HT200160 mac keeps trying to connect to a server that no longer exists

every so often throughout the day, i'll get a error dialong telling me that my mac can't connect to a server because it no longer exists. This server was my old machine that has since been renamed on the network.
i don't want it to connect, i also don't want it to ask to connect. how do i find out why it's trying to connect, and how do i end this madness?

Boot in safe mode as directed here:
Starting up in Safe Mode
Log in and see whether you still have the problem. If you don't, it's caused by one of your login items or a system modification that loads at startup or login.
If the problem isn't resolved that way, other possible causes are references in the iPhoto, iTunes, or iMovie library pointing to the server, and bookmarks in the Preview application
See iMovie Troubleshooting: Connection Failed, Server Does Not Exist.

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IMac is trying to connect to a server that no longer exist on my network.

iMac is trying to connect to a server that no longer exist on my network - I am looking for a solution to stop the error messages showing up. For instance, I have a contact in the address book that I need to change his picture and when I try to do that, for some reason, the server where the pics were stored appears as unavailble. The error message is not going away until the aplication is being closed.
Appreciate any feedbacks.
Thanks.

Back up all data.
1. If you use iCloud, uncheck the box marked Contacts in the iCloud preference pane. Press return to confirm, or click Keep on Mac in the dialog that opens.
2. From the list of groups on the left side of the Contacts window, select All On My Mac. If that group doesn't exist or is empty, skip this step. Otherwise, from the menu bar, select
File ▹ Export ▹ Export vCard
Save the exported contacts to the Desktop.
3. Quit Contacts. Triple-click the text on the line below to select it, then copy it to the Clipboard (command-C):
~/Library/Application Support/AddressBook
In the Finder, select
Go ▹ Go to Folder
from the menu bar, paste into the box that opens (command-V), and press return.
A Finder window will open with a folder selected. Move the selected folder to the Desktop, leaving the window open for now.
4. Launch Contacts. Your contacts will be gone. If you took Step 2, then from the menu bar, select
File ▹ Import
and import from the file you exported. Your contacts will reappear.
5. Re-enable Contacts in the iCloud preference pane, if you disabled it. Test. If the issue is resolved, delete the AddressBook folder and the vCard file on the Desktop and close the open folder window.
Otherwise, quit Contacts again and put the AddressBook folder back where it was, overwriting the newer one that will have been created in its place. Post your results.

Mac keeps trying to connect to a server when opening excel

i worked for a week at a production house and they had me log into their server to access files that we all used. obviously i forgot to eject their server before i left and instead just closed my computer and left. now, since Lion makes all documents that were left open restore automatically my mac keeps trying to load a spreadsheet that i was reading off the server but obviously i'm not connected to said server anymore. and i won't ever again.
how can i stop my mac from trying to connect to this server? also, is there a way to stop Lion from auto restoring?
thanks, all!

Well, I was hoping that if you remove all traces of recently opened documents to resume and you disable the resume, then Excel would not try any longer to connect to the server.
One more question: is Excel trying to reach the server when you start your system or when you launch Excel?
If it happens at start up, then have a look, if Excel has been added to the start up items (System preferences -> accounts -> your account -> start up items) and remove it.
Quit Excel (with Option + Command + Q) if it is open and remove the loginwindow preferences: Navigate to Library > Preferences > ByHost > com.apple.loginwindow.[xxxxxxxxx].plist
The [xxxxxxxx] represent some interminable string of numbers and letters.
If it happens at launch time, move the Excel preference file to the Desktop before you launch Excel. The file is locate here:
/Users/your user name/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.Excel.plist.
If you keep your Library hidden, as it is by default, go to the System preference folder from the Finder menu: Finder -> Go -> Go to Folder (Or shift-cmd-G) and enter
"/Users/your user name/Library/Preferences"
Good luck

Mac Pro App crashes while looking for server that no longer exists

PROBLEM:
Motion crashes every time I try to launch. Before it crashes, a window appears with the message: "Looking for "G4MDD"--which is my old G4 machine.
BACKGROUND:
I kept my old G4MDD networked to my MacPro Intel machine for a while during my hardware migration due to Motion app instabilities I was experiencing.
Finally, with Motion v2.1.2, I was able to run Motion on my MacPro reliably.
I disconnected G4MDD from the network, deploying it to another building, dedicated to other non-FCP purposes.
I have not been able to launch Motion 2 on the MacPro since. It goes out looking for G4MDD, then crashes every time.
REMEDIES I'VE TRIED:
Everything Apple suggests on the Motion troubleshooting page, including re-install of the app following all instructions meticulously.
QUESTIONS TO GROUP:
1) Is there some server-related preference file I can try trashing?
2) Any other suggestions?

