Restarts in single user mode since install

Hi,
I've only seen this problem on one of my computers. Since installing SL (from family disk), when restarting or starting from full shut down, the MBAir starts in Single User mode with command lines. I actually think it showed the GUI for about 2 seconds then goes into the command line text. Shows a bunch of the usual stuff about MAC framework initiations and lines about kernel dependency. I don't see any error lines repeated (but I do not understand much of the code) and it does not offer me a prompt. After about 1 minute, it launches the OS X gui and everything else is fine.
I updated the 10.6.1 - same problem persists.
So far I've verified, repaired some permission, PRAM, and tech tools basic. Do I need to do some deeper investigating? Any ideas?
Thanks
bc

bluecool wrote:
Will do. Do you mean re-choose the start up disk from the sys pref? Why might it search for another start up disk?
resetting PRAM clears the startup disk settings.

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Network / external access when booted in single-user mode from install CD?

So I have this iBook with a semi-functional hard drive: can't boot from it (either normal or single-user), can't use it in Firewire Target Disk mode, can't fix it with Disk Utility, an overnight run with Disk Warrior seemed to be hung, etc, BUT if I boot in single-user mode from the install CD I can then mount it readonly and see at least many of the files on it.
So now I want to slurp the important ones of those files off of it over the network (or in any other clever way anyone can suggest). I'm not a huge Unix or Darwin expert, so an exact set of commands would be appreciated. *8) A friend suggested to me that I might be able to 'init' it at a 'runlevel' that included the networking stack, but I dunno what that means. *8) Does the CD in fact include a full networking stack? Or anything else that I might be able to use to slurp some data from the hard disk before it gives up entirely?
Tx very...
Message was edited by: David Chess; annoying typo

David
I think Ronda was hoping you had the Tiger Instal DVD, which has a copy of Terminal on it.
You said earlier that trying to boot into Target Disk Mode didn't work. Would it help you if you could? If so, I can show you how to do it from Single User Mode. I've done it, and it works, although admittedly I did boot into SU mode from my HD, not my Instal Disc (I have tried that, it also works, I just haven't done both together).
If you can make use of this, post back and tell me what you get from which nvram when you are booted in SU mode from your CD. It's possible that command won't be available on the CD—so we need to check first. If it says "which: no such command", try ls -l /usr/sbin/nvram instead.

Single user mode or client install?

Finally got my mini server ordered again (long story maybe later) I will be using it as my main computer and am wondering what is the easiest set up, boot up in single user mode or install SL client?
JJ

Ok So maybe word it a bit different, what is the easiest way to transfer all my stuff from my MBP to have the mini set up exactly as my MBP?
JJ

Single user mode, Lost Admin Account, and Disk Permissions

Okay, so I have quite a few issues here. I will start from the beginning.
About a week ago, I tried to install some updates and I could not get the Admin account to work. I went to the users profile and noticed my Admin account was not there. Did a quick search and found Apple's outline of how to fix this via the Operational DVD and the root user. Tried this and it would never work, because as soon as I restarted the computer or changed screens it switched back to a standard account.
Next up, I went into the terminal to check the Admin User group. As it turns out it is not there. So I find a discussion on there that outlines how to rebuild this in single user mode and the Unix prompt. So, I print it off and try to restart in single user mode. After trying two different keyboards and a sum total of 8 to 10 times, I can't restart in single user mode to get to the Unix prompt.
One last thing, last night I went into the Disk Utility on the start-up DVD. I wanted to check the Repair Permission log and I got the following:
ACL found but not expected on "private/var/root/Library/Preferences"
ACL found but not expected on "private/var/root/Library/"
ACL found but not expected on "Network"
Thoughts?
Thanks for your help!
tpp

first, the ACL messages can be ignored. if you can't get to single user mode you can't fix your admin group. the only reasons that I know why you wouldn't be able to do that is
1. a defective keyboard
2. you have a firmware password set. have you? you'd have to turn it off before you can get to single user mode.
lastly when you restart in single user mode make sure you press command+s right after you hear the chime. do not press it too early or too late. lastly, I'm not sure which instructions you've found to fix the admin group but I have them in this thread
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8011324

Get out of single user mode? and get into the "normal" screen?? pls help!

