So, those bloody autostart and autologins Angels and Daemons…
Where does OS X hides them?
1. User Agents
Executed by the currently logged in user: ~/Library/LaunchAgents/
ls /Users/your-username/Library/LaunchAgents/ ls /Users/master/Library/LaunchAgents/
2. Global Agents
Executed by the currently logged in user: /Library/LaunchAgents/
ls /Library/LaunchAgents/
3. Global Daemons
Executed by root (or a user specified with the UserName key): /Library/LaunchDaemons/
ls /Library/LaunchDaemons/
4. System Agents
Executed by the currently logged in user: /System/Library/LaunchAgents/
On OS X 10.10.2, there were 206 System Agents in that folder
ls /System/Library/LaunchAgents/ ls /System/Library/LaunchAgents | wc -l
5. System Daemons
Executed by root (or a user specified with the UserName key):/System/Library/LaunchDaemons/
On OS X 10.10.2, there were 261 System Daemons in that folder
ls /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/ ls /System/Library/LaunchDaemons | wc -l
6. Legacy Startup Folders
Currently (2016) these are considered to be out-of-date (and should therefore be empty), but still worth checking if an old program placed anything in there:
ls /Library/StartupItems/ ls /System/Library/StartupItems/
Two more locations that are being mentioned on the internet:
ls /Users/master/Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginitems.plist ls /private/var/db/launchd.db/com.apple.launchd.peruser.501/overrides.plist
Probably these are out of date, as I cannot find them on my machine, however, I discovered the following items:
ls /Users/master/Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices/ cat /Users/master/Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices.plist
7. launchd / launchctl Database
The most interesting bit (probably, this one replaced one of the lines above):
ls /private/var/db/com.apple.xpc.launchd/ cat /private/var/db/com.apple.xpc.launchd/overrides.plist
However, no point editing these files as after the next login they are re-created again. Great info on launchd can be found here, and here is some info on apple Agents and Daemons
Finally, to see what’s running
launchctl list launchctl list | wc -l
Which is going to produce something similar to…
Want to disable some of these? Here is how
launchctl list | wc -l
221
launchctl list
PID Status Label
84 0 com.apple.coreservicesd
- 0 com.apple.FontWorker
169 0 com.apple.cvmsServ
- 0 com.apple.applessdstatistics
- 0 com.apple.storagekitd
- 0 com.apple.hdiejectd
144 0 com.apple.corestorage.corestoraged
- 0 com.apple.wifid
- 0 com.apple.storereceiptinstaller
148 0 com.apple.networkd_privileged
36 0 com.apple.iconservices.iconservicesagent
- 0 com.apple.emond
17 0 com.apple.syslogd
- 0 com.apple.logkextloadsd
- 0 com.apple.bluetoothReporter
137 0 com.apple.WindowServer
- 0 com.apple.NetworkSharing
150 0 com.apple.discoveryd_helper
- 0 com.apple.afpfs_checkafp
- 0 com.apple.var-db-dslocal-backup
52 0 com.apple.securityd
- 0 com.apple.nesessionmanager
- 0 com.apple.auditd
356 0 com.apple.ocspd
