Login Window Payload Issues

[Cranappras]

We're reimaging our computer labs for the Fall semester and I've run into a problem where some of our systems don't adhere to all the settings in the login window payload of our computer lvl config profile.

We're running JSS 8.6 & OS X 10.7.4. The client systems show that the profile is active, and the other settings from the profile are working, but a handful continue to just show the default login window. All we are changing is that the shutdown button is removed, there is a message being displayed, and we're showing the username and password boxes instead of a list of users.

Any thoughts on what could be causing the clients to ignore this portion of the config profile?

Josh Smith
Point Park University

[alexjdale]

I've seen that with MCX, but it's been bulletproof for us in Lion/Mountain Lion with a configuration profile.

Do you use any third-party authentication software that inserts itself into the login window, like Quest?

[imperatives]

We have been experiencing this issue with some of our lab machines as well (JSS 8.6 and 10.7.4). The Login Window message will not appear and the shutdown button will not consistently disappear. The systems have the same image and receive the proper Configuration Profile when it is pushed, but those two settings don't seem to apply properly. The puzzling piece is that we have some other labs with the same hardware and image in which this setting works flawlessly. Any ideas?

[Cranappras]

Nope, no 3rd party authentication software. Users authenticate with AD via a binding created by Casper Admin, which works flawlessly. I just walked past a bank of 6 systems on my way to my office and before I left yesterday 3 of these systems were displaying the proper login window settings and 3 were not, but this morning all 6 are showing the incorrect (default) settings. I can't find any indication as to why they are sometimes using the Login Window settings and other times not using them.

[bentoms]

I'm finding my LoginWindow Text set by a config profile is not working consistently on 10.8.1 & 8.6

[jarednichols]

I found it flaky with a configuration profile. I'm sticking to MCX.

MCX may be deprecated but it's far more reliable.

[bentoms]

@Jared, & as MCX does it show when the screen is locked?

[jarednichols]

You know what, I went back to double-check this one. I'm actually doing a straight defaults for this one. See Rich's article on why. http://derflounder.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/setting-a-text-only-login-banner-at-the-filevault-2-pre-...

I need to test the MCX under Mountain Lion to see if it was fixed.

[bentoms]

i too was using defaults but for the lock screen text.. hmm.. guess a bug report?

(F-ING config profiles, mcx or scripting to get the settings set!!).

[jarednichols]

I can confirm that on 10.8.1 with MCX, only the actual login screen itself gets the text. The screensaver lock screen nor the FileVault boot screen have the text.

Back to my defaults script I go...

[easyedc]

Anything ever happen with this? We were working smoothly until we moved to Casper v 9.x and any newly imaged workstation isn't pulling the configs we want from the profile.