Dear Everybody,
I have removed 2 users from my imac (osx 10.7.4) to create more space and had my main user still on the system.
after i restarted the system. a white screen came up? I had no idea what to do. After some checking i think i am in single user mode since there is only 1 user for the computer. PLEASE: how can I go from this white screen (single user) back to my normal log in so I can possible add 1 more user?
I have no idea what to do so pls help
Thanks

Dear Holden, Sorry for yesterday but my internet went dead (i'm in thailand)
thanks for all the suggestions but nothing works?
I keep getting a bright white screen after the apple logo grey screen.
I tried resetting the NVRAM or PRAM, i tried safe mode, i tried single user cmd and fsck -fy etc etc i keep getting the same end result a bright white screen
is there anybody who might know what to do?
MANY THANKS IN ADVANCE! I need a fast solution since i need my files urgently for work.

Script for Single User Mode

I manage two school Mac labs and have relied on ARD for many years!
I have been unable to successfully write an ARD script to to force my lab machines to restart in "Single User Mode". This would allow me to run AppleJack 1.5 remotely.
Any help would be appreciated.

When you say you have "OSX" but not the "original install disks" do you mean the mac originally came with an earlier version and you don't have those disks, but you have a retail copy of Tiger?
The circle with the slash means that Open Firmware cannot find BootX. Basically, I think this means that Open Firmware recognises the startup volume as such but cannot hand control to the operating system at all. BootX is what it uses to get the operating system going. Without this, as you've seen, you cannot make even single-user mode.
What is SMU?
*Is your data backed up? If not, prioritise that unless you can afford to loose it.*
Does DiskWarrior repair permissions? If not and you have the Tiger retail version, try running Disk Utility to do that. I don't think this will help, but it won't hurt.
Do you have another Mac? If so and you have the retail Tiger, you might be able to use Pacifist to replace BootX (in /System/Library/CoreServices). Alternatively, if the other Mac is running the same version of the OS and is also a PPC Mac, you could try copying the file from that machine.
Before you do any of this (with the exception of the permissions repair), try to backup any data you need if that's at all possible.
- cfr

Installing from Single User Mode

I had to wipe my internal hard drive on my iMac G5 (the model just prior to the Intel Macs). I did this from another Mac using FireWire mode.... anyway...
I can boot in Single User mode, but how can I tell it to install from the Tiger Installer in the DVD drive.. I just don't know Unix much..
The machine will boot from the Install disc but shuts down before it actually boots.... Stays on in Single User mode though.. thanks

Thanks for everyone's advice, but it's gone.... After a few attemps and getting it up and running, with a new system installed, it just shut down one last time and has a nice burnt aroma to it....
I pulled the power supply out and it smelled fine on it's own and it seemed be burnt somewhere in the computer... If I let it sit for a while, I can start it up, but then it shuts down and stays down for a long time...
It's now a 17" paper weight..... No data was lont, sine I backed it up just prior to the problem.
Pretty good record though. I've owned Macs way back to my PowerPC 7600 days (and even my old Apple 2e and II gs) and this is the first Mac that I will ever have to toss.. I'm happy about that... Still got my Intel iMcac and MacBook Pro (but my mother-in-law inherits my old Macs and she passes her's to her son. She's bummbed she'll miss this one.. She'll have to live with the iMac (shpere type) one for a while longer....)
RIP

