2-4E0A-A5CD-155E345EFB83

One of the great new features in macOS Sierra is Apple Pay on the web in Safari. To use Apple Pay on your Mac you will need to sign into iCloud and have an iOS Device, also signed into iCloud, with a supported Credit card from a supported card issuer. When checking out on a site that supports Apple Pay, using the Safari browser, you can check out with just a touch thanks with the help of your iOS device. This makes purchasing items on your Mac simple and easy. 

The new 2016 13 inch and 15 inch MacBook Pro includes Touch ID and Apple Pay. This is a welcome addition and an exciting feature. The out of the box experience is to walk through the setup assistant, on your new MacBook Pro, which now includes setting up Touch ID and Apple Pay. Making purchases with Apple Pay will be even easier because you can leverage the Touch ID built into your Mac without the need of an iOS device. 

Something to consider. When setting up a second (or supplemental) user on your Mac, you will be able to setup Touch ID but you will not be able to setup Apple Pay IF another user already has it setup. In the event a second, third, fourth, etc user wants to leverage Apple Pay they can use Apple Pay on the web in Safari. 



https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204506

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201239

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205583

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204916

https://support.apple.com/en-us/KM207105

I viewed the system log files and saw the following error message every two minutes:

Nov 11 11:27:34 hcstest smbd[416]: in openpam_read_chain(): /etc/pam.d/other: Too many open files
Nov 11 11:27:34 hcstest smbd[416]: in openpam_read_chain(): /etc/pam.conf: Too many open files


I ran the “ulimit -a” command to see what the default open file size and Max user processes size were.  They were 256 and 709 which is very low.

ulimit -a 

core file size          (blocks, -c) 0  
data seg size           (kbytes, -d) unlimited  
file size               (blocks, -f) unlimited  
max locked memory       (kbytes, -l) unlimited  
max memory size         (kbytes, -m) unlimited  
open files                      (-n) 256  
pipe size            (512 bytes, -p) 1  
stack size              (kbytes, -s) 8192  
cpu time               (seconds, -t) unlimited  
max user processes              (-u) 709  
virtual memory          (kbytes, -v) unlimited  

I created two plist files that will change the default open file size and max user processes size limits to 524288 and 2048 and and put them in the following location:

/Library/LaunchDaemons/limit.maxfiles.plist

/Library/LaunchDaemons/limit.maxproc.plist

After a reboot, a re ran the ulimit -a command and the changes were now in effect.  I monitored the system log and these errors are now gone.

Nov 11 11:27:34 hcstest smbd[416]: in openpam_read_chain(): /etc/pam.d/other: Too many open files
Nov 11 11:27:34 hcstest smbd[416]: in openpam_read_chain(): /etc/pam.conf: Too many open files




ulimit -a  

core file size          (blocks, -c) 0  
data seg size           (kbytes, -d) unlimited  
file size               (blocks, -f) unlimited  
max locked memory       (kbytes, -l) unlimited  
max memory size         (kbytes, -m) unlimited  
open files                      (-n) 524288  
pipe size            (512 bytes, -p) 1  
stack size              (kbytes, -s) 8192  
cpu time               (seconds, -t) unlimited  
max user processes              (-u) 2048  
virtual memory          (kbytes, -v) unlimited

Auto boot is one of the new features of both the 13inch and 15inch Macbook Pro (late 2016). When you either attach a power source or open the lid (barring there is enough battery power) the device will startup. 

 

With the release of new hardware features in the MacBook Pro (13-inch/15-inch, Late 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports) the setup assistant has added a few new steps. 

Apple annocued that the new Macbook Pros would have Touch ID and like iOS Devices the setup assistnat now includes adding a finger print when a computer is initially being configured. Similar to iOS you simply apply your finger to the Touch bar on the far right corner, where the power button was, and let macOS capture your finger print. Should you need to add or remove fingerprints simply naviagte to System Preferences and you will now see a new Touch ID preference pane. It is also caled out in the user guide that you can: