Keyboard completely unresponsive in single user mode

Since upgrading to v10.5.1 I have been unable to get both my Apple USB and Apple Bluetooth keyboards to work in single user mode. I can get into single user mode using the command-s keys but once there the keyboard dies. This is the only time the keyboard fails. I have no other USB device attatched. I am using the white (non-aluminum) Apple keyboards. I'm curious to see if anyone else has this issue.

It appears to have been a Bluetooth only issue. I got the USB keyboard to work in single user mode. However I had to first turn off Bluetooth before rebooting into single user mode. Originally I kept Bluetooth on before rebooting using my USB keyboard. This for some reason prevented the USB keyboard from functioning in single user mode. When I have some time I'll further troubleshoot the Bluetooth keyboard issue and report back.

Similar Messages

Console unresponsive in single user mode, any ideas why?

I have a SPARC Ultra 60 running Solaris 10 05.09 - I had a power failure and now it boots to maintenance mode and is waiting for me to type the root password. Problem is no matter what I type it does not respond, I have booted with DVD and fsck'd the filesystem, mounted it and removed the root password but still it comes up to maintenance mode. I rebooted of the cdrom to check the messages file and there is nothing new in there since the power failure.
Has anyone got any ideas why the console is unresponsive to input?
It works fine when booted form the dvd.
any help appreciated.
Martin

try
- add 'set -x' to your /etc/profile
- add 'set -x' to /etc/rc? scripts
- check /etc/vfstab for a nfs mountpoint not using 'bg'

HT1492 Does anyone knows how to change the keyboard layout in single user mode, please ?

Hello,
The question is in the title.
Thank you.

The only way you might do it is use one of the Unix editors to edit the plist file it gets the settings from once it boots in the GUI mode. 'vi' is present in all Macs, and you might have pico, nano, emacs, or ed depending on what was installed. The keyboard layout while in single user mode itself I think is generic to where the Mac was bought and what keyboard was ordered with it, when it came from the store. Since you posted in the 10.3 or earlier forum, chances are if this has changed, few people would know for certain. If you have a newer Mac, say 2006 or later, you should really post in the correct forum:
http://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-2463

10.4.3 and Single User Mode, now Wireless Keyboard can

Hello all.
IN case you haven't found out which I did, just to let you know, with the latest OS 10.4.3 update, now you can boot into Single User Mode (fsck) with your
b wireless keyboard
and still at the same time
b continue to complete fsck process with your wireless keyboard!!
No more switching to a regular wired keyboard just to complete the process!
Cheers

Hi Steven, bit unclear on a couple things.
When I went into single user mode the fans went wild. But I knew this to be normal and proceeded with repairing the disk
Normal for fans to go wild in single user or when repairing the disk?
I replicated the problem applied the same fix and again every thing was normal.
The problem being screaming fan and the fix being resetting SMU? (unplug for 15secs). So how did you replicate it, and is it really fixed now?

I Cannot Complete Single User Mode (fsck)!!

Hello all.
I have the new iMac 20" Rev. B running on Tiger OS X 10.4.1, using wireless keyboard and mouse (I know I have to use a wired keyboard to complete Single User Mode)
When I do a 'Command Key + S key' after a restart
b using either the wireless or wired keyboard...
The "usual" string of text would appear on the black screen in Single User Mode, but it stops short of the below:
...(a lot more text lines)...
If you wish to boot the system,but stay in single user mode:
sh/etc/rc
CSRHIDTransitionDriver :: stop
localhost :/ root# [HCIController][start]
[AppleUSBHCIController][StopIsochPipeRead] - mInt1IsochInPipe = 0 - numReads Pending = 0
[start] 1
The last line just stays there without further prompts, I type anything on the keyboard and nothing happens, after a while the fans will pump up full speed and loud, waiting for a little longer also see no continuation of prompts etc...
HELP! May I know what is wrong here? The mac was just set up since Sun, I couldn't and wouldn't believe that after a few days that the OS system is already somehow "screwed"??
Thanks and cheers!