Error Installing ruby with RVM Single User mode

I've just installed RVM on ArchLinux x64 in single user mode via the recommended install script
curl -L https://get.rvm.io | bash -s stable
I've also installed all the requirements listed in
rvm requirements
However, I'm having trouble actually installing any version of ruby. And getting the following error:
arch:~ % rvm install 1.9.3
No binary rubies available for: ///ruby-1.9.3-p194.
Continuing with compilation. Please read 'rvm mount' to get more information on binary rubies.
Fetching yaml-0.1.4.tar.gz to /home/christopher/.rvm/archives
% Total % Received % Xferd Average Speed Time Time Time Current
Dload Upload Total Spent Left Speed
100 460k 100 460k 0 0 702k 0 --:--:-- --:--:-- --:--:-- 767k
Extracting yaml-0.1.4.tar.gz to /home/christopher/.rvm/src
Prepare yaml in /home/christopher/.rvm/src/yaml-0.1.4.
Configuring yaml in /home/christopher/.rvm/src/yaml-0.1.4.
Error running ' ./configure --prefix=/home/christopher/.rvm/usr ', please read /home/christopher/.rvm/log/ruby-1.9.3-p194/yaml/configure.log
Compiling yaml in /home/christopher/.rvm/src/yaml-0.1.4.
Error running 'make', please read /home/christopher/.rvm/log/ruby-1.9.3-p194/yaml/make.log
Please note that it's required to reinstall all rubies:
rvm reinstall all --force
Installing Ruby from source to: /home/christopher/.rvm/rubies/ruby-1.9.3-p194, this may take a while depending on your cpu(s)...
ruby-1.9.3-p194 - #downloading ruby-1.9.3-p194, this may take a while depending on your connection...
ruby-1.9.3-p194 - #extracting ruby-1.9.3-p194 to /home/christopher/.rvm/src/ruby-1.9.3-p194
ruby-1.9.3-p194 - #extracted to /home/christopher/.rvm/src/ruby-1.9.3-p194
Skipping configure step, 'configure' does not exist, did autoreconf not run successfully?
ruby-1.9.3-p194 - #compiling
Error running 'make', please read /home/christopher/.rvm/log/ruby-1.9.3-p194/make.log
There has been an error while running make. Halting the installation.
The log files are as follows:
arch:~ % cat ~/.rvm/log/ruby-1.9.3-p194/yaml/configure.log
__rvm_log_command:32: permission denied:
arch:~ % cat ~/.rvm/log/ruby-1.9.3-p194/yaml/make.log
make: *** No targets specified and no makefile found. Stop.
arch:~ % cat ~/.rvm/log/ruby-1.9.3-p194/make.log
make: *** No targets specified and no makefile found. Stop.

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.

Need to figure out how to remove an unknown admin password on a mac. used the install disc with not luck. tried some commands in single user mode, no luck.

need to figure out how to remove an unknown admin password on a mac.
used the install disc with not luck. tried some commands in single user mode, no luck.

need to figure out how to remove an unknown admin password on a mac.
used the install disc with not luck. tried some commands in single user mode, no luck.

Post install problem. Changes to the state or options of DB SUSDB can't be made at this time. DB Is in single-user mode.

Hi,
Have you ever come across this problem before.
Changes to the state or options of DB SUSDB can't be made at this time. DB Is in single-user mode and a user is currently connected to it.
It's preventing the post WSUS installation task from completing.
I opted to use the WID Database option and it created the SUSDB.
How can I resolve it?
Thanks

this sounds similar to some issues that occurred when KB2720211 was first release (the update does put the DB into single-user mode, to perform some tasks, then switches it back into multi-user mode. sometimes, that switch-back was not performed, and the
DB was left in single-user mode).
You can refer to this thread, the steps are buried in there.
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windowsserver/en-US/531d576b-eeaf-40dc-9057-b3adbde6186f/kb2720211-debacle-is-this-acceptable-microsoft-quality?forum=winserverwsus
Don
(Please take a moment to "Vote as Helpful" and/or "Mark as Answer", where applicable.
This helps the community, keeps the forums tidy, and recognises useful contributions. Thanks!)

How to restart computers in single user mode?

I 'd like to use ARD to send a command to reboot target computers in Single User mode (and then run line of command).

have you considered just using safeboot? safeboot dose many of the same things applejack dose, and it's built into the mac os x.
Safeboot using ARD:
You can start a safeboot by send unix command, as root, command:
nvram boot-args="-x -v"
send command reboot computer
After the reboot, you could then send unix command, as user root, command:
sudo nvram boot-args=""
send command reboot computer
NOTE: some features do not work while the computer is in safeboot, so it's a good idea to have the computer plugged in by ethernet, because most macs still work over ethernet in safeboot.
Or you could just tell the user to reboot the computer holding the shift key, and when they get to the login window with the words "safeboot" to reboot the computer again.
FYI: in the past i've ran safeboot, and watching the output, I could see it repaired the disk and permistions. soo if I had a disk that needed repairing, you could in thory try safeboot to fix the issue. The computer already runs a RAM test every time you power on the computer.

