Level 1

11 points

How can I purge profile data from my Mac system?

I've never knowingly installed a profile. I've also tried to prevent each of my devices from using iCloud. Nonetheless, OS 15.5 System Settings>Apple Account>iCloud>See All on my 2019 Mac Pro displays four settings that have been "configured by a profile" - Contacts, iCloud Calendar, Reminders, and Safari. For four days I've been in a protracted tech support session with Apple. Reinstalling the OS, creating a new user, creating a different boot drive... all the usual gymnastics, has not added an iota of comprehension on my part regarding WHAT caused this and how to remedy it. A fresh system with a new user does not display the problem; so what? Knowing that did not get me or any of the numerous tech reps with whom I've interacted any closer to purging these spurious settings and solving the problem. Presumably my system has a state of being wherein no profiles have ever been installed; HOW do I go about restoring that state manually? Which plists et al. need to be purged, and where are they located? The tedium and time involved in recreating my system from scratch are immense - a solid week at minimum. By comparison manual reconfiguration seems a pleasant walk on a nice day. And what's with the relentless, "Some iCloud Data isn't Syncing" messages and popups? I try hard not to use iCloud for anything, so WHY would syncing even be an issue? Is there a way for me to put iCloud in the grave - and keep it there - or does using an AppleTV, iPhone, or Mac condemn me to incessant message aggravation?

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: purge profile data from system

Mac Pro, macOS 15.5

Posted on Jun 13, 2025 7:32 AM

25 replies

Hominahomina Author

Level 1

11 points

Jun 17, 2025 7:09 AM in response to Owl-53

There are stark discontinuities between what's SUPPOSED to be in an EtreCheck report and what's ACTUALLY in the EtreCheck reports I'm seeing. I tried to make that clear in my 17 June 2025 04:27 response to Brainsdead2. I can scarcely imagine the suggestions and recommendations I'd precipitate by posting an entire EtreCheck report filled with such inconsistencies as I'm seeing. If I thought it'd help clarify what's going on with my system, I'd post an EtreCheck report; I don't, so I didn't.

I appreciate anyone offering the benefit of their knowledge. OTOH, more than one poster provided responses that strongly indicated they hadn't read or understood the original or a subsequent post. This problem is already sufficiently thorny.

As this point it appears I'm going to have to boot from an external drive, wipe my 8TB Apple SSD completely, install a clean OS onto it, and rebuild everything else from scratch. That's precisely what I wanted to avoid doing when I contacted Apple TS last week and thereafter posted in this forum. To the extent that TechTool Pro & Disk Drill can assess its hardware, my system passes their tests. Therefore, this is most likely system corruption. Since I can't identify and isolate it there aren't other practical options.

I'd appreciate any tips on how to avoid pitfalls in wiping and recreating a stable system on a T2-equipped machine.

Owl-53

Level 10

102,415 points

Jun 17, 2025 7:31 AM in response to Hominahomina

IMHO - There has been sufficient advice offered by multi contributors, for the User ( you ) to make an informed and educated choice what remedial actions maybe required for this computer.

The suggestions have been put forth on a volunteer basis, in good faith and in the best interests of the computer.

Which, from time to time, do not align with the user's expectations

Hominahomina Author

Level 1

11 points

Jun 18, 2025 11:39 AM in response to etresoft

I've spent more than enough time trying to find illumination about this problem. Whether it's appropriate or not for discussion in this forum, I ran EtreCheck due to a couple posters requesting it. Due to the glaring inconsistencies I saw in those EtreCheck reports that I generated while troubleshooting, my hesitation in providing an EtreCheck report in this forum was solely to avoid unnecessarily wasting more time on it.

I've wiped my Apple SSD and am in the process of reconstructing it; the issue has been rendered moot.

Hominahomina Author

Level 1

11 points

Jun 13, 2025 10:31 AM in response to den.thed

Your suggested solution is no solution, at all. That I cannot remove the aforementioned restrictions IS the problem. These settings' On/Off toggles are disabled.

Hominahomina Author

Level 1

11 points

Jun 13, 2025 11:56 AM in response to den.thed

My everyday logon is as an admin.

Hominahomina Author

Level 1

11 points

Jun 14, 2025 12:21 PM in response to Barney-15E

I manually scan my system with Malwarebytes. However, that company assures me their software does nothing that would induce changes like those I've encountered.

Hominahomina Author

Level 1

11 points

Jun 14, 2025 4:04 PM in response to BDAqua

Apple TS have been no help at all in discovering what occurred. I figured I'd try here, too. If an Etrecheck report is a necessity, then I'm done.

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Jun 14, 2025 5:43 PM in response to Hominahomina

Don’t give up on my word, but figure a way to get more info to the helpers.

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Jun 17, 2025 3:40 AM in response to Hominahomina

The report may well hold clues for us.

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Jun 18, 2025 12:40 AM in response to zooth

👍🏽

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How can I purge profile data from my Mac system?