Mac OS X Managed Client: Stops Responding During Login When Using Custom Desktop Picture

A managed client may stop responding ("hang") during login when a custom desktop picture has been set and applications are managed.
Symptom

After a user authenticates at the Login Window, the progress bar appears as if logging in, but the computer stops responding at the progress bar.


Solution

Use SSH to recover from the unresponsive state. Remote Login must have previously been selected in the Sharing preference pane of the client computer. Follow these steps:

The user should now be able to login.

The following steps prevent users from accessing the Desktop preference pane and changing their Desktop Picture.

Note: A user still can manually edit the ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.desktop.plist file, causing the same issue.

This document will be updated when more information becomes available.

For related information, see technical document 107659, "Workgroup Manager: How to Allow Use of Unbundled Applications".
Published Date: Oct 7, 2016