Data back up from Single User Mode

Hello,
I have a problem with my 700 MHz iBook, dual USB, with OS X 10.3.9.
Unfortunately the OS doesn't start up because of "overlapped extent allocation" problem...
I would like to re-install the complete OS but before doing it, I would like to back up some directories.
Is it possible to save some data, by connecting an Ipod or some sort of external peripheral, from the Single User mode?
If yes, how can I do it?
Thank you in advance from your kind support.

Before giving up the ghost check out these:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25770.
Manually fix Overlapped Extent Allocation Errors without Disk Warrior
Overlapped overlapped extent allocation errors can be the bane of any Mac user's existence. Often, these errors go unnoticed until the problem becomes visible: your Mac might refuse to boot, crash unexpected, or worse, critical data might disappear from the Finder. Disk Utility can detect, but not fix overlapped extent allocation errors, and certain third-party utilities, such as Alsoft Diskwarrior, can fix them, but generally without reporting the consequences.
Overlapped extent allocation error occur when the file system thinks that two files are occupying the same area on the hard disk, hence overlapping on the same "inode," which is the structure which holds the location of the data blocks the file occupies, and also file permissions and flags.
Clearing the "overlapped" or "overallocated" extent allocation essentially means that you'll have to lose some data, because the only way to remove the overlap is to delete the file that's occupying the inode. So, if you suspect, or find out, that the guilty file is a critical system file that resides in one of the hidden system directories such as /etc /var /usr/ or visible system directories such as /System or /Library, and you don't want to reinstall the whole OS (which might not fix the overlapped extent allocation anyway), it's good to have another disk available to copy the files back to your original disk if necessary: a second bootable hard drive or a firewire drive connected to your Mac when you remove the misbehaving file. Just make sure that when you copy the file back to your boot disk that the permissions are correct, so it's best to use the "ditto" command, so that all sticky bits, flags, and permissions are preserved.
In case you didn't know, you don't have to boot from an install CD in order to check for overlapped extent allocations. All you need to do is restart your Mac, while holding down command + S to boot in "single-user mode."
At the command prompt that appears, type:
$ fsck -fy
If you have an overlapped extent allocation, you'll see:
"Overlapped Extent Allocation" (File 123456d)
No matter how many times you run fsck -fy, you'll never be rid of the error.
So, simply issue the following command:
find / -inum 123456 -print
Note the "d" was dropped, or any extra letter that appears after the inode number.
The find will return a file name that matches with the inode number, and the path to that file. If you remove the file then the fsck will not return this error next time you run it.
However, before you can delete the file(s) in single-user mode, you'll need to mount the file system. Type:
$ mount -uw /
When done, issue the "sync" command, and that will flush the write cache so that all pending writes are written from memory to the disk. Also, since most OS X 10.3 Macs use the HFS+ Journaled file system, it might be a good idea to disable the journal before booting into single-user mode by typing:
$ sudo diskutil disableJournal /
then re-enable it when done fixing the overlapped extents and rebooting normally:
$ sudo diskutil enableJournal /
Chris Anderson is a long-time Linux propellerhead who just got his first Mac, an ibook G4, and can't keep his hands off of it. He currently works as a "The Architect" and general visionary for a maker of world-class collectibles.
If you own Disk Warrior then it should be able to repair a drive with overlapped extents.
There are two backup utilities included in Unix - psync and rsync. You will find them in the /usr/bin/ directory. For documentation simply enter: man psync or man rsync. In order to write data while in single-user mode you need to issue the command: /sbin/mount/ -uw / (Note: there is a "space" between the "uw" and the "/".) To mount an external drive you will need to provide the mountpoint for it in place of the "/", e.g., "/Volumes/volname") without the quotes.

