Can't Boot after uninstalling Teamviewer on Mac OS Catalina

Hello!

Am in a bit of a pickle after a succesful upgrade to Catalina and then uninstalling Teamviewer through CleanMyMac uninstaller utility. It all seemed fine till i had rebooted and it fails with an Unrecoverable error for security agent Teamviewer auth plugin.start.

Anyone know how to fix this, w/o needing to install all from scratch?

Thanks in advance.

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Accepted answers

MoreCoffee

This issue can be caused by deleting an authorization plugin on macOS (in this case, TeamViewerAuthPlugin.bundle) without de-registering it first.

We recommend always using the built-in uninstaller in TeamViewer (Preferences > Advanced). This makes sure that the plugin is properly de-registered before deletion.

In my tests, CleanMyMac X versions prior to 4.4.5 seem to be deleting the plugin without de-registering it, so that could have caused the issue. If you use CleanMyMac X, you'll want to make sure to use the newest version.

If you do not have the possibility to restore the plugin as described by @Mrsharifi, you may instead be able to delete your Mac's authorization database. Your Mac re-creates a missing database during the next startup (using some default settings that are fine for most users).

Start your Mac in macOS Recovery by holding down Cmd-R until the Apple logo appears.
Once your Mac has booted into macOS Recovery, you should see a window titled "macOS Utilities".
To delete the authorization database, your Mac's hard disk needs to be mounted and you will need to know its name (usually something like "Macintosh HD" or "macOS").
1. Open Disk Utility and check the left sidebar for the name of your disk. For Macs running Catalina, look for the name that does not end in "- Data".
2. Select the disk in the sidebar.
3. Click "Mount" in the toolbar (if you only see "Unmount", it is already mounted and you don't need to do anything).
4. Quit Disk Utility.
You should be back at the "macOS Utilities" window.
From the menu bar on top of the screen, open Utilities > Terminal.
Enter the command
```
rm "/Volumes/<your disk>/var/db/auth.db"
```
Replace <your disk> with the name of your built-in hard disk, e.g.
```
rm "/Volumes/Macintosh HD/var/db/auth.db"
```
Make sure not to forget the quotes in case your disk name contains spaces.
Restart your Mac.

All comments

Imran3636

At this step I am having issues

rm "/Volumes/<your disk>/var/db/auth.db"Replace <your disk> with the name of your built-in hard disk, e.g.rm "/Volumes/Macintosh HD/var/db/auth.db"Make sure not to forget the quotes in case your disk name contains spaces.

I type in the name of my built in disc. I have a macbook air.The computer responds No such file or directory.

Imran3636

At this step I am having issues

rm "/Volumes/<your disk>/var/db/auth.db"Replace <your disk> with the name of your built-in hard disk, e.g.rm "/Volumes/Macintosh HD/var/db/auth.db"Make sure not to forget the quotes in case your disk name contains spaces.

I type in the name of my built in disc. I have a macbook air catalina os. The computer responds No such file or directory.

Rosyntjie422486

MoreCoffee

@Hello000 Once your Mac is booting again, the issue should be resolved permanently.

Hello000

Thank you. I can finally get into the computer. One question. Once the first of your solution worked, do I need to do it every time I switch off my Mac? Do I need to install the Team viewer program again and uninstall it correctly? Or is it sorted forever? Thanks.

JamesAck

Here is a YT video that helped me in one go after 6 hours of messing about on this thread.

rm "/Volumes/Macintosh HD/var/db/auth.db"

Space after rm

Don't forget quote marks

If you're disk isn't Mac.. HD then use your one but don't use the one with data on the end.

https://youtu.be/PIFDCnB_3pw

copper16_

I deleted all TeamViewer files from my macbook pro because I could not Uninstall option. I cannot now star my computer because of the unrecoverable error you are referring to. I tried the suggestion of deleting the authorization database but get the response no such file or directory...I did it very carefully several times. Please help. ( I just missed a class because of this! and do all my work remotely on this computer and I'm very very upset TeamViewer is preventing me from doing my work)

MoreCoffee

@reinesky Can you please run these two commands while in Recovery Mode, and send the output (take photos so you don't have to copy the output by hand):

ls -al "/Volumes/<your disk>/var/db"

(again, replace <your disk> with the actual disk)

mount

Also, please take a photo of the list of devices & volumes in Disk Utility while in Recovery Mode.