56 0 com.apple.autofsd
16 0 com.apple.UserEventAgent-System
- 0 com.apple.Kerberos.kadmind
- 0 com.apple.preferences.timezone.auto
- 0 com.apple.coresymbolicationd
278 0 com.apple.suhelperd
- 0 com.apple.RFBEventHelper
- 0 com.apple.racoon
- 0 com.apple.IASUtilities.IASCloudConfigHelper
- 0 com.apple.metadata.mds.scan
- 0 com.apple.RemoteDesktop.PrivilegeProxy
- 0 com.apple.installd
- 0 org.postfix.master
- 0 com.apple.dvdplayback.setregion
141 0 com.apple.nehelper
202 0 com.apple.tccd.system
- 0 com.apple.appleseed.fbahelperd
- 0 com.apple.IFCStart
- 0 com.apple.softwareupdate_download_service
- 0 com.apple.mdmclient.daemon
96 0 com.apple.ctkd
140 0 com.apple.nsurlsessiond_privileged
44 0 com.apple.awdd
45 0 com.apple.qmaster.qmasterd
- 0 com.apple.periodic-monthly
- 0 com.apple.security.authhost.00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000186A6
105 0 com.apple.secinitd
207 0 com.apple.TMCacheDelete
- 0 com.apple.scsid
- 0 com.apple.kuncd
- 0 com.apple.IOAccelMemoryInfoCollector
- 0 com.apple.msrpc.lsarpc
65 0 com.apple.KernelEventAgent
- 0 com.apple.aslmanager
- 0 com.apple.taskgated-helper
- 0 com.apple.cmio.registerassistantservice
- 0 com.apple.RemotePairTool
67 0 com.apple.hidd
19 0 com.apple.kextd
- 0 com.apple.systemstats.analysis
72 0 com.apple.diagnosticd
24 0 com.apple.coreservices.appleevents
26 0 com.apple.powerd
75 0 com.apple.authd
- 0 com.apple.DumpPanic
- 0 com.apple.vsdbutil
- 0 com.apple.nfsd
198 0 com.apple.audio.coreaudiod
29 0 com.apple.airportd
264 -43 com.apple.watchdogd
- 0 com.apple.pfd
- 0 com.apple.NetworkDiagnostics
37 0 com.apple.iconservices.iconservicesd
- 0 com.apple.systemkeychain
- 0 com.apple.nlcd
- 0 com.apple.SCHelper
- 0 com.apple.periodic-weekly
- 0 com.apple.netbiosd
- 0 org.cups.cupsd
- 0 com.apple.statd.notify
- 0 com.apple.preferences.timezone.admintool
165 0 com.apple.nsurlstoraged
- 0 com.apple.noticeboard.state
139 0 com.apple.metadata.mds.index
51 0 com.apple.usbmuxd
- 0 com.apple.IOBluetoothUSBDFU
259 0 com.apple.CrashReporterSupportHelper
- 0 com.apple.DumpGPURestart
54 0 com.apple.displaypolicyd
55 0 com.apple.blued
187 0 com.apple.securityd_service
- 0 com.apple.periodic-daily
145 0 com.apple.alf
64 0 com.apple.logind
- 0 com.apple.dspluginhelperd
- 0 com.apple.msrpc.netlogon
- 0 com.apple.CoreRAID
- 0 com.apple.TrustEvaluationAgent.system
- 0 com.apple.newsyslog
206 0 com.apple.cache_delete
68 0 com.apple.taskgated
- 0 com.apple.GSSCred
25 0 com.apple.configd
185 0 com.apple.AccountPolicyHelper
- 0 com.apple.fontmover
- 0 com.apple.UserNotificationCenter
- 0 com.apple.speech.speechsynthesisd
- 0 com.apple.rpcbind
147 0 com.apple.networkd
41 0 com.apple.coreduetd
42 0 com.apple.wdhelper
- 0 com.apple.ucupdate.plist
- 0 com.apple.ManagedClient.enroll
- 0 com.apple.DesktopServicesHelper
- 0 com.apple.Kerberos.kcm
63 0 com.apple.loginwindow
- 0 com.apple.efilogin-helper
- 0 com.apple.cmio.iOSScreenCaptureAssistant
69 0 com.apple.notifyd
- 0 com.apple.ReportPanicService
- 0 com.apple.Kerberos.digest-service
20 0 com.apple.fseventsd
