Just wanted some sanity

To add

From the Etrecheck Report

" 2024-10-07 Mobile Device (1.0.0.0) "

Review MDM restrictions for Apple devices

Restrictions can be turned on—or in some cases, turned off—by administrators to help prevent users from accessing a specific app, service, or function of an Apple device that’s enrolled in a mobile device management (MDM) solution. For example, a restriction can be added that prevents an iPhone or iPad from using AirPrint. Another restriction can be added to prevent the sharing of passwords over AirDrop on an iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro. Certain restrictions on an iPhone can be mirrored on a paired Apple Watch.

About MDM...

Intro to mobile device management profiles - Apple Support

A few things...

Please do not run EtreCheck in Safe Mode. That totally defeats the purpose of the app.

Please update to the latest version of EtreCheck. I hate seeing my bugs splashed around on the internet.

You have no MDM installed on your computer. That "Mobile Device" is just some poorly-named installer package.

There doesn't appear to be anything wrong with your computer. It would be better to start a new question and better explain what you are seeing with respect to this statement:

I have been having issues with access to my machine (i lose rights to my home directory - downloads, etc)

There are plenty of reasonable explanations. We just need more details about what exactly you are attempting and what, exactly, you are seeing.

Currently, you are about 5 ½ feet deep into a rabbit hole of your own construction. What do you want? A ladder or shovel?

Normally, when the Author of the question replies to a specific User, I generally do not engage in this reply

Though and since there have been multi contributors appearing and offering suggestions

I figured, why not break my own self Imposed rules.

With these many issues on the computer

As has already been suggested by one of my colleagues  and I thank them again for this

Start Over from Scratch 

For Apple Silicon computer >> Use Disk Utility to erase a Mac with Apple silicon.

IMHO - it would be best to only install new required applications etc Directly from the Developer or the Apple Apps Store.

Notation: Since there’s no evidence of any " Time Machine Backup " or any other form of a backup ( Safety Net ) via a Third Party Software 

The computer is “ Walking on the Tight-Rope without any form of a Safety Net “ sort of speak

What the user decides , is really up to them

For good computer practices

To truly protect your non replaceable Data - have a 3-2-1 Rescue Plan in place and always current

3 Backups using 2 methods and 1 off site incase of natural disaster or un-natural disaster.

Each of the above should be done to a Dedicated, Single Purposed External Drive ( making 3 Separate External Drives in total )

The is to augment what TM Backup does and Not to replace TM Backup.

https://bombich.com

Should not have or does not have a MDM service Installed on this computer ?

The 2 are not one and the same thing

According to the Etrecheck Report you provided and must say Thank you for that 👍

It made this whole experience far more straight forwards

" 2024-10-07 Mobile Device (1.0.0.0) " is there and on the machine

How and why it is, we can not actually answer

Once a MDM Service is there.

The MDM service can Lock Down pretty much anything they choose to Lock Down

Additional, one the Serial Number of the computer is Registered in the MDM Service Database

It is a difficult experience in getting it removed

He/she said:

jburn_67 wrote:

Purchased brand new from the apple store. I have owned the machine since that time as well as the iphone which was purchased from a telecom provider. I am not a student and have not been for 30 years!

So your supposition about the device being sold used and not properly prepared for resale would appear to be incorrect.

There's a bunch of other stuff on there, such as NordVPN Threat Protection Pro and Recoverit, that I have to wonder about, though. Whether either would show up as a MDM of some sort I don't know.

Given all the issues that jburn reports, if it were me I'd just erase the system and start fresh, and this time not install NordVPN unless my business or school requires it.

Regards.

No worries, PRP. I miss stuff far too often myself. And it's easy enough to do when there are multiple posts in a thread.

But given the various problems the OP seems to be having, it would seem more time-productive to me if he/she just starts from scratch rather than to try sorting out each problem.

Regards.

etresoft wrote:

A few things...

Please do not run EtreCheck in Safe Mode. That totally defeats the purpose of the app.

Please update to the latest version of EtreCheck. I hate seeing my bugs splashed around on the internet.

Good catch 👍 on the outdated Etrecheck application 6.8.6 versus >>

So why is MDM installed on your Mac? Did you buy your MBP brand new or used? From where and from whom did you buy it? You mention seeing Classroom and Student which indicates this machine might have been part of an educational system and was very likely being managed with MDM.

jburn_67 wrote:

Thank you. Where can i find the database with the serial number mentioned so i can take it to apple at least as i have contacted them in the past asking about MDM and they say it has not been installed?

Short answer

Not on this computer nor in the Etrecheck report

You will have to Contact the MDM Service that has the Computer Serial Number In Their Database

Who the MDM is is unknown

Building on @ Ikrupp assessment

It would appear that this machine may have been New to You but was actually Owned by someone else and Not Properly Prepared for resale

Guess I let myself " be led down the garden path " by this

Shame on me 😔

" I am no expert but I some logs mention MDM - i notice Classroom and Studentd running on my machine which i try to remove through terminal but am unable to due to the PID changing immediately (there are no visible profiles on in system report and i own the mac and bought from Apple

PRP_53 wrote:

Good catch 👍 on the outdated Etrecheck application 6.8.6 versus >>

I actually didn't notice the version. I noticed this bug:

Configuration Files:

/etc/hosts - Count:

...that I fixed in 6.8.7.

I also thought it was EtreCheck confusing people about MDMs. Sometimes Apple uses the internal MDM mechanism for certain ScreenTime features. I don't want to print those out as MDM settings. Version 6.8.6 would sometimes print an MDM message about a restricted timeserver or something. Fixed that too. Version 6.8.7 will also help people uninstall orphan system extensions now that Apple has finally made that possible in Sequoia.

Unfortunately, Apple's installation information can be confusing, and EtreCheck can display that confusion. The names of installer packages are essentially meaningless. And there's no way to associate any particular installer package with any specific software. You just have to hope the developer named it something more meaningful than "Mobile Device".