Which macOS version is installed on your Mac?

reinesky

hi @MoreCoffee thank you for the reply.

I did follow the steps and started in safe mode.

The disk was mounted

Then I went to utility and entered the command: rm "/Volumes/<your disk>/var/db/auth.db"

But after step 5, it said Permission denied. Is there a way to go around this?

(so when I restarted my Mac I am back at the begining with the "unrecoverable error." message)

MoreCoffee

@reinesky Where are you getting this error, and what where the steps you did before you got this error?

In my experience, the easiest way to recover from deleting an authorization plugin from the system without de-registering it, is to make macOS re-create the authorization database by deleting the database file.

There should be no need to install TeamViewer from Recovery Mode, and I would not recommend doing so, as the installer is not designed to run in Recovery Mode.

I have written down the steps to delete the authorization database in my earlier comment: https://community.teamviewer.com/English/discussion/comment/75701/#Comment_75701

With all instructions like this, please make sure to type the commands exactly as written and carefully read each step of the instructions. Please pay particular attention to the placement of quotes ("), and make sure to understand where the instructions are asking you to substitute a placeholder with a value that is particular to your Mac.

reinesky

it says permission denied what should be the next step

Justin

Hello @jmblp2,

Welcome to the TeamViewer Community! 🎉

Have you already tried to uninstall TeamViewer on your macOS and install it again? Please find a step-by-step guide below 👇🏻

https://community.teamviewer.com/English/kb/articles/4165-uninstall-teamviewer-on-macos

📌Hint: There is also an option for manual uninstallation of TeamViewer on macOS. You might need to try that if it still does not resolve your issue.

Also, you might find some useful information in this comment here, as another user had a similar issue before 👇🏻

https://community.teamviewer.com/English/discussion/comment/75701#Comment_75701

Please let us know if you need further help. 🙂

Best,

Justin

jmblp2

How to get rid on Mac of the message: Unrecoverable Error due to inability to create TeamViewerAuthPlugin mechanism?

Responsibility_250

A couple of days ago, I deleted the TeamViewer app on my laptop. Afterwards, my laptop collapsed on last Wednesday. I searched up the reasons online and It’s probably because I recklessly threw the app into the trash can on my laptop when I was deleting it. I found one popular solution for this online which is to download the TeamViewer.dmg from another computer, transfer it onto a usb, and then transfer the dmg from the usb to my laptop. Such process requires me to put in specific codes into the terminal. I tried many times. It still doesn’t work. Could you help me figure out the problem? If there’s an extra procedure needed for me to fix my laptop, please tell me. If you guys have a better solution, please also tell me.

awistrcill

Help. How do I get help with this same problem

istiaque

after uninstall the team viewer software.im not able to start my macbook. when i enter the password this message shown.UNRECOVERABLE EROR.please solve the issues. i have important file i dont want them to loose

istiaque

jaytaix

https://community.teamviewer.com/English/discussion/comment/107779#Comment_107779

I just went through this and I've never even had teamviewer; however, I found that if I did a recover from timemachine backup then ran the terminal script I had success. Hope you figured it out, and if not try that method. It did, oddly enough, recover me to my original operating system (Catalina) so I had to update to Big Sur again but I'll take that over having a $2000 paperweight. 😉

JeanK

Hello @aadlf,

You will find how to fix this issue here:

https://community.teamviewer.com/English/discussion/comment/75701#Comment_75701

aadlf

Good day!

I encountered a problem with Team Viewer in my laptop as I tried to delete it from my desktop. I restarted my laptop (Macbook Air) and it won’t open because of an Unrecoverable Error (attached above).

I google searched numerous solutions none worked for me. Would greatly appreciate your help and support.

Thank you.

Mchehab92

Hello guys!

Thanks for your great responses.

I had resolved half of the issue.

I had this error: "unrecoverable error security agent was unable to create requested mechanism builtin:prelogin"

The aforementioned solution by MoreCoffee fixed the error, however when I try to login and enter my laptop password on the Mac Os Catalina login screen, the system keeps thinking and doesn't get past the login screen. The never-ending rotating dots.

