MBP only runs if I start in single user mode and run fsck. WHY!

I am having trouble with my MBP. If I don't start in single user mode and run fsck -fy twice, I can't click on anything with my trackpad. I can't even log in. I've tried resetting pram/nvram, disk permission repair too but once i reboot... nada. I can't do anything in recovery mode, I can move around with arrows and tab but can't select anything. Safe mode hangs at about 20% and doesn't budge (left it for an hour, nothing). If I run fsck -fy it works but as soon as I reboot/ logout i'm back to square one again. Anyone know what causes this to happen? It just started tonight. I have a 2012 15" with Mountain Lion.

The boot drive is failing, or you have some other hardware fault.
Back up all data immediately, then make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store to have the machine tested.
If privacy is a concern, erase the data partition(s) with the option to write zeros* (do this only if you have at least two complete, independent backups, and you know how to restore to bare metal from any of them.) Don’t erase the recovery partition, if present.
*An SSD doesn't need to be zeroed.

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Unable to start in single-user mode - HD dead?

My MacBook Pro (Mac OS X) refused to start, it hung up on the loading screen where you see the apple and the spinning loading wheel. I found out how to fix this, I had to go into single-user mode and type "/sbin/fsck -fy" to repair/verify the disk (I was unable to do so from the Disk Utility via the Install Disc, the repair/verify buttons were just grayed out).
Anyways, doing this from the command line (single-user mode) fixed the problem and I could boot into Mac OS X (there were more issuses after this point which forced me to do an "Archive and Install").
^ that happened a week ago. And happened again yesterday, hung up on the exact same point. So I boot up my Mac into single-user mode, and type in "/sbin/fsck -fy" to start the process. Different from last time, I got a lot of text this time. It also kept going for a longer while. After about 10 minutes, there was a couple of minutes where nothing happened. So I typed "/sbin/fsck -fy" again (as I'm supposed to do so until it says "** The volume (nameofvolume) appears to be OK"), and I got some more text, then nothing happened for a while.
Inpatient as I am, I considered the process to be complete, and restarted my Mac by typing "exit".
I think I ****** up my Mac OS X partition at this point. Because when I try to start my Mac now, it automaticly boots into Windows XP (my other partition). Also I cannot enter single-user mode or Verbose mode, the Mac just ignores and goes right into Windows XP.
I've tried to boot from the Install Disc. When I run Disk Utility, the "HD"(name of Mac OS X partition) is grayed out. I can't do an Archive and Install because it cannot detect my main partition.
An interesting thing though: When I have the Install Disc inserted, I can enter single-user mode (by holding cmd+s at startup). However, when I type /sbin/fsck -fy, it starts verifying the Install Disc rather than the HD.
Also when I open My Computer in Windows XP, I can see the other partition (MacDrive). When I select it, I see:
Free Space: 219GB
Total Size: 168GB
This indicates that my HD is dead/erased, and that my last three months of work is gone. This just because I'm impatient, and didn't wait for the fsck process to complete.
What is the next step? How can I get into single-user mode so that I can verify/repair my disc?

On the point of contacting the folks at Alsoft, I have found that they seem to be unobtainable on www.alsoft.com at present.
I wanted to get in touch as I had a small problem with Diskwarrior on updating to 10.5.5 from 10.5.4 ,
Disk permissions ends with an error code.
I wonder if there were so many queries re this that they are unobtainable?
I run 3 machines from a wireless router, an iMac, an HP laptop with XP and a totally obsolete Dell into which i have squeezed W2000, with a resultant mix of browsers but no contact with the folks at Alsoft.
Am I in a minority of one here?

What's "...start in Single User mode"? HOW? and WHY?

A silly question...
What's "...start in Single User mode"? HOW? and WHY?
Can anyone, please explain that to me?
Cheers!

Hello Nando,
The only silly questions are the ones that never get asked
Have a look in here...
Single User Mode
Hope that helps
Regards
Ian

Powerbook -can't start up in single user mode or from CD-why?

My daughter was gifted a Powerbook (15"). I've upgraded it to 10.5.8. It has enough speed, (1.67 Ghz), 2 gigs RAM- but it is a sticky little machine- it freezes a lot. Froze twice during the upgrade, froze once during login, Froze once while trying to do a software update, froze once while trying to get into the system preferences. It freezes pretty consistently after 15-30 minutes or so, no matter what it's doing -if a program is running or not. I tried downloading AppleJack to run a diagnostic. That requires starting up from single user mode. I tried to do that , but the machine just opens to the login screen. I also tried running TechTool from the CD, and the machine wouldn't start up from CD either. What should I try next?

Try this one for some information.

Impossible to boot MacBook Pro Retina ! impossible to start in single user mode, Openfirmware password set, but safari works!

