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I just moved (via Migration Assistant from a Time Machine backup) from an 2015 MacBook Pro running OS X 10.11.6 to a (brand new, never used) 2019 MacBook Pro running macOS 10.15.7. All good, but this one unpleasant surprise has me stumped -- that nothing happens when I click the checkbox to activate File Sharing. Nothing. Nothing at all. Just can't check it.

I have no trouble connecting through File Sharing from this new machine to my old 2015 machine running El Cap, or to my daughter's which is running High Sierra. I just cannot get this one to act as a file server.

Googling has been no help at all with this so I'm hoping someone here might have some helpful thoughts.

With thanks!

File Sharing Pref Pane

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  • Is this on an admin user account?
    – benwiggy
    Jun 13, 2022 at 15:13
  • Yes, an Admin account. Jun 13, 2022 at 21:50

1 Answer 1

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One workaround to try is using Terminal to forcibly set the file sharing to on :

sudo launchctl load -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.smbd.plist

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  • I've little experience with Terminal commands. If I try this one: a) Should I expect to see that checkbox checked as a result?? b) If not, then how might I reset file Sharing to OFF -- or know whether it's on or off? Jun 13, 2022 at 21:52
  • If you run that command and then reopen the System Preferences screen, the box should show up as checked. You can then uncheck it. Based on some things I've seen, to re-enable you'd need to run the Terminal command again to turn it back on.
    – mcmar
    Jun 13, 2022 at 23:38
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    I had this problem, but I was trying to get AFP going. This did work to turn on SMB, thanks! Just run the command and enter your regular Mac PW! Tried to get this to work with afpfs_afpLoad and afpfs_checkafp instead of smbd, but it complained that it was already running. Now I'm trying to get timemachine to work over smb... Jun 23, 2022 at 2:47
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    It works, thanks 👍 Nov 8 at 1:22

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