367 0 com.apple.automountd
- 0 com.vix.cron
22 0 com.apple.thermald
233 0 com.apple.FileCoordination
- 0 com.apple.eapolcfg_auth
- 0 com.apple.coreservices.appleid.passwordcheck
- 0 com.apple.AssetCacheLocatorService
277 0 com.apple.softwareupdated
- 0 com.apple.systemadministration.writeconfig
- 0 com.apple.security.agentMain
- 0 com.apple.SubmitDiagInfo
- 0 com.apple.emond.aslmanager
- 0 com.apple.msrpc.mdssvc
- 0 com.apple.dpd
257 0 com.apple.cmio.AppleCameraAssistant
- 0 com.apple.corestorage.corestoragehelperd
- 0 com.apple.ReportCrash.Root
- 0 com.apple.systempreferences.install
- 0 com.apple.cmio.IIDCVideoAssistant
- 0 com.apple.security.syspolicy
142 0 com.apple.usbd
70 0 com.apple.distnoted.xpc.daemon
- 0 com.apple.bsd.dirhelper
61 0 com.apple.stackshot
62 0 com.apple.revisiond
- 0 com.apple.smb.preferences
- 0 com.apple.cloudfamilyrestrictionsd
74 0 com.apple.cfprefsd.xpc.daemon
- 0 com.apple.Localization.SetDefaultsService
- 0 com.apple.unmountassistant.sysagent
- 0 com.apple.uninstalld
- 0 com.apple.xpc.smd
- 0 com.apple.gkreport
- 0 com.apple.backupd
- 0 com.apple.airport.wps
301 0 com.apple.systemstatsd
- 0 com.apple.nfsconf
- 0 com.apple.netauth.sys.auth
247 0 com.apple.MobileFileIntegrity
- 0 com.apple.DesktopServicesHelper.CECEFA4F-9553-4111-AB71-921542016951
- 0 com.apple.configureLocalKDC
336 0 com.apple.spindump
32 0 com.apple.metadata.mds
- 0 com.apple.mbicloudsetupd
- 0 com.apple.lockd
- 0 com.apple.wwand
- 0 com.apple.printtool.daemon
- 0 com.apple.fontd
- 0 com.apple.cmio.VDCAssistant
- 0 com.apple.security.authhost
- 0 com.apple.pfctl
- 0 com.apple.gssd
- 0 com.apple.PerformanceAnalysis.animationperfd
47 0 com.apple.wirelessproxd
- 0 com.apple.security.agentMain.00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000XXXXX
- 0 com.apple.loginwindow.LFVTracer
50 0 com.apple.coreservices.launchservicesd
- 0 com.apple.afpfs_afpLoad
- 0 com.apple.platform.ptmd
- 0 com.apple.iokit.ioserviceauthorized
- 0 com.apple.Kerberos.kdc
59 0 com.apple.softwareupdatecheck.initial
- 0 com.apple.msrpc.srvsvc
- 0 com.apple.bnepd
- 0 com.apple.familycontrols
- 0 com.apple.dpaudiothru
- 0 com.apple.nis.ypbind
- 0 com.apple.kcproxy
171 0 com.apple.AmbientDisplayAgent
- 0 com.apple.installandsetup.systemmigrationd
- 0 com.apple.metadata.mds.spindump
- 0 com.apple.Kerberos.kpasswdd
- 0 com.apple.msrpc.wkssvc
- 0 com.apple.awacsd
31 0 com.apple.warmd
- 0 com.apple.powerd.swd
- 0 com.apple.ManagedClient
38 0 com.apple.diskarbitrationd
- 0 com.apple.systemstats.daily
- 0 com.apple.netauth.sys.gui
46 0 com.apple.opendirectoryd
143 0 com.apple.ifdreader
- 0 com.apple.bluetoothaudiod
49 0 com.apple.networking.discoveryd
- 0 com.apple.ManagedClient.cloudconfigurationd
- 0 com.apple.PCIELaneConfigTool
- 0 com.apple.GameController.gamecontrollerd
- 0 com.apple.sessionlogoutd
- 0 com.apple.pacemaker
- 0 com.apple.cmio.AVCAssistant
- 0 com.apple.diskmanagementd
179 0 com.apple.CodeSigningHelper
146 0 com.apple.sysmond
- 0 com.apple.sandboxd
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