I have got a Macbook pro retina.
I have done 2 partitions on the SSD drive. 1 for the OS and 1 for the user (with a kind of ln -s /Home/myself /Volume/Part2/myself
I was watching a movie (with VLC) in full screen for a while and I wanted to escape. Impossible, and impossible to reboot.
When I start, I have a directory with a question mark.
I have a Open firmware passwords set (that I remember).
I cannot reset PRAM. (I can not change the RAM amount inside the commuter as this is a retina model)
I cannot start in verbose mode.
I can choose a disk to boot. I see only the OS drive and not the user partition, and no 'recovery partition'. It seems that i need to do a fsck -yff on the user partition but how ?
I can start the OS partition, and i can choose 'guess' or 'myself'. If i choose myself, I have an error message :'there is a error, the session can not start'. If I start with the guess account, I restart, and then I can browse the internet with safari (this is how I am writing this text!)
=> How can i repair the partition ? (open a terminal, boot in single user mode ...?)
best regards.

Actually, the recovery partition was there, but was not shown as my user partition. I have seen that reseting the PRAM and changing the ram could remove the open firemware password. So i have turn the computer on until the battery was empty. Then I boot about 20 times, and unplug the power supply after few seconds at different step of the booting pricess. At last, the screen default resolution when booting changed, I undertood that i succeeded, and I was able to enter.
Then I boot in single user mode, removed the open firmware password, activated the root user, and everything was fine now !

Extremely slow startup/"Error loading kernel" when single user mode is run

My daughter's iMac has become very poorly responsive with a very slow startup time. It takes about 1 minute for the progress wheel to begin when I startup her machine. And then it takes another 2 1/2 to 3 minutes before the login screen appears. The computer runs very slowly with the spinning activity wheel occurring frequently. When I start it up in single user mode I get the following message on screen:
efiboot loaded from device: Acp:(PNP0A03,0)/PC: (1F12)/SATA(0,0)/HD(Part 2, Sig56BF F8F1-9ADB-4101-BD3C-BFBC38AEED26)
boot file path: \System\Library\CoreServices\boot.efi
.Loading Kernal cache file 'System\Library\Caches
com.apple.kext.caches\Startup\kernel cache_i386.AE149BE8'
Read error 0x7
Loading 'Mach Kernel'...
Could not open file 'Mach kernel'
Error loading kernel 'Mach_kernel' (0x9)
Could some one tell me what this means? And better still, what do I need to do to fix it?
Thanks.
JOhn

I can't picture what is doing this other than something missing or muxed, but perhaps it's time for a relatively painless Archive & Install, which gives you a new/old OS, but can preserve all your files, pics, music, settings, etc., as long as you have plenty of free disk space and no Disk corruption, and is relatively quick & painless...
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107120
Just be sure to select Preserve Users & Settings.

Macbook won't start in single-user-mode.

I'm trying to repair the disk and instead of booting in single-user mode, it boots up regularly, ignoring Command + S. I'm running 10.6.8.
Thank you.

Nevermind, seems to be working now!

Can't start in single user mode, trying to fix blue screen startup

Trying to fix my blue screen startup and I'm on the step to fix the Network Preferences and I'm suppoed to go into single user mode. It starts but then locks up. last line is: localhost:\ root# Anyone have an idea?

Hi David.
Sorry we haven't received any response yet. getting used to the new forum is occupying a lot of peoples time at present I fear. I've yelled a bit louder this time!
In the mean time, have you already tried starting up in SAFE mode, rather than SU? http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107393 and following the other processes identified in http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106464
If you have access to another firewire equipt Mac then you could also use Target disk mode (connect the two together with a firewire cable, then start up your own computer while holding down the t key. ) Your own HD would then appear on the desktop of the other computer as another HD, and you can then proceed to remove or shift the same .plist files (on your own HD) identified in point 4 or 5 of http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106464
Cheers
Rod

MacBookPro does not start in Single User Mode

I am trying to boot my MacBookPro in Single User Mode. I read I should power off computer then start it while holding Command-S. I don't know what I am doing wrong but whenever I try, Mac just load normally and load the system.

Nevermind, seems to be working now!

