Bug 122374 - Macbook Air fresh install hangs with "Verifying..." for hours on initial startup
Summary: Macbook Air fresh install hangs with "Verifying..." for hours on initial startup
Status: RESOLVED WORKSFORME
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Installation (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
6.1.4.2 release
Hardware: Other macOS (All)
: medium normal
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
: 124902 (view as bug list)
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2018-12-29 19:30 UTC by craig@arno.com
Modified: 2019-04-30 09:45 UTC (History)
3 users (show)

See Also:
Crash report or crash signature:


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Description craig@arno.com 2018-12-29 19:30:12 UTC
Fresh install of LibreOffice 6.1.4.2 Mac OS X x86_64 on Macbook Air, downloaded using latest version of Firefox.

First attempt to run LibreOffice results in "Verifying..." message which lasted for more than 2 hours.  LibreOffice Program would not abort or end.  Had to reboot the machine to stop LibreOffice "Verifying...".

LibreOffice "Verifying..." prevents other programs from starting/running.  Second attempt to run LibreOffice resulted in LibreOffice "Verifying..." (hung) condition.

Finally gave up and tried OpenOffice.  OpenOffice installs and starts in under 10 minutes (probably 5 minutes or less).  All OpenOffice applications run correctly.  OpenOffice Mac can't read DOCX or XLSX files, so really want to get LibreOffice running.
Comment 1 V Stuart Foote 2018-12-29 19:41:02 UTC
Please provide build of macOS and hardware/GPU configuration.
Comment 2 craig@arno.com 2018-12-31 23:59:24 UTC
Model Name: MacBook Air
Model Identifier: MacBookAir6,2
Processor Name: Intel Core i5
Processor Speed: 1.4 GHz
Number of Processors: 1
Total Number of Cores: 2
L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB
L3 Cache: 3 MB
Memory: 4 GB
Boot ROM Version: MBA61.0099.B20
SMC Version (system): 2.13f9


System Software Overview:

System Version: OS X 10.9.5 (13F1911)
Kernel Version: Darwin 13.4.0
Boot Volume: Macintosh HD
Boot Mode: Normal
Secure Virtual Memory: Enabled
Time since boot: 3 days 5:43
Comment 3 Alex Thurgood 2019-01-10 17:29:23 UTC
@craig

The following indication from bug 89657 might help :

If you install LO, but you don't run it, open up Terminal and do:
   "ls -al@ /Applications/LibreOffice.app/"
You should get a "com.apple.quarantine" in the Terminal output. Issue the command:
   "xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /Applications/LibreOffice.app/"
Comment 4 Alex Thurgood 2019-01-14 11:47:24 UTC
@craig : please try my suggestion in comment 3, and report back here if no improvement.
Comment 5 craig@arno.com 2019-01-14 19:14:47 UTC
Thanks Alex, that is my intention when I see this machine/client again.  The client/friend is not comfortable enough with their computer to perform this unassisted.  I'll see the client/friend tomorrow, but we may not have time to look at his computer.  Tomorrow will be the first opportunity to discuss when we can schedule time.  I realize if everything goes well, what you suggest shouldn't take any time.  The issue with computers is always, and how much time will it take if everything goes wrong?

He and I won't have any time tomorrow for "computer recovery" if things go wrong.  I installed xattr on my Ubuntu Linux system and see "xattr -d" [deletes] some sort of Mac specific attribute.  From the man page, "The fourth form (-d) deletes the xattr attr_name."  I have no idea how his Macintosh system might respond to this deletion of information.  I am quite expert (3+ decades of developer level experience) on Windows/Linux systems, hardly any experience on Mac.  Because of my large general base of knowledge this friend/client won't let anyone else touch his Mac computer.  I'm trying to help him out.

  This is his business computer and he relies heavily on its continued operation to support his income.  I need to proceed with caution and in a way which has zero chance of leaving him stranded.
Comment 6 Alex Thurgood 2019-01-15 08:22:53 UTC
(In reply to craig@arno.com from comment #5)
> 
>   This is his business computer and he relies heavily on its continued
> operation to support his income.  I need to proceed with caution and in a
> way which has zero chance of leaving him stranded.

Hi Craig,
I have executed that xattr command for the LibreOffice.app bundle on 3 different Mac production machines at my work at various stages of their lifetime and have had no ill effects, in fact only positive effects, as it allowed me then to start and use LibreOffice.

The command removes the quarantine flag set by Apple's Gateway system, that is all.

The problem seemed to affect macOS 10.9.5 in particular, but has also occurred on more recent versions of macOS.

I would note that your client really ought to consider upgrading his/her machine to a newer one with a recent version of macOS - there are lots of unpatched vulnerabilities in 10.9.5 and the last security update I can find on Apple's website dates back to March 2017 and applied to iTunes only.
Comment 7 Alex Thurgood 2019-01-15 08:29:33 UTC
In order to install LO on Mac, you need to have admin rights. It is also better to either momentarily deactivate Gatekeeper before starting LO for the first time, and then reactivate it after first launch, or else start LO for the first time via the Open context menu entry (select LibreOffice in the Applications folder, right mouse button click, choose Open.). On first launch, you will be informed by Apple's Gatekeeper system that the "program has been downloaded from the internet and do you really want to launch it" - reply in the affirmative to this question by clicking on open/continue/yes, or whatever the button actually proposes (offhand I don't remember).
Comment 8 Alex Thurgood 2019-04-29 15:33:50 UTC
*** Bug 124902 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 9 Alex Thurgood 2019-04-30 09:45:51 UTC
Marking as RESOLVE WFM because the poster from duplicate bug 124902 has confirmed that following the advice given in comment 3 allowed them to get LO up and running.