Crashed: Now boots to Darwin screen

While doing a software update (and running a couple other programs at the same time...) the screen froze. I hit the power button to reboot, and now I get the Darwin screen (black screen, white text. Asks for Login and Password).
I can enter my name and password successfully, but how do I get OSX to boot? I've tried Save Mode, but end up with a text screen again.
Suggestions?

Pamtri:
Check out this thread about how I dealt with Darwin: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=1047613&#1047613
Hope it helps.
Good luck.
cornelius

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Hi there rjr25350,
You may find the information in the article below helpful.
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http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4536
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Computer Boots to Darwin Screen

I have a iMac running os 10.4. When I restarted it, it went straight to the Darwin interface. I did a search for this, and tried the suggestions for os 10.3, but could not find anything for os 10.4. It is stating that it cannot find a valid username. After trying the tips for os 10.3, the computer no longer goes to the Darwin screen, it begins the start up process, and get stuck (freezes) on a blue screen. I tried to startup using the os install DVD, but it will not start up using the DVD, I also cannot eject the DVD either.
Please help

Hi Party Medics, and a warm welcome to the forums!
Which iMac anyway, there are tons of them!?
Might try fsck...
To use fsck, you must run it from the command line. Unlike using your mouse to open an application to do something, you'll need to type a text command at the prompt (#) to tell fsck what to do. The Terminal application (/Applications/Utilities) and single-user mode are two examples of command-line interfaces in which you can type such commands. To use fsck:
1. Start up your computer in single-user mode to reach the command line. Hold CMD+s keys down at bootup. Note: If necessary, perform a forced restart as described in the Emergency Troubleshooting Handbook that came with your computer. On desktop computers, you can do this by pressing the reset/interrupt button (if there is one) or holding down the power button for several seconds. On portable computers, simultaneously press the Command-Control-power keys. If your portable computer doesn't restart with this method, you may need to reset the Power Manager.
2. At the command-line prompt, type /sbin/fsck -fy
3. Press Return. fsck will go through five "phases" and then return information about your disk's use and fragmentation. Once it finishes, it'll display this message if no issue is found: 
The volume (nameofvolume) appears to be OK  
If fsck found issues and has altered, repaired, or fixed anything, it will display this message: 
*** FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED ***   Important: If this message appears, repeat the fsck command you typed in step 2 until fsck tells you that your volume appears to be OK (first-pass repairs may uncover additional issues, so this is a normal thing to do).
4. When fsck reports that your volume is OK, type reboot at the prompt and then press Return.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214
Tough without a Tiger Disk, but try fsck...
To use fsck, you must run it from the command line. Unlike using your mouse to open an application to do something, you'll need to type a text command at the prompt (#) to tell fsck what to do. The Terminal application (/Applications/Utilities) and single-user mode are two examples of command-line interfaces in which you can type such commands. To use fsck:
1. Start up your computer in single-user mode to reach the command line. Hold CMD+s keys down at bootup. Note: If necessary, perform a forced restart as described in the Emergency Troubleshooting Handbook that came with your computer. On desktop computers, you can do this by pressing the reset/interrupt button (if there is one) or holding down the power button for several seconds. On portable computers, simultaneously press the Command-Control-power keys. If your portable computer doesn't restart with this method, you may need to reset the Power Manager.
2. At the command-line prompt, type /sbin/fsck -fy
3. Press Return. fsck will go through five "phases" and then return information about your disk's use and fragmentation. Once it finishes, it'll display this message if no issue is found: ** The volume (nameofvolume) appears to be OK  If fsck found issues and has altered, repaired, or fixed anything, it will display this message: *** FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED ***   Important: If this message appears, repeat the fsck command you typed in step 2 until fsck tells you that your volume appears to be OK (first-pass repairs may uncover additional issues, so this is a normal thing to do).
4. When fsck reports that your volume is OK, type reboot at the prompt and then press Return.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214
Then Safe Boot , (holding Shift key down at bootup), off the HD & use Disk Utility from there to Repair Permissions, reboot once more.

