"Empty or outdated config file. Please run ‘config activate’ and retry" while upgrading on OS X El Capitan

[ghost]

Problem

The installer fails when upgrading from Prey 1.4.1 or older. The title is the actual problem.

When running the config activate command you get this output,

How it was detected

Tons of user feedback.

Suggested solution

Fix the upgrading process.

More info

• https://trello.com/c/boAd5xaD
• https://app.intercom.io/a/apps/aftzp1os/inbox/unassigned/conversations/1411593280

[ghost]

Performing a complete uninstall won't solve the issue.

sudo /usr/local/lib/prey/current/bin/prey config hooks pre_uninstall && sudo rm -rf /etc/prey /usr/local/lib/prey /var/log/prey.log

[markdrayton247]

my install path seems different: /usr/local/lib/prey/versions/1.4.2/bin/prey however I have the exact same issue here. have scrubbed off old install with help of prey support, error still occuring

[mauricioschneider]

@markdrayton247 Can you check if there's any content under /etc/prey/, please?

[markdrayton247]

there is none.

[mauricioschneider]

In that case, could you please run the following commands and see if you can complete the configuration process?

sudo cp /usr/local/lib/prey/versions/1.4.2/prey.conf.default /etc/prey/prey.conf
sudo chown prey:wheel /etc/prey/prey.conf
sudo /usr/local/lib/prey/versions/1.4.2/bin/prey config gui (It takes a few seconds to load the gui).

[markdrayton247]

yes that works, thanks
2nd line should be: sudo chown prey:wheel /etc/prey/prey.conf
(however i still can't locate the device, which is why i tried reinstalling..)

[mauricioschneider]

Thanks, I fixed my previous comment.

What is the /var/log/prey.log file showing?

[markdrayton247]

nothing, empty

[mauricioschneider]

What about ps aux | grep prx?

If the previous command returns nothing, then try the following: sudo launchctl load /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.prey.agent.plist and check the config file again.

[markdrayton247]

/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.prey.agent.plist: No such file or directory

[mauricioschneider]

Ok, so let's try running the post_install hooks: sudo /usr/local/lib/prey/versions/1.4.2/bin/prey config hooks post_install, and then try again to load the agent plist.

Thanks for your patience, by the way.

[markdrayton247]

Running "config activate" as prey

Error running command: spawn EACCES

-- This is probably because the new prey user does not have
-- read and exec access to the full path: /usr/local/lib/prey/versions/1.4.2/bin
Error! Command failed:

plist still no such file... thanks for helping

[mauricioschneider]

Ok, so let's ensure the prey user does have access to the full path, with the following command:

sudo chown -R prey:wheel /usr/local/lib/prey

and then re-run the sudo /usr/local/lib/prey/versions/1.4.2/bin/prey config hooks post_install command.

[markdrayton247]

Running "config activate" as prey

Error running command: spawn EACCES

-- This is probably because the new prey user does not have
-- read and exec access to the full path: /usr/local/lib/prey/versions/1.4.2/bin
Error! Command failed:

[mauricioschneider]

That's really weird. I'll have to give it a closer look and get back to you later.

[mauricioschneider]

@markdrayton247 In a brief moment of brightness I came up with an idea. Could you please try running this? sudo -u prey ls -al /usr/local/lib/prey

[markdrayton247]

ls: /usr/local/lib/prey: Permission denied

(yes I did sudo)

On 17 November 2015 at 16:17, Mauricio Schneider [email protected]
wrote:

@markdrayton247 https://github.com/markdrayton247 In a brief moment of
brightness I came up with an idea. Could you please try running this? sudo
-u prey ls -al /usr/local/lib/prey

—
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub
#161 (comment)
.

[mauricioschneider]

Ok, that was the intended output.

Could you please try running these:

sudo chown $(whoami):admin /usr/local/
sudo chown $(whoami):admin /usr/local/lib
sudo /usr/local/lib/prey/versions/1.4.2/bin/prey config hooks post_install

[markdrayton247]

ends with:

Running "config activate" as prey

Error running command: spawn EACCES

-- This is probably because the new prey user does not have

-- read and exec access to the full path:
/usr/local/lib/prey/versions/1.4.2/bin

Error! Command failed:

On 17 November 2015 at 17:21, Mauricio Schneider [email protected]
wrote:

Ok, that was the intended output.

Could you please try running these:

sudo chown $(whoami):admin /usr/local/
sudo chown $(whoami):admin /usr/local/lib
sudo /usr/local/lib/prey/versions/1.4.2/bin/prey config hooks post_install

—
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub
#161 (comment)
.

[mauricioschneider]

Does it end with error this time? If not, could you check if there's a .plist now?

sudo launchctl load /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.prey.agent.plist

[markdrayton247]

yes, no plist exists. error is :

Error running command: spawn EACCES

-- This is probably because the new prey user does not have
-- read and exec access to the full path: /usr/local/lib/prey/versions/1.4.2/bin
Error! Command failed:

[mauricioschneider]

Perhaps it's a problem with the Prey user, what happens if you run this:

sudo /usr/local/lib/prey/versions/1.4.2/lib/conf/tasks/utils/create_user.sh prey

[mauricioschneider]

Also, could you please re-check what are the permissions for the following folders:

ls -al /usr/ | grep local
ls -al /usr/local | grep lib
ls -al /usr/local/lib | grep prey

[markdrayton247]

the create_user script gives:
prey user already exists!

prey already seems to have impersonation privileges. Skipping...

drwxr-xr-x 8 markdrayton admin 272 4 Nov 11:46 local
drwx------ 4 markdrayton admin 136 16 Nov 20:16 lib
drwxr-xr-x 3 prey wheel 102 16 Nov 20:16 prey

[mauricioschneider]

Could you please run sudo chmod 755 /usr/local/lib and then retry sudo /usr/local/lib/prey/versions/1.4.2/bin/prey config hooks post_install?