Stuck in single user mode and can not get past it

I am experiencing a problem I recently had lent me a Mac g4 tower. I decided to upgrade to tiger and accidentally set the start-up preference to the disc, every time I boot up it goes into single user mode, if I boot up holding the option key it brings up 3 icons on the right is an arrow in a circle formation which is refresh at a guess in the middle is the hard drive which is depressed kind of thing and on the right is a straight arrow. I have tried selecting each of these individually and even pressing enter all but the refresh icon goes back into single user mode. When the disc is in and I go to this it does not ring up the disc as an option.
I have zapped the PRAM reset the CUDA button and even telling it to reset the NRAM etc.
I have tried it with the disk in and out and all paths lead to the same outcome it starts up I hear the tone and the screen goes grey with an apple icon on then it goes to lack screen saying localhost:/root#.
I have also used the (fsck –fy) in single user mode to scan the disk and it says it appears to be ok. I have done all these steps multiple times but I am still getting the same outcome.
I have also tried pulling the logic battery and pressing the cuda switch and leaving it to stand and even pulling the RAM but this has not worked and I am still getting the same out come of been put straight in to single user mode.
I have tried starting up in safe mode but again this just goes to single user mode as well.
As yet I have not tried booting up using this machine as a slave drive or using another Mac as a slave drive and seeing what this out come does as I have not got access to another Mac at this time.
Unfortunately I do not have the original discs that came with the machine either so can not even boot from them.
Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated thank you.
Please read my post properly thanks.
I have tried several key commands such has D, C and even holding (option, command, shift and delete) when i do this it just brings up a folder with two changing flashing icons.

Ok checked them out and followed the instructions given, but still getting the same outcome, looked at the system log and it tells me.
localhost login: PAM pam_inithandlers:no default config /etc/pam.d/other
localhost login:PAM error reading PAM configuration file
localhost login:PAM pam_start:failed to initialize handlers
localhost shutdown: halt by andy
Any more ideas???

/var/run/name_service_door - zones stuck in single user mode

Hello,
I have two Sol10 boxes - e4500 & x86. Both have multiple zones configured which have been working for quite a while. I was enabling audit logging on these machines (perzone) which required a reboot.
After a reboot, the zones won't come out of the singleuser milestone. Trying to ping the global zone by name (nsswitch is files, dns), it hangs. A truss reveals:
open64("/var/run/name_service_door", O_RDONLY) = 3
fcntl(3, F_SETFD, 0x00000001) = 0
door_info(3, 0xFF16F7A8) = 0
door_call(3, 0xFFBFD790) (sleeping...)
and hangs forever.
I threw the latest patch cluster at both and it had no effect.
Each zone has a /etc/sysidcfg, /etc/.NFS4inst_state.domain, and proper nsswitch.conf/resolv.conf that had been working (rebooting) until I tried to enable auditing. This happened a while ago and a total uninstall/reinstall of the zones fixed the issue.
svcs reveals
offline 13:11:49 svc:/network/nfs/client:default
offline 13:11:49 svc:/system/filesystem/autofs:default
offline 13:11:49 svc:/system/system-log:default
offline 13:11:49 svc:/network/smtp:sendmail
offline 13:11:49 svc:/milestone/multi-user:default
offline 13:11:49 svc:/milestone/multi-user-server:default
offline 13:11:50 svc:/application/print/ipp-listener:default
offline 13:11:53 svc:/network/ssh:default
#svcadm milestone svc:/milestone/multi-user:default
Requesting System Maintenance Mode
(See /lib/svc/share/README for more information.)
Console login service(s) cannot run
Root password for system maintenance (control-d to bypass):
At this point I'm not sure how to debug this issue. Any ideas?
Thanks
Zetan

Hi, snikpmup.
Your panic log cites a page fault:
panic(cpu1 caller 0x001A3135): Unresolved kernel trap (CPU 1, Type 14=page fault)…
This is a common fault type, indicating the processor could not access either data memory or the next instruction to be executed. Potential causes include RAM problems, hard disk corruption, and programming errors.
The panic log you posted is incomplete, so there's not much else to say based on what you've posted. I do note some messages prior to the panic indicating M-Audio devices: you might want to check with those folks re: Mac Pro compatibility, any necessary updates, etc.
I suggest following the full set of troubleshooting steps cited in my "Resolving Kernel Panics" FAQ. The FAQ includes step-by-step instructions for identifying and resolving some of the most common causes of kernel panics. The FAQ is a roadmap: start at the beginning and work systematically through the end, i.e. the "If all else fails..." section.
Good luck!
Dr. Smoke
Author: Troubleshooting Mac® OS X
Note: The information provided in the link(s) above is freely available. However, because I own The X Lab™, a commercial Web site to which some of these links point, the Apple Discussions Terms of Use require I include the following disclosure statement with this post:
I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link.

I am new to OSX and I downloaded an app known as virtualbox. It made my computer buggy and my friend told me to drag it to the trash and call it a day, so I did, but its still loading virtualbox kexts, I can see from single user mode and its still buggy.

How exactly do I uninstall, and unload the kexts?

Kext files are installed to /System/Library/Extensions so if you look in there you might be able to find some for that application in specific. I use the app called "appcleaner" to remove all my unwanted apps on my Macbook Pro.
http://www.freemacsoft.net/appcleaner/
Open the app and look for the app in particular you are trying to delete. If you can't find the app go to the finder and drag it into the appcleaner app. You may have to reinstall the virtualbox app in order to uninstall it.