Booting to Darwin screen

My sister's iBook froze (I think its probably running some variant of Panther, but may be Tiger) and now its booting into the Darwin/text log-in screen.
She can log in find, and can reboot (via "sudo reboot"). I had her boot from her install disk and run Disk Utility. It found and fixed a bunch of problems but still found a leaf problem that it couldn't fix.
I have TechTool Pro and am going to bring it to her and see if we can straighten out her disk error. But even so, what if it doesn't straighten out the boot issue? Is there something I can do? Or would a fresh system install be the best option?
- Fred

If you can repair the drive completely then you can reinstall by doing an Archive and Install that does not erase the drive. However, if the drive cannot be repaired then you will need to erase it and reinstall from scratch.
How to Perform an Archive and Install
1. Be sure to use Disk Utility first to repair the disk before performing the Archive and Install.
Repairing the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger.) After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported, then quit DU and return to the installer.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior (4.0 for Tiger) and/or TechTool Pro (4.5.2 for Tiger) to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
2. Do not proceed with an Archive and Install if DU reports errors it cannot fix. In that case use Disk Warrior and/or TechTool Pro to repair the hard drive. If neither can repair the drive, then you will have to erase the drive and reinstall from scratch.
3. Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When you reach the screen to select a destination drive click once on the destination drive then click on the Option button. Select the Archive and Install option. You have an option to preserve users and network preferences. Only select this option if you are sure you have no corrupted files in your user accounts. Otherwise leave this option unchecked. Click on the OK button and continue with the OS X Installation.
4. Upon completion of the Archive and Install you will have a Previous System Folder in the root directory. You should retain the PSF until you are sure you do not need to manually transfer any items from the PSF to your newly installed system.
5. After moving any items you want to keep from the PSF you should delete it. You can back it up if you prefer, but you must delete it from the hard drive.
6. You can now download a Combo Updater directly from Apple's download site to update your new system to the desired version as well as install any security or other updates. You can also do this using Software Update.
Maintaining backups can help recover from unrecoverable problems:
Basic Backup
Get an external Firewire drive at least equal in size to the internal hard drive and make (and maintain) a bootable clone/backup. You can make a bootable clone using the Restore option of Disk Utility. You can also make and maintain clones with good backup software. My personal recommendations are (order is not significant):
1. Retrospect Desktop (Commercial - not yet universal binary)
2. Synchronize! Pro X (Commercial)
3. Synk (Backup, Standard, or Pro)
4. Deja Vu (Shareware)
5. PsynchX 2.1.1 and RsyncX 2.1 (Freeware)
6. Carbon Copy Cloner (Freeware - 3.0 is a Universal Binary)
7. SuperDuper! (Commercial)
The following utilities can also be used for backup, but cannot create bootable clones:
1. Backup (requires a .Mac account with Apple both to get the software and to use it.)
2. Toast
3. Impression
4. arRSync
Apple's Backup is a full backup tool capable of also backing up across multiple media such as CD/DVD. However, it cannot create bootable backups. It is primarily an "archiving" utility as are the other two.
Impression and Toast are disk image based backups, only. Particularly useful if you need to backup to CD/DVD across multiple media.
Visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQs on maintenance, optimization, virus protection, and backup and restore. Also read How to Back Up and Restore Your Files.

Imac crashed & now nothing but blue screen

Hi, i am hoping that someone will be able to help me with my problem. I was on my imac trying to sort out the configurations for my internet and randomly the screen went dark and a big error message popped saying a fatal error had occured and urgent that i restart by holding the power button down. So i did, the loading screen appeared as usual, but after that when the normal screen with everything on it is meant to appear, all i get is a plain blue background.I am concerned that it has erased everything from my mac, unless it's hiding all the bars and menus??? Please help me! thanks

OK, one good thing to check first is that the computer is not set to start up from a "NetBoot" - head to the System Preferences / Startup disk and ensure that your HD, not Network Startup Disk, is selected there. If Network disc was selected there, then select your internal HD instead and try a regular restart.
Once you have this possibility out of the way its a matter of working out what is stopping the normal login process from occuring.
First of all start up Disk Utility , select your HD and "repair permisions". Now try a restart. If all is well, then you are done.
If you can still only start up in Safe Mode then we need to look at some more things.
With everything disconnected except your keyboard and mouse try a normal restart. If it works now, then either the "Safe Boot" has repaired some underlying directory issue and everything will now be fine, OR one of your peripheral devices is causing the problem. Reattach your peripherals one at a time and retest. If you find that one device stops you from restarting properly then either there is a problem with the device or its cable, or there is a problem with its "driver" installed on your computer. Check the manufacturers site, see if there is any information about incompatabilities with recent versions of OSX. If there is not, download a fresh copy of the latest Mac driver for OSX, install it, and try again.
If the Mac still WOULDN'T start up properly with no peripherals (except mouse and keyboard) attached then the explanation will probably lie in a startup item, login item, or plist associated with the booting process. Post back and we'll move on to the next phase.
Cheers
Rod