I tried repairing both volumes Macintosh HD and Data in recovery mode, that did not help.

What started the issue for me was downgrading from Mac OS Big Sur to Catalina using Time machine backup.

This is pathetic taking into account that I am using a 2019 MacBook Pro 16 inch model. Performance on Big Sur was a Bogdan **bleep**.

Thank you and would appreciate your help.

Mike

JeanK

Hello @Gunjaaarora__,

Thank you for your message and welcome to the TeamViewer Community! ?

Other users also encountered this issue and could solve it with the following procedure:

✅ Solution Re: Can't Boot after uninstalling Teamviewer on Mac OS Catalina

I really hope this could help. ?

Best regards

Jean

Gunjaaarora__

I installed team viewer in my Mac and now it's not working my Mac book is showing unrecoverable error security agent was unable to create requested mechanism TeamViewerauthPlugin:start

JeanK

Hello @Cjohnson01

Thank you for your message and welcome to the TeamViewer Community! ?

We are sorry to hear that you are faving this issue, too...?

We explain how to proceed in this post right here: Solution | Re: Can't Boot after uninstalling Teamviewer on Mac OS Catalina

I hope this could help. ?

Best regards

Jean

Cjohnson01

When i start my mac osx computer laptop, a unrecoverable error for the security agent appears an will not go away when i click ok. It persists to stay on my screen an simply move my mouse to the top left corner side of my screen. I am unable to get to my start up screen so i can sign into my laptop. I have tried calling and talking to a bot but so far im either hung up on or they end the conversation before the problem is even asked about.

cihixal356

I made an account just to thank you for this @MoreCoffee ?

@MoreCoffee wrote:
This issue can be caused by deleting an authorization plugin on macOS (in this case, TeamViewerAuthPlugin.bundle) without de-registering it first.
We recommend always using the built-in uninstaller in TeamViewer (Preferences > Advanced). This makes sure that the plugin is properly de-registered before deletion.
In my tests, CleanMyMac X versions prior to 4.4.5 seem to be deleting the plugin without de-registering it, so that could have caused the issue. If you use CleanMyMac X, you'll want to make sure to use the newest version.
If you do not have the possibility to restore the plugin as described by @Mrsharifi, you may instead be able to delete your Mac's authorization database. Your Mac re-creates a missing database during the next startup (using some default settings that are fine for most users).
Start your Mac in macOS Recovery by holding down Cmd-R until the Apple logo appears.
Once your Mac has booted into macOS Recovery, you should see a window titled "macOS Utilities".
To delete the authorization database, your Mac's hard disk needs to be mounted and you will need to know its name (usually something like "Macintosh HD" or "macOS").
Open Disk Utility and check the left sidebar for the name of your disk. For Macs running Catalina, look for the name that does not end in "- Data".
Select the disk in the sidebar.
Click "Mount" in the toolbar (if you only see "Unmount", it is already mounted and you don't need to do anything).
Quit Disk Utility.
You should be back at the "macOS Utilities" window.
From the menu bar on top of the screen, open Utilities > Terminal.
Enter the command
rm "/Volumes/<your disk>/var/db/auth.db"
Replace <your disk> with the name of your built-in hard disk, e.g.
rm "/Volumes/Macintosh HD/var/db/auth.db"
Make sure not to forget the quotes in case your disk name contains spaces.
Restart your Mac.

JeanK

Hello @Cheryl_1234

Thank you for your message and welcome to the TeamViewer Community! ?

You will find how to fix this issue here: Re: Can't Boot after uninstalling Teamviewer on Mac OS Catalina

Please follow carefully each step. ☝

I hope this could help. ?

If not, do not hesitate to ask your questions here. ?

Best regards

Jean

ammenoswal

Happy to be out the other side of typing the code in Terminal. It worked !

Just a quick one - do I still need to uninstall TeamViewer properly ? @MoreCoffee

I will not be restarting my machine until I hear back

Phew

Cheryl_1234

Hi my computer is not starting up as per usual and it keeps showing this unrecoverable error message after I deleted the TeamViewer app and files... Could you help me? Thanks

amilkanthwar

Hi command r was initially working on my mac but due to somw issue i shut down my mac and then tried cmmand r but now its not working what to do error is continuously coming im worried. Pls help