Hi a brody, thanks for the reply, I guess as much I'll have to go through that process again...! The fact and reason I am so reluctant is that my previous iMac 20" "fried" its logic board and was in the shop for almost 2 weeks then they told me there was a worldwide shortage of logic boards, so they replaced me with this new iMac 20" Rev.B, I got it late last week and just started setting it up last Sun... and till late Monday when I found out about the fsck problem.
Earlier tonight I just did the Archieve and Install and brought back all my data, files and stuffs, I think doing something like this within a week is really quite tedious and tiring...
For both occasions when I install Tiger, did its software update and also the rest of the software I only have the mac, keyboard, mouse and the ethernet cable (cable modem) connect to the mac, nothing else, and I repair permisson after each update and install...
Ya, you may be right that there may be something wrong with the mac, but c'mon, my 2nd "brand new mac" and it's like this??!! I can't really take it anymore??!!
Anyway, I think I am going to hold on to doing the reformat and testing it, like I say, it is 'working fine' right now, no any indication of glitch or anything, and besides unable to complete Single User Mode... well, I don't think "it is really that bad"...?? (me making sense??)
Maybe I will do the full reformat and reinstall when the next OS Update arrives or something go amiss with the mac, then I'll take that opportunity to test it...
Maybe in the mean time, I'll just ring up AppleCare and see what they say...?
Thanks and cheers.

Keyboard doesn't respond at login window... works in Single User mode

I have a G4 xServe (server 10.3) that won't accept keyboard input at login window, but the same keyboard, usb port, works fine when I'm booted into Single User Mode.
Booting into Single User mode, something interesting gets posted during boot:
"AppleCPUThermo got unsupported command"
Any thoughts?

Did you find a resolution to this issue? After I installed the latest security update to OSX Server 10.4.8 I am now experiencing the same problem. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Boot in Single User Mode gives no keyboard control (wireless (ALU keyboard)

Power up Mac Pro
when startup sound comes I enter cmd+s
System boots into Single User Mode
until it displays: root#_
Now I am not able to type anything on the keyboard to display on the screen
What could be the cause of this strange behavior?
I am using the wireless apple alu keyboard with the magic mouse
Oh, I also tried this with an USB attached keyboard and I had the same result. Booting into Single User Mode went fine but then the keyboard did not do anything after once we were in Single User Mode.
Other than on this occasion the keyboard (and mouse) works fine. I've also done the latest firmware upgrades to the keyboard as well. All system software is at the latest revisions.
Message was edited by: audip

20" G5 Imac 1.8Ghz Mac OS X (10.4.8)
You may want to find *Using Tiger* forum or PPC G5 iMac; or, go back to earlier versions of Applejack (which always from my experience worked 100% on Power Macs and pre-Leopard).
AJ and SU just use Apple's diskutil and you are always better off with something like Disk Warrior, AJ/SU is handy when you don't have another drive handy to boot from or just wanted to clean up caches or something.

Macbook does not boot. stuck at grey screen. have tried single user mode, but text stops at AppleIntelCPUPPowerManagement: initialization complete, without anymore prompts. no

macbook does not boot. stuck at grey screen. have tried single user mode, but text stops at AppleIntelCPUPPowerManagement: initialization complete, without anymore prompts. no hash key appears that will allow me to type in: fsck -fy
have my trials for IB in one week and my history notes are all on my hard drive, that has not been backed up. help please =(

macbook does not boot. stuck at grey screen. have tried single user mode, but text stops at AppleIntelCPUPPowerManagement: initialization complete, without anymore prompts. no hash key appears that will allow me to type in: fsck -fy
have my trials for IB in one week and my history notes are all on my hard drive, that has not been backed up. help please =(

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.

Unable to boot normally - Always need to boot with Single User Mode

Hi Community,
Since last few days, I am unable to boot my Macbook Pro normally, running latest version of OS X Yosemite. When I boot, it goes to grey screen with Apple logo and progress bar, once the progress completes to 100% (after 5-10 minutes which is very longer than usual), it asks me to 'Select language' which seems like fresh installation of OS X. In that case, when I click next and it doesn't detect my SSD (blank list of select installation disk/drive).
After reading some threads, I found work-around and always need to boot into Single user mode (by pressing Command+S during power on) and then need to run following commands...
/sbin/fsck -fy
/sbin/mount -uw /
"device is write protected" numerous times
reboot
and then only it loads OS X and displays login screen. This happens all the times and I need to follow above steps always to get login screen.
How can I fix this?