After Finder Crashes, iMac boots into Darwin

Hello,
I'm not sure if this is exactly the correct forum, but I really need help. Today I was working on my iMac G5 when I tried to open a Word document on my Desktop (by double clicking on the document with Word already open). Suddenly, my Desktop icons go away and Finder is no longer working. So, I decide to restart my computer. Ever since then my computer automatically boots up into Darwin and asks me for my login and password when I turn it on. Where is my GUI?! Every time I restart it's the same thing. If I enter the wrong username/password it goes gray, has a spinning circle, and then spits me back into the Darwin login screen.
Another weird bit of info in all of this is that after awhile it will display the following line:
Nov 3 13:42:48 my-name-imac-g5 virusScan[188]: Could not create VirexInterface
So that has me worried also. Does anyone have any advice?
Thanks,
corp

I'd boot to your Tiger installer disk. Verify the hard drive (and repair if necessary) with Disk Utility. If all is okay do an archive and install, selecting to preserve users and settings.
Boot from the installer disk, select language if applicable, choose utilities, run Disk Utility and verify (and repair if necessary) the drive. You can verify a drive from DU on your main drive while booted but I have found this can result in incorrect reporting of errors. To repair your drive you have to run it from a drive other than the boot drive anyway.
Next, boot from your drive in [Safe Mode|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107393] and repair permissions. You can repair permissions while booted from the installer disc but this uses the permissions configuration on the installer disc which may be out of date if you have run any updates on your computer. Booting your computer to Safe Mode restricts the number of things running on your computer while permissions are being run and does a bit of spring cleaning at the same time.
[Resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance with Disk Utility and fsck|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214]
[Using Disk Utility in Mac OS X 10.4.3 or later|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=302672]
[Disk Utility's Repair Disk Permissions|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25751]
From BDaqua (couldn't have said it better):
"Try Disk Utility
1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc that came with your computer (Edit: Do not use this disc if it is not the same general version as what you have currently on your computer, e.g. use a Tiger disc for a Tiger drive, not a Panther disc), then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.
3. Click the First Aid tab.
4. Click the disclosure triangle to the left of the hard drive icon to display the names of your hard disk volumes and partitions.
5. Select your Mac OS X volume.
6. Click Repair. Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk.
[Mac OS X: About the Archive and Install feature|http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1710]
[Apple document about A&I in Tiger (10.4)|http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1545]
[X-Lab Archive and install|http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/archiveinstall.html]
[Kappy's A&I instructions|http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1823034]

Macbook Pro Core Duo froze and now boots into grey screen

I was using my macbook pro (core duo) and just had a few apps open when it froze. I could still use my mouse but nothing else was working including force quit.
When I restarted my computer, it did the spinning wheel and apple screen and then went straight from that to a grey screen, to never come back again. Sometimes it flashes to black before entering the grey screen.
I did applejack and it finished with no errors...
I booted with the command option p and r.
I tried verbose and it gets past that and then gets stuck again at the grey screen.
Safemode boots and works fine (except my airport isn't detected) and probably some other things don't work.
I searched through other problems but couldn't find one that fit these specifications.
Any help would be graciously appreciated.

If safe boot works then it is probably a startupitem, launchagent, or launchdaemon that may be failing. Look in your /Library/LaunchAgents, /Library/LaunchDaemons, and /Library/StartupItems. All these are suppressed in a save boot. You could start experimenting by removing all you see in those. Or if you have some hunch of what may be a possible culprit delete that. Or one at a time. Whatever.
When I say delete I mean just temporarily remove them. Observe ownership and permissions when putting them back.
Note, I don't know why any of those items would suddenly start to fail just because you machine went south. Perhaps some plist or other data got corrupted.

HT4623 My I pad one constantly crashes, goes back to home screen, started just in Facebook but now it does it in everything! I have cleared all cookies, and even did the hard re boot...I am about to throw it! Trying to type this it kicked me out twice;-(

My I pad one constantly crashes, goes back to home screen, started just in Facebook but now it does it in everything! I have cleared all cookies, and even did the hard re boot...I am about to throw it! Trying to type this it kicked me out twice;-(

1. Close all apps in the Task Bar. Double-click the Home button and hold apps down for a second or two. Tap the minus sign to close app.
2. Hold the Sleep/Wake and Home button down until you see the Apple Logo.

