Burning a disc in single-user mode?

Is it possible to burn a CD/DVD while in single-user mode?
I can't log in normally and I want to make a copy of a few files if I can.

Oops, sorry, I posted this in the wrong section.

Similar Messages

How to eject DVD in single user mode

Hi All,
When starting my iMac, I get a white screen, the apple logo and the spinning wheel. After a while it goes away and I have just a white screen.
I've reset PRAM, to no avail (it did do something, the computer start up sound now occurs each restart).
I can't start-up on the Mac OS install DVD because I have a DVD in the computer already and I can't seem to eject it.
I can't get into Open Firmware mode to eject the disk there, I'm hoping someone can give me the command to eject the disc from Single-User mode.
Chris

Try the methods listed in this page:
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-10333570-263.html
The method for Terminal may also work in single-user mode.

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.

Wipe a HD via Unix in Single User Mode?

Is it possible to wipe a hard drive using diskutil or another method when booting up in Single User Mode? We routinely need to wipe drives and if possible, this would be the easiest.
I suspect because the OS that boots in Single User Mode is on that same drive will make this impossible.
Thanks in advance for your tips and comments,
Doug

Yes, you cannot erase an OS while it's 'hosting' the erasure. Single user mode is part of Mac OS X, so it's on the hard drive, not in the firmware or anything super-low-level like that. Oh well. So... you might be able to erase the vast majority of user, application, and even OS files, but it won't be complete and won't be 'as good as' a volume-format.
A couple alternatives come to mind (sorry if you know all this. Not trying to be pedantic or patronizing, just making sure you know your options).
We keep host computers around just for running wipes, backups, and diagnostics that cannot run from a drive holding the booted OS. You simply restart the to-be-wiped Mac holding the 't' key, connect it via firewire, and treat it as an external hard drive.
You could also just boot from a Mac OS X install disc and wipe from the copy of Disk Utility included on the disc. Better yet, throw a +bona fide+ copy of OS X onto a pocket hard drive, boot the victim-Mac from that (hold option while it is first starting up), and wipe the internal HD normally, now that it's not in use. You could maybe even use single user mode in the booting OS, like you'd imagined, and format from there (I'm not sure that would be faster than letting it boot normally, though, as you might have to use "dd" or some other similar low-level wipe method, as I don't think the frameworks required for Apple's cli "diskutil" are available in single user mode).
I haven't tried to use it on a Mac, but I have a 256 MB USB flash drive with, er, ['Darn' Small Linux|http://tinyurl.com/5md7t] on it for diagnosing Windows boxes. It runs a script on boot which, if you don't intervene to run utilities or what-have-you, will wipe all attached hard drives and shut down. I keep it locked up for understandable reasons, but its super useful just as a time-saver, booting most machines and beginning the countdown-to-wipe in under ten seconds.
Anyway, let us know what your goals and thoughts are.
Cheers, Joel

Single User Mode: Searching for root...

My 2 year old unplugged my PowerMac iMac G5 (single) and now it won't start up.
I was finally able to boot up off of Disk Warrior and replace the directory, but it won't start up past the gray Apple screen. The fan comes on after about 45 seconds and blows hard. Then, I get the circle with a line through it, in gray. I've never seen that on a mac.. the international "no" sign.
When trying to start up in Single User Mode, I get a long list of stuff either disabled, not found, missing etc and then it starts writing to the screen every 30 seconds a line like:
Still searching for root.
I've tried pulling the back off, resetting the SMU, starting up in Safe Mode, etc.
This has happened with storms before and I can usually get it back.
I don't have original install discs.