The location should be /Users/your name/Pictures. You can change this by holding down the option or alt key (the ones immediately to the left or right of the cmd keys either side of the spacebar) whilst clicking on the iPhoto application icon in your dock and making an informed choice from the options you see.
By default iPhoto creates an iPhoto Library (the folder where all your data in iPhoto is stored) in the /Users/your name/Pictures folder. It seems that in the past you must have selected an externally or network attached volume named TOSHIBA as the location for the iPhoto Library instead using the instructions I've given you. All you have to do is revert it back to the location you now want.

Mac/iPhoto trying to connect to an old server that no longer exists

I have a MacBook Air, running OS X 10.7.5
Because I was running out of space and set up an AFP connection to a NAS. The NAS is now dead and gone, but in certain situations the Mac tries to connect
1. In MS Office, if I have the ClipArt/Shape/etc browser open, it tries to connect to the server - is a PITA but I can live with it
2. In iPhoto, it constantly tries to connect, particularly if I am using the slideshow feature - Has rendered iPhoto unusable.
The iPhoto situation is that I perhaps foolishly connected to a photo folder on the NAS share and iPhoto imported a bunch of pictures from there. Now that the server is offline, it constantly looks for them and tells me that it can't connect.
I can still see the thumbnails but obviously it cannot access the full files. I don't know exactly which folders are NAS pictures and which are not
I've found some similar topics but not a satisfactory answer.
How can I stop this message - how can I stop the Mac from trying to connect to a server that is never going to be there?

The location should be /Users/your name/Pictures. You can change this by holding down the option or alt key (the ones immediately to the left or right of the cmd keys either side of the spacebar) whilst clicking on the iPhoto application icon in your dock and making an informed choice from the options you see.
By default iPhoto creates an iPhoto Library (the folder where all your data in iPhoto is stored) in the /Users/your name/Pictures folder. It seems that in the past you must have selected an externally or network attached volume named TOSHIBA as the location for the iPhoto Library instead using the instructions I've given you. All you have to do is revert it back to the location you now want.

MacBook Air keeps trying to connect to old server

My new MacBook Air, just like its predecessor iBook, keeps trying to connect to an old server which I am not using (having moved to a different continent!). I have tried deleting it using Finder - Go - Conneact to Server, but it persists. It flashes up the error messaage: "There was a problem connecting to the server XXX. The server may not exist or it is unavailable at this time. Check the server name or IP address, check your network connection, and then try again." I have done all this, but it makes no difference. Can you help please? I use a Time Capsule as my router, with an AirPort Express booster in another room, and my main iMac desktop does not have this problem. The old network was in use in the UK, and I will want to connect to it there when I visit from time to time.
Many thanks
John

Check the Login Items in the Users & Groups section of system Preferences for a reference to this old server. If it is there highlight it and click the Minus ( - ) button.

C# error when connecting to ldap server that does not exist

When using Novell.Directory.Ldap.dll and making a connect to an ldap
server which does not exists i'm getting the following error:
Connection.freeWriteSemaphore(-2): semaphore not owned by any thread
Im using this to connect: conn.Connect(ldapHost, ldapPort);
This error is not catched by LdapException. Can anyone tell me if this is
a bug or do I have to do something different.