Blue screen - after booting into Darwin/BSD

Hi,
after I had the problem of my iMac G5 only booting into Darwin/BSD (which I posted here: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1093517&tstart=0), I followed the instructions for recreating the user accounts, as described here: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=320663&start=0&tstart=0
Now I'm able to get to the blue screen, and the system doesn't exit into Darwin/BSD any longer. However, the Setup Assistant doesn't start either.
I only see an empty blue screen (I guess it's the GUI base screen) and the menu bar. The menu bar only has to items: one menu 'loginwindow', which doesn't have any entries. And the Apple-logo menu, which has the following menu entries:
- About This Mac
- Software Update...
- Mac OS X Software...
- System Preferences...
- Dock >
- Location >
- Force Quit...
- Sleep
- Restart...
- Shot Down...
- Log Out System Administrator...
The 'Restart...' entry doesn't work. I can, however, launch the System Preferences window.
Tail command of /var/log/System.log shows:
configd[41]: WirelessConfigure: 88001003
kernel[0]: Registering For 802.11 Events
kerner[0]: [HCIController][setupHardware] AFH Is Supported
kernel[0]: ATY,Aphrodite2_A: vram [98000000:08000000]
mDNSResponder: Couldn't read user-specific Computer Name; using default bMacintosh-0014513219B8b instead
kernel[0]: ATY,Aphrodite2_B: vram [98000000:08000000}
mDNSResponder: Couldn't read user-specified local hostname; using default bMacintosh-0014513219B8.localb instead
/System/Library/CoreServices/loginwindow.app/Contents/MacOS/loginwindow: Login Window Application Started
loginwindow[141]: [Login.m:1867] Failed to launch /Applications/Server/Server Assistant.app/Contents/MacOS/Server Assistant (error -1)
mDNSResponder: Adding brows domain local.
Any recommendations on what to do next?
Thanks!
Torsten

Apologies, was a little vague. and as far as my profile goes i have loads of mac's here in the studio.
using MBP latest model, Snow Leopard with latest updates.
1. boot up in windows XP SP3 (bootcamp NTFS formatted 32GB partition) - all ok
2. shut down windows and re boot in OSX
3. boots up but fails to complete and hangs on blue screen (just prior to desk top picture loading)
4. press and hold power button to shut down
5. reboot in OSX - boots up fine this time

IBook boots into Darwin log-in screen

I've been having some problems with my iBook G5 not booting, or taking ages to do so...
It now boots into what looks like a UNIX screen. The screen says something about Darwin/BSD and asks for my ID and password.
I type in my iBook'a Admin ID/password but it won't accept it.
Has anyone encounted this problem and perhaps know what I need to do to fix this puppy?
The iBook is out of warranty, so I want to try a few things first before having to pay to get it fixed.
Thanks!

Hi. Do you have the install disk that came with your Macbook?You could do or try booting to single user. This is a way to check and repair your operating system,if you have no install disk to use. http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203176

Hp m9500z crashed, able to restart and restore, now no HP splash screen, just hangs

Hp m9500z crashed, able to restart and restore, now no HP splash screen, just hangs. after unplugging power for several hours, i was able to get system running, ran disk scans for errors, no problem. few minutes after vista is up it crashed again. when restarting all fans run full speed, no hp splash screen on boot, nothing. i have tried resetting CMOS using the jumper trick, nothing. removed the battery, nothing. i have even tried the blind tricks i have seen suggested, like pressing F10 for 8 seconds, etc. during one of the last times before it totally died out i ran the BIOS system diagnosis, everything was fine. I am thinking I have a corrupted bios. Any ideas? Could be a fried motherboard, but I am hoping its not that bad. Product num nh836av-aba.
This question was solved.
View Solution.

From your description I would suggest unplugging the video card and trying the onboard video. Your mb specs should be these: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01635688&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en
Please ensure you have some esd protection and NEVER delve into your unit without first physically unplugging it from the power at the wall
regards davida
"Although I am an HP employee, I am speaking for myself and not for HP"

Michael C stopped my MacBook booting into Darwin/BSD, but it is now sloooow

I am testing a MacBook 2.16 GHz for possible use at work. Upgraded to 3GB RAM and Hitachi 200GB HD. Performance was great after a week, but one day I got a dark screen at bootup with the Darwin/BSD-login-password message that a lot of people seem to get. I followed Michael Conniff's advice (http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=4550428) and got the system to boot into the GUI properly. But ever since then performance has been very slow: e.g. selecting the Date and Time takes 5 seconds to launch and clicking on the AirPort icon takes the same amount of time to produce the drop-down menu. It's like the MacBook is running in slow-motion. The exception is the Dock: it pops up quickly and the Apps scroll by quickly. Launching the Apps is another matter, though.
NO OTHER APPS INSTALLED. Really. No MS programs or even freeware. Just iLife '08. All the current updates have been installed. Zapped the PRAM, ran Disk Utility to check the disk and verify permissions--even booted into single-user mode and ran fsck (disk was okay). Tonight I reinstalled the OS in a clean install, installed all the updates, and afterwards the MacBook is just as slow. What is going on? If it's this slow, I guess I won't be using Parallels anytime soon to replace my Dell!

