v.5.0.1-rc1: Authenticate via Existing Local Account results in `EXIT ERROR` on M1 Mac Mini running macOS 26.2

[jdrch]

I'm trying to set super up to authenticate via existing local account as described in the documentation, using my own user account. That account is a volume owner.

However, when I follow the instructions in the documentation, I get the following error:

super --auth-local-account=MyUsername --auth-local-password='MyPa$$word'
Sun Jan 04 21:45:23 MacMiniA2348 super[14246]: **** S.U.P.E.R.M.A.N. 5.1.0-rc1 - SUPER STARTUP ****
Sun Jan 04 21:45:23 MacMiniA2348 super[14246]: Status: Mac computer with Apple silicon running: macOS Tahoe 26.2-25C56
Sun Jan 04 21:45:23 MacMiniA2348 super[14246]: Status: Last macOS startup was: 2025-12-30:16:20:00
Sun Jan 04 21:45:23 MacMiniA2348 super[14246]: Status: Current active GUI user is: MyUsername (501)
Sun Jan 04 21:45:23 MacMiniA2348 super[14246]: Status: Saving workflow configuration to main preferences at /Library/Management/super/com.macjutsu.super.plist.
Sun Jan 04 21:45:24 MacMiniA2348 super[14246]: Status: Validating new --auth-local-account credentials...
Sun Jan 04 21:45:25 MacMiniA2348 super[14246]: Auth Error: The password for account "MyUsername" is not valid.
Sun Jan 04 21:45:25 MacMiniA2348 super[14246]: Auth Error: The new --auth-local-account credentials will not be saved due to validation errors.
Sun Jan 04 21:45:25 MacMiniA2348 super[14246]: Exit: Apple silicon authentication options could not be validated and no failover option was specified, the workflow cannot continue.
Sun Jan 04 21:45:25 MacMiniA2348 super[14246]: **** S.U.P.E.R.M.A.N. 5.1.0-rc1 - EXIT ERROR ****

Any ideas?

[jdrch]

2 weeks with no reply. Looks like this project is either dead or no one cares. Pity macOS doesn't do unattended upgrades like Windows and Linux. I uninstalled.

[david-london]

Hi jdarch, this is a free project. You posted a message that looks more like problems with what you have been doing. The main person on this project has a regular job and can't possible do tech support for all the people using Super. So, for normal things that are not bugs, try going to MacAdmins Slack where there is a Super channel with close to 3000 members so I'm fairly confident you will get the help you are looking for.

Me personally looking at that log, I'm wondering if your account can manually authenticate when using Software Update assuming no typo in the password. The failure looks like the issue we have where people change their password via an external system for our Active Directory accounts and so the Secure Token is not updated. I'd have to do an essay to explain all this but if the scenario I outlined sounds like yours with AD, I'd suggest some time researching that.

Regards,

David London

[jdrch]

@david-london Thanks for your reply. My lament was directed more at Apple for making something that's routine on every major mainstream desktop OS such a PITA. If they hadn't done that, this project wouldn't need to exist and the devs could focus on their day jobs.

[Macjutsu]

@jdrch For a quicker response you should check out the #super channel in Mac Admins Slack.

So the error in question is generated via this code:

		if [[ $(dscl /Local/Default -authonly "${auth_local_account}" "${auth_local_password}" 2>&1 | grep -c 'eDSAuthFailed') -gt 0 ]]; then
			log_super "Auth Error: The password for account \"${auth_local_account}\" is not valid."
			auth_error_local="TRUE"
		fi

In summary, super is asking the dscl command if the password is valid, and the system is returning "eDSAuthFailed". In short, the system thinks the name and password combination is invalid.

You might want to use single quotes arround your username. Also keep in mind that on macOS, not only are names case sensitive, but there is a difference between the "account" name and the "display" name. Make sure you are using the "account" name.