Yosemite only boots in single user mode?!

Hello everyone,
for a few weeks now I've had issues with unresponsive wakes and whatnot but now it seems my machine has detiorated within a short walk home.
First off my specs:
MBP 13" mid 2012
Core i5 2,5Ghz, Intel HD4000
2x 4gb Ram 1600MHz
Samsung 840 Evo 120Gb SSD
As I said, within 20 minutes of carrying the laptop around the performance deteriorated drastically. When I opened it up back home it was incredibly slow and unresponsive. Opening Applications or even just folders takes about 30-60 seconds. Same applies for using the brightness controls for screen and keyboard, or the volume buttons. After some 15 minutes the System will completely stop to react to startup attempts of applications.
I tried the following troubleshoots while searching the forums as I understand this is a common problem in Yosemite:
- boot in safe mode ( worked once, but with the same problems of unresponsiveness, after a second try booting hangs at the usual 50%)
- reset SMC
- reset NVRAM ( PRAM?)
- try to repair the disk via disk recovery ( cmd + r)( repair failed and Volume vanished from the list - after that only internet recovery was available) ( also of note: today I brought my SSD up to its limit by installing unreal engine 4. I deleted it expecting to see an improvement, which I didn't get. Still, after deinstalling it the Volume showed a 99% utilization in disk recovery)
- starting single user mode and this is interesting. First it shows the following without any input:
Warning: Couldn't block sleep during cache update
Warning: Proceeding without DlskArb
rebuilding .../Caches/com.apple.kext.caches/Startup/kernelcache
pci pause: SDXC
IOBluetoothHostControllerUARTTransport.kext has no Info.plist file.
IOBluetoothHostControllerUARTTransport.kext has no Info.plist file.
IOBluetoothHostControllerUARTTransport.kext has no Info.plist file.
IOBluetoothHostControllerUARTTransport.kext has no Info.plist file.
IOBluetoothHostControllerUARTTransport.kext has no Info.plist file.
kext file:///System/Library/Extensions/JMlcromATA.kext/ is in hash exception list, allowing to load
Child process / user/sbin/kextcache[6] exited due to signal 11.
Error 107 rebuilding /System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.cashes/Startup/kernelcache
then it proceeds to boot into the same unresponsive mess as before.
- In the finder I tried to repair disk permissions and again the volume itself to no avail.
I really have no idea what to do about it at this point. I can recreate this scenario and reliably boot this way but the system is painfully slow and impossible to work with. Sorry to bring up this topic again since there have been so many posts on similar problems but none of the aforementioned solutions worked for me.

Please do the following:
Install or Reinstall OS X from Scratch
Be sure you backup your files to an external drive or second internal drive because the following procedure will remove everything from the hard drive.
Boot to the Recovery HD:
Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
Erase the hard drive:
1. Select Disk Utility from the main menu and click on the Continue button.
2. After DU loads select your startup volume (usually Macintosh HD) from the
      left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
3. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Optionally, click on
      the Security button and set the Zero Data option to one-pass. Click on
      the Erase button and wait until the process has completed.
4. Quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall OS X: Select Reinstall OS X and click on the Install button.
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible
           because it is three times faster than wireless.
This should install the version of OS X that you had installed.

Repair Permissions in Single User Mode

So, I have searched various posts and have yet to find anything that has worked so far. Hopefully, someone can still help. I recently made the mistake of changing my permissions on my hard drive. I clicked "Get Info" for the Boot volume and changed the permissions for "Everyone." I thought I had corrected it, but now when I try to boot, it just sits at the apple grey screen with the spinner and never loads the OS. Judging from other comments, this appears to be a permissions issue and all I need to do is repair the permissions which is why I ran through these commands in Single User mode:
/sbin/fsck -fy<return> --I did this twice to fix the drive
/sbin/fsck -fy<return>
/sbin/mount -uw<return>
/sbin/autodiskmount -va <return>
/usr/sbin/diskutil repairPermissions /<return>
sudo diskutil repairPermissions /
I am having to run through the Single User mode because I do not have the SL install disk. However, I have Windows installed on a Boot Camp partition and I can access files on the mac side but everything is read only.
I am a novice at the command line so any guidance on what commands might help to repair permissions would be great.