Mac not booting normally after running '/sbin/fsck -fy' in Single user mode

HI, I tried to log in to single user mode and run the '/sbin/fsck -fy' command. This command failed. So I rebooted my Macbook pro by 'reboot' command. On bootup I hear the chime shoud and can see the Mac Symbol but never reach the login prompt. The round circle keeps rotating over the gray screen and nothing happens.
Then I again hard rebooted mac book and entered single user mode. I ran again '/sbin/fsck -fy' many times and after many attempts the command stuck and never returned.
Then I tried using the recovery method to reinstall MAC OS X. It asked me to choose the Harddrive where to install MAC OSX. But the option of "macintosh HD" was disabled and message was " hard drive locked".
Please help me how to boot my MAC normally :'(

Welcome to the Apple Support Communities
Boot in Recovery again and open Disk Utility. Then, choose "Macintosh HD" in the sidebar and repair the hard drive. If it is repaired, restart and OS X should start correctly. If not, you will probably have to format the hard disk.
You only have to use that command when you have problems with the Mac OS X volume filesystem that they couldn't be repaired with Disk Utility, and as this command got stuck, probably damaged the OS X volume filesystem

Can you run a bash script on boot in single user mode

Hey guys quick question.
Is it possible to run a bash script on boot in single user mode.
I can create a file and dump it on the root hd.
Let's call it repair.
I can then boot to single user mode and run it by typing /repair.
But I want it to do it automatically.
Every time I go into my machines that I clean for my job. I have to run sbin/fsck -fy
Then I have to mount the drive and then remove all cache files, then reboot the machines.
I would like to automate this by just holding command s and then moving to the next computer.
There must be some sort of boot daemon somewhere.
Please help.
Sincerely,
John

Have you seen Applejack?
http://applejack.sourceforge.net/
It doesn't start automtically, but does cleanup.
Robert

Single-User Mode Copying Files/System Does not Boot Past Apple Logo Screen

I have a Macbook 2.0GHZ, 2GB RAM, that recently tried to download a secuirty and keynot update. Following the download the system will no longer boot past the Apple Logo Screen with the spinning wheel. I do not have access to a OS disk yet or to a firewire cable either. I've have seen posts from others that describe how to use traget disk mode to reinstall the secuirty update manually and then they can boot their computer. Safe mode will not work. I did boot into single-user mode and run the disk utility there and it says my HD is OK. Since I do not have a firewire or an OS Disk, I am wondering if there is a way to copy those files i need to a USB pen stick then install them onto the computer via single-user mode, considering this is the only way I can boot and manipulate the machine at this time. If this is not possible please let me know so I can find a way to scrounge up a firewire cable or disk. Thank you in advance for any assistance.
Ted K

Thanks to Limnos and BDAqua I know you guys have helped others with these kind of problems from the other posts I read. I just want to list what I did exactly in case anyone wants to try to do this with a usb drive or does not have access to a boot disk or firewire cable.
1: Install security update on a pen drive
2: Boot in single user mode, CMD-S on startup
3: /sbin/mount -uw /
4: mkdir /Volumes/usb (usb can be any name, name of usb drive or anything you want)
5: ls /dev (you need to get the drive listing for the usb drive to mount it appropriately, it should be disk#s# but this is close to what the HD and Cd drives are listed as so you may need to list once before you put the usb stick in and once ater. I had issues inserting the usb drive in single-user mode and it would freeze up the root drive)
6: /sbin/mount_msdos /dev/disk1s1 /Volumes/usb (this mounts the usb drive, i had to use msdos because of how my usb drive was formatted, you may need to check your usb drive format, hfs is the apple format for usb drives but it did not work for me)
7: cp /Volumes/usb/SecUpd2009-001Intel.dmg (this copies the files from the usb drive to the root drivel, at this point you no longer need the usb drive)
8: hdiutil mount /SecUpd2009-001Intel.dmg (this mounts the disk image)
9: cd /Volumes/"Security Update 2009-001" (after i mounted the image this is how it appeared in the Volumes directory, you might need to do ls /Volumes to get the name, the quotes are important to get the whole file directory changed)
10: installer -pkg SecUpd2009-001Intel.pkg -target / (this installs the acutal update, i used the SecUpd2009-001Intel.pkg and it worked though I think you might be able to use "Security Update 2009-001" with quotes as well.)
11: reboot
i hope this helps anyone looking to do this. Thanks again to those who helpes and all the other posts that had information that helped me identify and then fix my issue! I still love my mac.

MBP only runs if I start in single user mode and run fsck. WHY!

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