Hi. I'm using version 2.1.11 of the NDK for CSharp. I'm getting this
same error message:
Code:
Connection.freeWriteSemaphore(-2): semaphore not owned by any thread
at Novell.Directory.Ldap.Connection.freeWriteSemaphor e(Int32 msgId)
at Novell.Directory.Ldap.Connection.connect(String host, Int32 port, Int32 semaphoreId)
at Novell.Directory.Ldap.LdapConnection.Connect(Strin g host, Int32 port)
at TestLDAP.Program.Main(String[] args) in D:\Documents and Settings\tjbuege\my documents\visual studio 2010\Projects\TestLDAP\TestLDAP\Program.cs:line 20
This occurs when I try to bind to a server that does not exist. Here
is my sample source code that generates that error:
Code:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using Novell.Directory.Ldap;
namespace TestLDAP
class Program
static void Main(string[] args)
LdapConnection conn = null;
string host = "server.does.not.exist.com";
int port = 389;
try
conn = new LdapConnection();
conn.Connect(host, port);
catch (Exception ex)
Console.WriteLine(ex.Message);
Console.WriteLine(ex.StackTrace);
if (conn != null)
conn.Disconnect();
Is there a fix for this? It makes this library useless for me.
Thanks,
Tim
tjbuege
tjbuege's Profile: http://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=108957
View this thread: http://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=365082

Mac keeps trying to connect to a non-existing server

Title pretty much says it all. Some time ago I accessed a Windows-Share using my MacBookPro (10.6.1).
Since then an error message along the lines of "Connection failed. Can't connect to the server AFOREMENTIONEDWINDOWSSERVER."pops up irregularly. Sometimes every 5 seconds, sometimes once in a hour.
Things I tried:
Repairing permissions
deleting com.apple.finder.plist
loggin in with a different account - no problems then!
emptying the "recent servers" list in GoTo -> Connect to Server...
I'm kind of stumped at the moment, especially as I can't find any log-file entries for this error.
You guys got any additional ideas?

Now it's getting screwy, and looks like some sort of corruption. I recently had a issue with one of my iMac's and it's network settings. All browsers were having problems going to some sites. I went through all the motions, including user account testing, reinstalling and updating SL, etc.
Ran Onyx and cleaned every cache setting known to Mac.
Finally determined problem happened when network location set to Static IP, but not when Location set for dynamic IP. Don't know why, but other computers were able to use the same static IP's fine. The problem machine was using a Static IP for many months, but I changed the IP number to another Static, it worked, then changed the IP number back to the original Static, it continued to work...
So, even though I reinstalled the OS, some sort of networking preference must have been reused in the new installation. Changing the setting reset it or caused a new preferences file to be built.
One thing, I cloned my drive and worked over the clone pretty well. You can get pretty drastic if you've got nothing to loose. With a clone you can mess with the system preferences the same way you did with the user prefs, without causing any new problems on your work drive. You could also play with setting up a new user account and importing parts of the old account to see if you can get a good working account without endangering your data.

Problem using "Classic", it keeps trying to connect to a server

Whenever I startup Classic it almost finishes and than an error comes up that says "Connection failed. Cannot find network server address or i.p. May not be correct i.p........" Or something to that affect.
The offending mac is running OS 9.2 and Panther. It has a cable modem for the internet which works fine when booted in 9 or X.
Help please.

Open the folder "System Folder" on your hard disk and then the Servers folder inside; once this folder has appeared, move everything inside to the desktop. Start Classic again.
(11668)

HT4628 How can I delete a network from my system preferences? My wifi keeps trying to connect to a network that has been disable.

We have disabled an old network in our home and installed a new one. My computer keeps finding the old network, but I have no connection as it is disabled. I have set the new network as my priority, but it doesn't seem to be working. I would like to delete the old network, but can't find how to do it.

Try going to system preferences/network. Unlock the padlock if locked with your admin paswd.
Click on Locations, at the bottom of the drop down menu select Edit locations, this should bring up the list of networks, highlight the one you wish to delete and click the minus button, it should disappear. Click done.
Hope this helps

My iPhone is trying to verify an email address that no longer exists,

i can't even use the information on how to change the apple ID to my new email address because the phone is constantly trying to verify the old address... i have no idea how to do this...