[markdrayton247]

now we're getting somewhere :

Running post_activate hooks...

Voila! All good.

Installing init scripts.

Sweet! Please run prey config gui to finish installation.

Voila! All good.

On 17 November 2015 at 19:36, Mauricio Schneider [email protected]
wrote:

Could you please run sudo chmod 755 /usr/local/lib and then retry sudo
/usr/local/lib/prey/versions/1.4.2/bin/prey config hooks post_install?

—
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub
#161 (comment)
.

[markdrayton247]

ran the gui, all seems cool now, preyproject can connect to this machine.

I'm not sure how I got into such a mess, but you are a patient and very
helpful man. thank you sir.

On 17 November 2015 at 19:46, Mark Drayton [email protected] wrote:

now we're getting somewhere :

Running post_activate hooks...

Voila! All good.

Installing init scripts.

Sweet! Please run prey config gui to finish installation.

Voila! All good.

On 17 November 2015 at 19:36, Mauricio Schneider <[email protected]

wrote:

Could you please run sudo chmod 755 /usr/local/lib and then retry sudo
/usr/local/lib/prey/versions/1.4.2/bin/prey config hooks post_install?

—
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub
#161 (comment)
.

[mauricioschneider]

On the contrary; you sir are the hero, thank you. This helped me identify an edge case which caused this issue. Now I'll be able to fix it in our next release.

[sevenlayercookie]

Just wanted to say that I had this problem also with 1.4.2 on El Capitan, installing Prey for the first time ever. I followed your instructions in the last few posts and it fixed my problems. Thanks!

[Monochrome001]

Hi everyone,

Could it possible for one of you to do "beginner" tutorial for that operation ? I'm also on El Capitan, I've got the same problem, but I'm lost with these instructions, even if I understood that all of that are commands to input in Terminal.

Thank you all

[mauricioschneider]

Hello @Monochrome001, I'll be releasing 1.5.0 on Wednesday and the OS X installer will include the extra permissions instruction needed for El Capitan.

[Monochrome001]

Thank you !

[mauricioschneider]

This issue is fixed in the Prey v1.5.0 Mac OS X installer being released in a few minutes.

[kraftykaela]

I have installed Prey v1.5.0 on El Capitan and I still get the same "Empty or outdated config file. Please run 'config activate' and retry." when trying to log in (see attached screenshot).

[jonwreed]

It would be great if this could be fixed, I am NOT entering sudo commands on my machine. But if this can ever be fixed by uninstalling and reinstalling let us know. Thx.

[tonsequitur]

I am having the same issue and need some clearer instructions too please.
After installing, I try to sign in with my existing account and get:
"Empty or outdated config file. Please run 'config activate' and retry."

I was able to install on my macbook OK: Yosemite 10.10.1
However, I am getting this error on my iMac: Yosemite 10.10.5

Installed prey-mac-1.6.1-x86.pkg

[tonsequitur]

followup: There was a permission issue for sudo so that Prey could not write to the system files. I couldn't fix the sudo permission problem so I upgraded to El Capitan and then the install worked fine.

[jonwreed]

For the record being on El Capitan doesn't necessarily solve this problem. It's a serious open issue and in my case is happening on El Capitan Therefore the laptop I use the most and pay for is not protected by Prey. I hope this can be fixed in an updated release soon. Thanks.

[cyaconi]

Nice discovery @tonsequitur, prey user should have permission to access the config file once the installation ends.
@jonwreed Can you share the content of file /etc/sudoers.d/50_prey_switcher, if exists?

[javo]

Hello @tonsequitur and @jonwreed
I believe I've found the cause of this issue but I need some confirmation. Could you please check you perrmissions for the following folders:
ls -al /usr/ | grep local
ls -al /usr/local | grep lib
ls -al /usr/local/lib | grep prey

Thanks!

[escapone]

it is impossible to install EL CAPITAN mac on prey, it sais outdated config file all time. Anyone a solution?

[javo]

Hello @escapone,
We now got this issue covered but the fix is gonna be available in the next release (1.6.2).
For now please run this command: sudo chmod -R 755 /usr/local and then retry the installation.
Please let me know how it went :)

[escapone]

GREAT! Works like a charm! THX

[deeplypuzzled]

Just to confirm that I have had the same probem on 1.6.1 and lemavri's/javo's fix (I assume the chmod) fixed it for me. Many thanks.

[jonwreed]

Is the 1.6.2 release where this issue is fixed out yet? If not, any idea of timeframe? Thank you.

[javo]

Hi @deeplypuzzled and @jonwreed,

Thanks for your comments, the new release with the fix for this issue is gonna be released this week. We're gonna let you know as soon as it's available.

[javo]

The new release 1.6.2 is now available with the fix to this issue :)

[jonwreed]

Thanks - the new release solved the issue for me. Took a while but appreciate you handling this, very happy my most important laptop now back online. Thx.