Found this for Leopard. Will probably work in 10.6
Run these commands and hit enter after each. Be careful with the spaces; keep exactly as written. There are various suggestions in this thread, which you might first want to check out, but this seems to be the most promising.
http://forums.macnn.com/90/mac-os-x/370223/changed-hd-permissions-mac-wont-get/
mount -uw /
chmod 775 /
chmod 1775 /
Then restart
BTW, not recommended to repair Permissions from the install disk, since if you've updated since installing, those will be out of date and incorrect. Permissions Repair should be done from the normal boot volume.
Message was edited by: WZZZ

Command Line Expert Needed: Deleted hostconfig (+ others) - boots to single user mode only !

Mac OS X Tiger 10.4.11
Deleted folders/files when logged in as root user. (don't ask!)
On restart , wont boot up , get grey screen with white apple logo the black screen with command line: localhost:/ root#
Started up from install cd - repaired permissions (ran twice) & verified hard drive . All okay.
Restarted but still goes back into command line with same localhost:/ root prompt
Tried a bunch of different things as per advice on these boards - discovered that there is no hostconfig file.
Restarted into verbose mode.
Here are the lines that i think may reveal exactly what I messed up - and hopefully someone out there has an idea how I can try to fix without having to do an archive/install.
BSM auditing present
disabled
rooting via boot-uuid from /chosen: (here a very long string of numbers and letters looks like a password)
Then a long line about
"got boot device = IOService:/MacRISC2PE ........."
Then, the following
"BSD root: disk0s3, major 14, minor 2"
"CSRHIDTransitionDriver::stop"
"IOBluetoothHCIController::start Idle Time Stopped"
(AND HERE'S THE BIGGIE:)
/etc/rc: line 93: /etc/hostconfig: No such file or directory
Apr 1. 06:01:44 launched: /bin/sh on /etc/rc terminated abnormally, going into single user mode
localhost:/ root#
I'm pretty sure I messed thing up pretty well - was mainly network/server folders and files - definitely samba, which I think I deleted, and under "network" in the finder, I also might have deleted my computer from the server list
As an aside in case this provides any insight, when I go to the terminal app when starting up from install cd, the prompt reads :
"bash-2.05b"
I'm also able to see the contents of my hard drive when using disk utility from install cd and and trying to "mount image" ---
Everything looks intact in terms of folders/files in my user account, but in the /root folder, there's only /library - which is empty.
Any help, insight, troubleshooting and even scolding - will be welcome! I need this thing booted
Cheers

I do not have a backup. Should I back up before I try doing a reinstall of the os x?
That's also known as shutting the barn door after the horse has bolted.
It can't hurt, but it's not going to help much.
Camelot: when you say "apps and user content should stay intact" - doesn't sound very definitive. Are there any variables that come into play?
No.. generally it's pretty reliable, but yours is an odd situation. I wouldn't expect to lose any user data, just CYA
I do have a start up disk along with some apps that I created in retrospect many years ago ....(I think it's os x 10.2.8) Can I use this to boot up and then just navigate to my user files so I can get some things done that I need to?
Unlikely. For one have you even tried restoring from your Retrospect backup? (it's not the most reliable system).
Secondly, you can't boot from your Retrospect backup, so you'll need to restore that system to boot from it. Have you got a second disk to restore to (you do NOT want to restore 10.2.x over your 10.4.x system).
in terms of "random deleted files" : not entirely random
Ok, maybe not entire random, but it's also somewhat unknown. You need to have some idea of what files you're trying to restore, but if you haven't got them in a backup where are you going to get them from?
You cannot just take old copies from your 10.2.x system and hope they'll work (in case that's what you're thinking).
The BEST solution is to boot from the 10.4.x installer disk and let it do its thing.
And for what its worth, Unauthorized access attempts, in and of themselves, are not a cause for concern since they were clearly caught by the OS. It's the access attempts that succeed (and are not logged) which are more of an issue.

Restarts in single user mode since install

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