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FIXME: IOUnserialize has detected a string that is not valid UTF-8, "�SMB012".

post #1 of 11
3/21/11 at 5:59am
Thread Starter 
Something that REALLY annoys me is when users post the same message across multiple forums but here I am doing just that. Why? Because I can't find anyone anywhere that can offer any advice.

I've been getting the system.log message below, every 30 seconds for over two months!
configd[14]: FIXME: IOUnserialize has detected a string that is not valid UTF-8, "�SMB012". Surely there must be someone out there who knows what this message means! The only thing I know is it's network related. I'm very careful what I install on my Mac and I'm not one for messing with the settings, so I don't understand how this problem occurred.

Are there any tools that I can use to monitor processes and data files that will me workout where this error steams from?

Many thanks,
M.

(p.s. Obviously any advice offered on AppleInsider I'll share with other forums)
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post #2 of 11
3/21/11 at 11:33am
What is your computer model and operating system version?

configd according to its manual page is a program to communicate information about the system state to applications. It loads the bundles in /System/Library/SystemConfiguration/.

It uses 3 preference files held in /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/, which are:

preferences.plist
NetworkInterfaces.plist
VirtualNetworkInterfaces.plist

If you open each of those in textedit, check to see if the string SMB012 is in the file. You won't be able to edit it if it is, but you can drag the file out, modify it and drag it back in and authenticate.
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post #3 of 11
3/21/11 at 3:48pm
Thread Starter 
Hi Marvin, thanks for your reply.

I'm running 10.6.6 on an earlier C2D MBP.

The plist files contain no reference to the SMB012 string and I've also tried restoring the files from Time Machine. I also used EasyFind to search for SMB012 across the entire disk but nothing was found.

I messed with the network settings and managed to get the message to change slightly when I removed the AirPort interface (...not valid UTF-8, "".) but the original message returned only I setup AirPort again.

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post #4 of 11
3/22/11 at 12:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mateus109 View Post

I also used EasyFind to search for SMB012 across the entire disk but nothing was found.

EasyFind will only search file name. You'd need to use something like fgrep to search file contents e.g in the terminal type:

fgrep -iR "SMB012" /Library/Preferences

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mateus109 View Post

I messed with the network settings and managed to get the message to change slightly when I removed the AirPort interface (...not valid UTF-8, "".) but the original message returned only I setup AirPort again.

You can debug configd by running another copy. You type in the terminal:

sudo /usr/libexec/configd -dv

It will ask for you password. This should give you debugging info about each bundle as it loads and dump any messages that normally go into the syslog to the terminal window. You can load each bundle one at a time too e.g:

sudo /usr/libexec/configd -dv -t /System/Library/SystemConfiguration/Logger.bundle

Use ctrl-c to quit.

You can also shut down configd from the terminal using e.g:

sudo kill 83

The number is the process id listed in the leftmost column in the Activity Monitor next to the process you want to close.
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post #5 of 11
3/22/11 at 1:53pm
Thread Starter 
Marvin, that's great advice!

It appears to be the PowerManagement.bundle that's causing problems. When I run the following, system.log fills quickly with "...not valid UTF-8..." messages:

sudo /usr/libexec/configd -dv -t /System/Library/SystemConfiguration/PowerManagement.bundle

But now to workout why! Is it possible to stop the PowerManagement.bundle loading without crashing the system, just to confirm this is the cause. I'll reboot into safe mode and see if that helps.

If it is power management, could the cause be a faulty battery? Seems odd though and I thought the fault was network related.

M.

UPDATE:
I don't believe it... it's the battery! Just rebooted without the battery in and there are no messages at all. The battery must be faulty, sending bad signals to the Mac?

Thanks for your help. At least the problem has been identified.
M.
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post #6 of 11
3/23/11 at 1:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mateus109 View Post

UPDATE:
I don't believe it... it's the battery! Just rebooted without the battery in and there are no messages at all. The battery must be faulty, sending bad signals to the Mac?

It might be the case that the power management bundle isn't loaded when the battery isn't in. Try running it without the battery and then load in the power management bundle manually into the terminal. If the messages still appear, it's likely to be the bundle itself or a settings file it uses.
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post #7 of 11
3/23/11 at 7:21am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marvin View Post

It might be the case that the power management bundle isn't loaded when the battery isn't in. Try running it without the battery and then load in the power management bundle manually into the terminal. If the messages still appear, it's likely to be the bundle itself or a settings file it uses.

Presumably running the sudo /usr/libexec/configd -dv -t /System/Library/SystemConfiguration/PowerManagement.bundle would say if it didn't load when typed into the Terminal? So bundle seems to load and no messages appear in System.log

M.
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post #8 of 11
3/23/11 at 11:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mateus109 View Post

Presumably running the sudo /usr/libexec/configd -dv -t /System/Library/SystemConfiguration/PowerManagement.bundle would say if it didn't load when typed into the Terminal? So bundle seems to load and no messages appear in System.log

M.

Yeah, that would load the bundle in and run it although some code probably won't execute until a battery is present. Do you have the latest battery updates installed?

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1359

The powermanagement.bundle seems to determine a few power settings, where your hibernate file goes and some warnings if you are using a UPS. What is the exact size in bytes of the bundle in Get Info? Mine is 359,456 bytes on 10.6.3 and has version 160.0.0.

Also, did you check the preference file for it for any problems:

/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.PowerManagement.plist
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post #9 of 11
3/24/11 at 3:24pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marvin View Post

Yeah, that would load the bundle in and run it although some code probably won't execute until a battery is present. Do you have the latest battery updates installed?

I don't seem to have BatteryUpdater.bundle in the directory. I have all the updates I'm aware of, currently running 10.6.7

I downloaded the 1.3 Battery Update but it said it required OSX 10.4. So I tried version 1.4 but it said there "the computer does not need this update".
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post #10 of 11
3/25/11 at 10:41am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mateus109 View Post

I don't seem to have BatteryUpdater.bundle in the directory. I have all the updates I'm aware of, currently running 10.6.7

I downloaded the 1.3 Battery Update but it said it required OSX 10.4. So I tried version 1.4 but it said there "the computer does not need this update".

The 1.4 update page suggests the device/battery name suitable for the update would be ASMB016 or ASMB013:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3421

If this device info is held on the battery, that's where it will be reading the incorrect value. Instead of the string you are getting above, it should likely read ASMB012 for your battery ID.

They did offer a free replacement service in the past for faulty batteries but that may have been older laptop models than yours:

http://www.apple.com/support/macbook...batteryupdate/

You can check to see what an app like this one reads off the battery:

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/36994/battery-report

If you took it into an Apple Store, they might let you try a replacement battery in it or if you knew someone else who had the same model MBP. The only other option would be to disable the bundle but I'm not sure what side-effects that would have.
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post #11 of 11
3/25/11 at 11:16am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for all your help Marvin.

I'll look at the app you've suggested. I've learnt a lot over the past few day!
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