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

Won't boot normally or in recovery and single user mode, safe mode hangs up halfway

iMac locked up with visual glitches while playing the Mac beta client of League of Legends. Had to force a shutdown by holding the power button. Now it won't boot; after the Apple logo and spinning wheel I just get a white screen. I tried launching in recovery mode, that didn't work. Then I tried safe mode; the bar filled a little over half and then nothing but white screen. I was able to boot single user mode once; ran fsck -fy and rebooted, still white screen. Now I can't get back to single user mode. I booted with command option P R to reset the NVRAM and got the second chime, but still nothing.
Luckily all my important files are in the cloud, but I'm really hoping my computer isn't completely dead. I haven't had any issues in the past. I've even been playing LoL for over a month with no issues, until now when I tried to play the newer game types, Dominion and ARAM; both caused visual glitches forcing shutdowns. I was able to restart my computer with no problem after the first two visual glitches, but after the last one I am stuck at the white screen as I described above.
Thanks in advance for your help!

I'd bet the drive is damaged. You could try reformatting if possible. Again, you are booting from the Recovery-10.8.2 disk if you can. If you can't, then you will need to use the installer disc that came with the computer.
Install or Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion 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 Lion/Mountain Lion: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion 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.

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???

To mount a CD-ROM in Single User Mode. How?

Thank you for reading my question.
I need to run single user mode on my iMac because of a disk problem. I would like to be able to mount the cd drive while I am in single user mode. I would also like to be able to mount usb hard drives with confidence, so that I can copy off files from the internal hard drive.
I am in single user mode, which I get to by holding down Command-S on startup. I can look at the disks that are attached to my computer by executing
ls -l /dev/disk*
However this appears to be adding disks. I started with /dev/disk2 and /dev/disk2s1 etc which I understand are partitions on that external drive. Now when I list /dev/disk* I have /dev/disk3 and a couple of partitions on those devs. Is that normal? Have I not unmounted disks properly?
I have been using a directory that already exists as the mount point for my usb drives using
mount -t hfs /dev/disk1 /cores
which worked fine. Alas the disk I mounted on that directory was too small. Now I can't mount a disk on there. Do I need to unmount or fix up that assignment?
If I were to create a directory in /Volumes is that advisable? How do I make the root directory readable is that by using 'mount -uw'?
Thank you. Please if you answer my question, try to be clear on what commands to use and why. Bear in mind that other people will read this, and no one on the web seems able to write suggestions very clearly. Maybe we can be the first! If I have not been clear, please feel free to ask for clarification. i am not a total unix newbie. Rather in the 20 years since I was a sysadmin, my memory has faded.
Pete

I think you need to post this in a different forum. I think the Developer Forums would be the right choice.
In any event from the little Unix I know you can't mount a removable device until it's connected which means you need to put a CD/DVD into the optical drive. At that point if you enter 'df' you should see the device if it is mounted automatically (which I believe it does.)
In single-user mode the entire drive is readable and all files accessible. You are the 'root' user. In order to put the system into write mode you must enter 'mount -uw /'. Note the '/' at the end of the comnmand line. That makes the entire system writeable.
You do not need to create a directory in /Volumes. When the CD/DVD is recognized an entry in /Volumes will appear unless the disc is unformatted.
Now take some of the above with a grain of salt. I'm certainly no Unix expert.

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.

Stuck while booting in single user mode. How to go back?

Guys. I'd appreciate your advice very much - this concerns my main system.
MacBook 3,1 with OSX 10.5.? (latest)
Did: activate single user boot in Onyx; reboot
Problem: stuck at boot (apple logo & spinning wheel on gray background for 2hours+). Persistent across reboots.
No different results for this key combinations: cmd-opt-p-r, power button for 5 sec whilst without battery/cable, cmd-s, C (possibly not recognized due to firmware password) Power button held down from switch-on moment makes the light flash a few times, produces a beep but no improvement.
Interestingly pressing alt lets me choose the os (HD or Leopard install disc) but gets stuck the same way regardless. It boots into Ubuntu tho.
I have a TIme Machine disk that I can restore from, and can read from the internal Leopard HD while in Ubuntu.
So, please: how do I get it to boot? I'd set the nvram bootargs="" but from where...

