FileVault is already off but cannot disable Secure Token

Happy new year to everyone in Apple Dev Forum.


I use Mac mini late 2014 ~ late 2018 in the workplace.

Last week, I tried user creation function in Chef 15's latest version, but failed because it tries to refresh a SecureToken-enabled account.


What is weird is, those Macs are already FileVault-disabled because the auto-login function is needed for the operation.


Of course, that account was administrator at that time, so I made a whole new account as administrator in GUI,

and gave the new account a new Secure Token with `sysadminctl -secureTokenOn` to "-secureTokenOff" the originally secure-tokened account.


Now I can check 2 secure tokens exist in that machine via `diskutil apfs listUsers /`, and those two accounts are enabled in Secure Tokens.

I logged in with the new admin account and tried to disable the Secure Token for the original one, but still failed with the message below.


```

sysadminctl[645:19930] Operation is not permitted without secure token unlock.

```


What is the proper way to 'Unlock the secure token' in this case and why should STILL I do if the FileVault is disabled?

Replies

I forgot to let you know: the tested machine is Mac Mini Late 2014 with OS X 10.15.2 Catalina (19C57)