Hello peterkellygolf,
I'm not sure where you are seeing the prompt for your older Apple ID, but there are several articles about changing the ID.
iOS: Sign in with a different Apple ID in the iTunes Store, App Store, and iBooks Store
If you're asked for the password to your previous Apple ID when signing out of iCloud
And here's a good one for all the places you may need to change it.
Apple ID: What to do after you change your Apple ID
Thank you for visiting Apple Support Communities.
Nubz

OS keeps trying to connect to server

Hi - When I'm home I often connect to a local server on my LAN.
But when I travel, I get this system notification over and over:
There was a problem connection to the server "Media Center".
The server may not exist or it is unavailable at this time. Check the
server name or IP address, check your network connection, and then try again.
For some reason my system keeps trying to connect to the server. I can't see why. This message keeps happening even after rebooting, before I load any applications. I can't figure out where in my system that server request is stored and how to stop it.
I've scoured the console logs but can't find any references to my server's name.
Anybody know how I can stop this? The dialog box is annoying and takes focus away from whatever I'm working on.
Thanks in advance...
chico

OK, I found the problem. I'm posting in case anyone else needs help.
Back when Mountain came out it removed colors and distinctive icons from the sidebar, replacing them with grey generic icons. I, like many others, hated the new look, so I installed a program (Side Effects) that uses SIMBL to restore the colored sidebar. It worked, I was happy, and I forgot about it.
With Mountain Lion, apparently there is a more complex interaction, and SideBar/SIMBL somehow kept trying to mount a particular local server. It succeeded when I was home, but when I would disconnect, it would reconnect on relogin. When I travel, after reboot it keeps giving me a "Cannot Connect to Server" failure message (it stops after a while).
LSS, I uninstalled SIMBL and everything works as it should. I really miss the colored sidebar but at the moment I'm not motivated to wrestle with the hacks necessary to restore it. I wish Apple would do so but it ain't gonna happen. I'll have to learn to live with the ugly sidebar.

Macbook pro keeps trying to connect to an old server

I have a macbook pro, just updated to OSX mavericks, when I turn the machine on, it will keep trying to connect to an old server that no longer exists (a windows pc I had at home I called "estudio"); how can I fix this? where is that the OS keeps the list of servers that the machine has been connected to? I already went through the option of "deleting all the list of recent servers" on the Connecting to a Server window.
Thanks for any help
Sandra

Check in:
System Preferences > Accounts > Your_username > Login Items

On my Mac Mini, I keep getting this error message: "iCloud encountered an error while trying to connect to the server". I don't have any problems with iCloud on my laptop / PC. It works fine... Does anyone know what the problem could be?

On my Mac Mini, I keep getting this error message: "iCloud encountered an error while trying to connect to the server". I don't have any problems with iCloud on my laptop / PC. It works fine... Does anyone know what the problem could be?

Your Mac must be on Lion (10.7) to run iCloud. Apple had to change the operating system to fully support it. Nevertheless, it is possible to get emails from iCloud without having Lion. Please tell me if this interests you.
Anyways, here is the link to buy Lion (30 dollars, totally worth the upgrade ): http://itunes.apple.com/be/app/os-x-lion/id444303913?mt=12
Franklin

I am informed by FF that there are updates. When I click on them the window just says it's trying to connect to the server and never does. I have a Mac Powerbook with 10.4.11 and FF 3.6.13

# Question
I am informed by FF that there are updates. When I click on them the window just says it's trying to connect to the server and never does. I am never able to update and I believe FF is now up to 3.6.17.
I have a Mac Powerbook with 10.4.11 and FF 3.6.13.
Joel E. Pittenger cell: 314-724-8820

That is because that Firefox 3.6.x version has been released later than the Firefox 4 version.
If you have problems with updating then easiest is to download the full version and trash the currently installed version to do a clean install of the new version.
Download a new copy of the Firefox program and save the DMG file to the desktop
* Firefox 4.0.x: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all.html
* Firefox 3.6.x: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-older.html
* Trash the current Firefox application to do a clean (re-)install
* Install the new version that you have downloaded
Your profile data is stored elsewhere in the [http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox Firefox Profile Folder], so you won't lose your bookmarks and other personal data.

HT200160 mac keeps trying to connect to a server that no longer exists

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