Please help me out here. I tried booting it off a USB flash drive with ATV flash but that gave me some errors and prompted me to login with username [email protected] with password frontrow
But I am not sure how to get to login using a suitable input. I tried to telnet it using my PC over network but I dont think it has initialized anything (like wifi or network) at the prompt. Would it take USB keyboard input? All I can do is remove the power and restart it with the usb flash out and get into then get into the recovery loop. I am not sure replacing the hard-drive would help. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Sinu

I'm having kernal panics even in single user mode

My new Mac Pro has been having kernal panics left and right. I've done everything suggested here plus everything the Apple people have been telling me to do both on the phone and at the local Apple store. Nothing helps and the last call I made the Apple tech suggested I install a new hard drive which he is sending me. I also have his extension number so I can call him when the install is done. In the meantime while I'm waiting for the new hard drive I manage to reinstall the system after a couple of tries and just for grins boot into single user mode and let the computer sit for awhile. When I get back I find the computer has once again crashed and this one line stands out "simple lock deadlock detection". What this means I have no clue but I'm beginning to suspect what I have is a real lemon. If anyone has some insight they'ld like to share on this I'm open to suggestions.
P.S. And just to let you know I've done the following:
1. I've booted into safe boot mode and it crashes
2. I've booted off the install DVD and let it stand and it crashes
3. I've disconected everything but the mouse and keyboard and it crashes
4. I've reinstalled the system numerous times and it still crashes
5. I've taken it to the local Apple store where they replaced the memory and it still crashes
6. I've called the Apple help line and followed their suggestions which included unplugging the computer for 15 seconds to clear the SMU and it crashes even worse.
7. I've zapped the pram and reset the nvram and it still crashes
8. Even when I left it at the local Apple Store where they used their monitor, mouse, keyboard, and power cord it still crashes
9. It crashes on startup from time to time
10. And last but not least it crashes in single user mode even though I've done fsck -fy and then let it just sit
11. Oh yes and one more thing, the crashes are completely random and unpredictable.
Mac Pro duel core intel xeon 2.66mhz Mac OS X (10.4.9)

Well I finally resolved my issue, hopefully. Upon installing the new hard drive I had no problems for a week or so and decided to add a second drive and put my old system on it and see what would happen when I booted from the second drive. All went well for a week and then boom the crashes began again. I then switched back to the new drive with the fresh system and all went well for a little over a week when boom the panics returned. I called Apple and they made an appointment for me at the local Apple store. After looking at my files which included about 7 phone calls and several visits to the Apple store the best solution was a brand new Mac Pro. All this has been covered under warranty which is awesome. The only crashing I've had to date had to do with something called "mdimportserver" whatever that is. I also can only use one ethernet connector which is strange. I figured it might have to do with the new hard drive so I booted over to the old drive and everything is working fine except for the ethernet port which I haven't tried yet. I figure for now it's best to let that sleeping dog alone since everything else is working so good. When I'm sure this new Mac is working ok I'll wipe the new drive and use Super Duper to clone this system over rather than use Apple's migration assistant which evidently didn't do such a good job of migrating my system over. I'll let you all know how it goes several weeks from now hopefully.

Resetting the Admin password in single user mode

Ok, my friend bought an old Imac from someone she went to school with with OS 10.4.2 on it. It works fine except that she can not install any programs because there is an admin password that she does not know. She asked the person she bought it from, he says he doesn't even remember setting a password. Normaly with this issue id just pop in the install disk and reset it from there, except neither of them have the install disk, and my install disk is to current for the machine. Does anyone know how I can reset the admin acount using single user mode commands? I can do it on my Mac Book pro but it doesn't seem to work the same way on 10.4. Please help!
EDIT: It is a Power PC G3 if that helps.
Message was edited by: CartooNxHerO