Well, this has been frustrating. The original hard disk also will occasionally boot into Darwin and menu selection is still very sluggish. The local Apple Store won't touch an Apple recertified MacBook--even one that was just delivered a couple of days ago from the Apple Store Online. I then spent several hours on the phone, mostly on hold, but sometimes transferred in a closed loop from Customer Support to Tech Support and back to Customer Support. Sadly, the case number I was given by a rep (the third one I spoke to) isn't showing up as valid either. At this point I just want to return the MacBook (which I think I still can), but I can't reach anyone to arrange for this!

Downloading app seems to have crashed ,now have striped screen and wont turn off, tried the 2 button10sec trick but still nothing dturn off, tried the 2 button 10secill not turn off tried the 10sec two button trick still not working any suggestions please

while downloading apps seems to have crashed ,now have striped screen and wont turn off, treid the 2 button 10sec trick but still not responding any suggestions please ?

Try here:
iOS: Not responding or does not turn on
If not successful, let the battery fully drain. Then charge for an hour and try again.

PRE crash and now stuck at splash screen - HELP!!

I was working on a small project (5 mins) a couple of sound tracks and was moving one to different location and PRE crashed - now when I open the program up the splash screen is blurred and I can't select anything except the 8.01 update and those things - HELP - project due in 4 hours!!

Eric
With regard to the original desktop icon which targets Adobe Premiere Elements 8.0.exe
a. if you do not have the program open via Adobe Premiere Elements.exe and you have closed the program that got opened to the Welcome Screen with Adobe Premiere Elements.exe, and if you go back to the Task Manager/Processes,
DO YOU SEE ANY INSTANCES OF "ADOBE PREMIERE ELEM,,," IN THE LIST OF PROCESSES THERE? If the answer is no, then I do not think that you have to worry unless you have a compelling need for the Welcome Screen. Just my point of view, but the only reasons for it being seem to be:
a. For Adobe to monitor (track) your activities
b. Quick access to photoshop.com
c. Be kept up to date with Adobe Ads
You should have full control of your Premiere Elements projects using Adobe Premiere Elements.exe to open the program without the Welcome Screen. I just wanted to make sure that there is no evidence that you have 2 instances of the program being open at the same time.
If you look at the processes opening using Process Explorer Sysinternals, you will note
a. if you click on the icon that targets Adobe Premiere Elements 8.0.exe, the first process that opens is Adobe Premiere Elements 8.0.exe, followed by Adobe Premiere Elements.exe and what looks like PhotoshopServer.exe. After Adobe Premiere Elements.exe and PhotoshopServer.exe appear, the Adobe Premiere Elements 8.0.exe disappears from the scene leaving the other 2 processes as the running processes.
b. if you click on the icon that targets Adobe Premiere Elements.exe, Adobe Premiere Elements 8.0.exe never appears, just direct to Adobe Premiere Elements.exe and PhotoshopServer.exe which remain as the running processes.
I am not sure what happened to your Adobe Premiere Elements 8.0.exe file. But I do not see that you need it to move forward in your projects. I would be curious to know the whys, but is it worth it on your time schedule?
ATR

My iBook G4 only goes to a black 'Darwin' screen when it boots up. How do I get it to boot up normally again?

Last night, my iBook G4 started showing odd glitches on the screen. When I restarted it, there was a file with a blinking question mark, so I consulted the manual and it said to shut down, hold 'Option' and turn on the computer, then click the hard disk icon and then the rightward arrow. When I did these things, it led me to a black screen where something called 'Darwin' asked me for my login and password. I managed to restart from the OSX install disc and repair the hard disk volume that way, but the black 'Darwin' screen shows up every time I turn the laptop on! What should I do to get it back to normal? My iBook G4 has OSX 4.11 installed, and I bought it refurbished in June 2005.

Thank you so much for replying; unfortunately, my screen had already gone gray by the time I read your reply and I had to take in to the Genius Bar. My laptop's up and running, but the main problem is still unknown and I'll have to buy a new one soon. Thanks again!

Crashed: Now boots to Darwin screen

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