Sorry, don't know how you'd recover from the apparent limbo you're in, but this would agree with the explanation you already hit upon.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1352
Features of Open Firmware Password Protection
Intel-based Mac computers Power PC Intel
Blocks the ability to use the "C" key to start up from an optical disc.
Blocks the ability to use the "D" key to start up from the Diagnostic volume of the Install DVD.
Blocks the ability to use the "N" key to start up from a NetBoot server.
Blocks the ability to use the "T" key to start up in Target Disk Mode (on computers that offer this feature).
Blocks the ability to start up in Verbose mode by pressing the Command-V key combination during startup.
Block the ability to start up a system in Single-user mode by pressing the Command-S key combination during startup.
Blocks a reset of Parameter RAM (PRAM) by pressing the Command-Option-P-R key combination during startup.
Requires the password to enter commands after starting up in Open Firmware, which is done by pressing the Command-Option-O-F key combination during startup.
Blocks the ability to start up in Safe Boot mode by pressing the Shift key during startup.
Requires the password to use the Startup Manager, accessed by pressing the Option key during startup (see below).

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?

Bluetooth problems in single user mode

I've already checked some of the discussions on this topic but did not find the answers that i am looking for. i need to get into single user mode because my computer will not completely boot the osx. however, after i hold down the command-s and the promt comes up, it is af if i have no keyboard at all. i cannot type anything. is this due to the fact that i have a bluetooth keyboard? would going out and purchasing a usb help me out (because i have read some posts that they have the same problem with a usb)? is there any way around this. single user is becoming one of my last alternatives to having to reformat. please help!
best

A wireless bluetooth keyboard would only let you boot into Single User Mode, after that, you will need a regular USB keyboard to type in the prompts, same goes when doing a Hardware Test using the disc provided.
As for some users posted on this forum saying they have not able to continue the Single User Mode under a regular USB keyboard, I am afraid I am one of them... I have not been able to solve the problem as yet and it is kinda "annoying" that there "may be something wrong" with my iMac that I cannot perform fsck, nevertheless I have regularly booted from the OS disc and run Disk Utility, which is equivilent to booting to SUM, but supposingly much better, and my HD checks out fine... so at the moment I have no worries.
In my post there is another person who has regularly keeping me update about this problem and has deduced it maybe due to the internal bluetooth module and the USB inside... rather complex issue that may require me lengthy conversation with AppleCare or have something replace, or "worse" have my iMac sent away for a time for repair or replacement. Since my iMac is doing quite fine, I'll live with it for the moment...
Cheers

Transfer file in Single User Mode (Command S)

Can I mount my iPod as external drive and transfer my documents in Single User Mode? or any other mode? I just cannot login as normal. I want to backup my docs before refresing the OS.

You say 'Documents' not 'Music' so I hope you mean files stored on there using it in Disc Mode not iTunes files?
Boot in Single User Mode
at the root# prompt enter
CD /Volumes
ls
And see if a) the iPod shows and b) your backup drive shows
If so, the basic command is cp source destination but you must give the complete and correct paths here so post the drive names if you need clarification.

Macbook Pro 2.2 GHz Kernel Panic on Startup, except single user mode

No matter what I have tried, my Macbook Pro will only boot in single user mode. It won't start from my backup drive, or the OS X disc as it always gets a kernel panic after about 15 sec. I am not sure if there is some troubleshooting I can do from the command line.
I tried running system profiler to see if the NVidia card is at fault, but system profiler doesn't finish it's output.
I have run a disc scan and it says the hard drive is ok.
Any help would be much appreciated - a local Apple Auth Service Tech couldn't help me.

So I just ran Apple Hardware Test and first two attempts get code:
4SNS/1/40000000: TB0T
Anybody? Logic Board?
And on a third attempt:
4VDC/1/40000003: VideoController

Burning a disc in single-user mode?

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