CartooNxHerO wrote:
Ok, so I used the advice from the third link you gave me but i'm still in single user mode trying to figure out how to delete the users home folders.
Message was edited by: CartooNxHerO
You do not need to delete "the users home folders". Nor do you need to delete the netinfo database. Here are two proceedures:
Change Password
Mac OS X:
Changing or resetting an account password via GUI:
Resetting a user's password
Resetting the original administrator account password
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106156
You do not have a CD/DVD
Changing password from single user mode:
You can also change the administrator's password from single user mode or create a new administrator account.
You need to get into single use mode for steps one and two that are listed below.
This page will tell you how to get into single user mode.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1492
Basically, you hold down the command-s key then powering on your machine. The command key has a little apple symbol on the lower left. It is between the alt/option key and the space bar. On a PC keyboard, it will be the windows key, I think.
1) You can change the password on an account. ( Do you know Unix. You are in a Unix single user console. ) The setup commands you need should be listed on the screen. For Mac OS 10.4.11, the commands are:
# Type the follow two instructions to access the startup disk in read/write:
/sbin/fsck -fy
/sbin/mount -uw /
# Start up some utility processes that are needed.
sh /etc/rc
# You will probably need to press the return key once the system stops typing.
# To find out the users on the system type, use the list command. The l is a lower case L:
ls /Users
# One of these accounts will be the administrator.
# Pick one of the users which I'll call a-user-name and type it in this command:
passwd a-user-name
# and enter the new user password. You need six characters.
# You will need to enter your password twice. Your typing will not show up on the screen just
# press enter when you complete the typing.
# For cryptic information on these commands try:
man ls
man passwd
The root account isn't enabled by default. I am not sure if changing the password on root will enable it.
2) Get the Mac to set up an additional administrative account. You can then change the password on your old account.
Start with your computer power off. Hold down command-s. Power on your computer.
Type in the following:
The first two commands will depend on your release of Mac OS X. Look at what is typed out in the console to determine the exact format.
# Type the follow two instructions to access the startup disk in read/write. Press return after each command.
/sbin/fsck -fy
/sbin/mount -uw /
cd /var/db
pwd
#List all files. The l is a lower case L.
ls -a
#The move command acts as a rename command in this format.
mv -i .applesetupdone .applesetupdone.old
reboot
Once you've done that the computer reboots and it's like the first time you used the machine. Your old accounts are all safe. From there you just change all other account passwords in the account preferences!!
Limnos adds detailed explainations:
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=8441597#8441597
The above the idea came from a post by JoseAranda at September 9, 2006 3:48 AM
http://www.askdavetaylor.com/howdo_i_reset_my_mac_os_x_admin_rootpassword.html
You will need to scroll down to see this post. Search for applesetupdone
Or see:
http://superpixel.ch/articles/running-setup-assistant-again/
Once you have a new administrative account, you can change the password of your old administrative account
blue apple > System Preferences > Accounts

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

Can not book from DVD or Single user mode

Hello,
In a bit of a pickle here. I have an ibook g3, 10gb hard drive, 512mb ram, cd/dvd combo drive and an airport card.
When i book up the system I get the broken folder icon (the flashing ? mark) I have tried to get the system to boot from a DVD of Mac OS X Tiger. However no matter how long I hold the C button down it will never even try to boot from the DVD.
Also no matter how long I hold down Command + S it will never go into the single user mode. However I know that the keyboard is good because I have been able to reset the PRAM with CommandoptionP and R and I get the normal two chimes. No luck.
I have reset the PMU out of desperation. I have even installed a new keyboard from a working ibook.
I know it would be easier to just buy a new mac but this isnt an option for me due to money issues so I want to fix this system. Also I do not have a double ended firewire cable for target disk mode.
My question is what do you do when you cant get past the broken folder and when it does not even try to load the Mac DVD?
HELP ME PLEASE!

Have you tried booting into Safe Mode? If not, I suggest that you give it a try. This will take quite awhile longer than a normal startup because it does a file check and repair of the hard disk.
If this works you will see your normal desktop. Once completely started up in Safe Mode, try to restart normally, and go to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility. Click on the top hard drive icon in the left sidebar and note the S.M.A.R.T. status at the bottom right of the pane. What does it say?
Select the named boot volume in the left sidebar, ("Macintosh HD" unless you've renamed it). What is the hard drive capacity and how much space remains available on it? Repair permissions on it.
See if you are able to do a little hard drive maintenance to help things out.

Can't type in single user mode

Hi,
I am trying to fix a MacBook Air's hard drive and attempted to boot from single user mode to run fsck. However, when I get into single user mode I can't type a thing. No buttons on the keyboard work. I shut it down and tried doing it again but the same issue occurs. I tried again, this time connecting an Apple USB keyboard and it still wouldn't type. I booted from an external hard drive that had OS X on it and both the inbuilt and external USB keyboards worked absolutely fine.
Does anyone know why I would be having this issue and how to rectify it?
Cheers.

Reinstall Lion, Mountain Lion, or Mavericks without erasing 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.
Repair
When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. 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 click on the Repair Permissions button. When the process is completed, then quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Lion, Mountain Lion, or Mavericks
OS X Mavericks- Reinstall OS X
OS X Mountain Lion- Reinstall OS X
OS X Lion- Reinstall Mac OS X
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet
if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

Keyboard completely unresponsive in single user mode

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