The Mysterious Library Alias

Many of you in Tiger may have noticed the problem discussed here.

Specifically, a new generic file alias shows up in under Network in the Finder. Apparently it has something to do with NFS. A user on the above forum wrote:

The network Library contains items that are available to all users on your network. It has been around since at least 10.1. You would only use this folder if you part of a network being managed with OS X Server.

From Mac OS X Server Administrator’s Guide:

"Adding System Resources to the Network Library Folder

This Library folder in the Network globe is included in the system search path. This gives you the ability to make available, from the network, any type of system resource that resides in the local Library folder. These resources could include fonts, application preferences, ColorSync profiles, desktop pictures, and so forth. Mac OS X accesses the network Library folder before the local Library folder, so network resources with the same name take precedence. You can use this capability to customize your managed client environment."

So just ignore it. It represents network services that aren't available to you.

Anyway, the important point is how to fix it from another user:

>>>When I click on the Network icon in the Sidebar the window shows "Servers" and an alias called Library. If I click on it the system tells me the alias is broken. I don't know what this file is for.

I deleted the file but I had to log in as root to do it. After that I could login to and user on my Mac and the file was gone. After I did a restart it came back again. Anybody know what this file is?<<<

To prevent it from comming back, edit "/System/Library/StartupItems/NFS/NFS" and place a # in front of the line:

ln -s /automount/Library /Network/Library

As shown below....

nfsd ${arguments}
fi
##
# Start the automounter
##
if [ "${AUTOMOUNT:=-YES-}" = "-YES-" ]; then
automount -m /Network -nsl -mnt ${AUTOMOUNTDIR}
# ln -s /automount/Library /Network/Library
automount -m /automount/Servers -fstab -mnt /private/Network/Servers -m /automount/static -static -mnt
${AUTOMOUNTDIR}
ln -s /automount/Servers /Network/Servers
#
# Hint that the name /Network should be localized:
#
ln -s . /Network/.localized
fi
#
# Leave a mark upon completion of the automounter startup: