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!

Similar Messages

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

PowerMac G4 MDD booting into DARWIN/BSD screen.

Hi,
I've been sitting here for the past three days trying to figure out how to fix this problem. My computer keeps booting into the darwin/bsd screen and will not boot into the operating system. Apparently the kernel has a problem. I have tried everything including the "/sbin/fsck -yf" thing. None of it seems to work at all. It just brings me back to this "darwin/bsd screen.
I just found my installation dvd and put it in. Then I held the OPTION+D keys which brought me to the boot drive screen. This screen shows the Main HD symbol and the Mac OS X INSTALL CD icons. But, I am unable to switch over to the Install disc icon to run it. My mouse just doesn't respond at all on this screen, but somehow the keyboard does.
Can someone tell me whats going on???

Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=2238
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=42642
Tried resetting the PMU?
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=14449
Might try applesetupdone...
This was Posted by: JoseAranda at September 9, 2006 3:48 AM
"OK, restart your computer, hold down Command-s and type in the following:
/sbin/fsck -fy Enter
Repeat until no errors.
/sbin/mount -uaw Enter
rm /var/db/.applesetupdone Enter
1. The rm command is the remove command which deletes the file.
2. Robert: I'd rename the file via: mv /var/db/.applesetupdone /var/db/.applesetupdone.old
reboot Enter
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!!
end of posted by: JoseAranda"

Screen boots into Darwin/BSD

I restarted my computer one day and it booted into a Black screen (Darwin/BSD).
I've tried the suggestions on various forums below:
http://missionitgroup.com/blog/?p=1490
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=320663
But I am still unable to get my computer to boot normally.
Every time I reboot, it either just goes to a blue screen, or the Welcome movie plays and can't get past a certain point.
Can anybody help with any further suggestions?
Thanks!

tsk80:
The 2 options they gave me was to:
-archive and reinstall everything
-erase everything and reinstall everything
There is a third option, which I believe is an option that will serve you better longer term. That option is to install a new larger capacity drive. This will
• Give you greater storage capacity
• Give you a faster HDD
• Improve your computer's performance because of higher rotational speed, and greater areal density provided by a larger capacity drive allowing your computer to access larger blocks of data on each rotation.
• Allow you more free space which will boost performance with more room for swap files and sufficient room for growing the directory and avoiding overlapping volume structures. You should maintain a minimum of 15% of available capacity of your HDD as contiguous free space for the benefit of the directory.
When you have installed your new HDD you will need to format it before you can install to it. I would put a fresh installation instead of reinstalling a corrupted directory. If you think there is merit in this suggestion we can offer step by step directions for each stage of the adventure.
Let me know what you think.
cornelius

Security update 2007-004 boots into Darwin!?

I have an iBook G4 running Tiger. I regularly use auto updates so it is completely up to date. Yesterday I installed security update 2007-004 and now after logging in with my id and password the computer boots into Darwin!
I booted up from the Tiger install CD, ran 'disk permissions' and 'disk repair', then booted back to Tiger on my hard drive and... it still booted into Darwin.
Darwin asks for a user ID and password. I use my ID and password and it takes me to a prompt that's very similar to MS-DOS, meaning a colon followed by blinking cursor, waiting for my to type a command.
How do I fix this, and why did it happen?
FYI, my computer crashed a lot after the previous security update, but nothing this bad.
iBook Mac OS X (10.4.9)

Make sure you have a backup first. If you do an Archive & Install (remember to tick Preserve Network & User Settings), the computer will move everything into a folder called Previous System Folder. Move whatever you need out of that folder, then trash it. I don't know if A&I saves actual files or just preference settings etc.
Try putting "Security Update Darwin' into the search field, you should get some hits, if I find any myself I'll post them.
When you've got to the prompt, have you tried typing 'exit' or 'reboot'?
Steve

Booting to Darwin/BSD, Setup Assistant Crashing

Last night I was simultaneosly updating OSX and my iPod using Software Update, when the screen dimmed and turned grey with the message stating that I needed to restart my computer by holding down the power button. Upon doing so the screen turned black instead of booting up normal and went into Darwin/BSD (console). From there i followed the instructions posted to boot in single user mode and read the log. there i was given the message
crashdump[409]: crash report written to: /Lib...
/System/Library/CoreServices/loginwindow.app/Contents...
/System/Library/CoreServices...
crashdump[421]: Setup Assistant Crashed
Can anybody help? I can't get past the blue screen with the spinning wheel thing, it just keeps looping there.
iMac 20in 2.1Ghz Mac OS X (10.4.7)

hi there--
i would follow the instructions for a blue screen in this article. http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106464. make sure everything is unplugged from your computer. being able to do a safe boot or a boot to the install disk at this time would be extremely valuable. there are things you can do however from single user mode which will sometimes resolve the issue, like renaming the preferences folder or loginwindow.plist. also you might want to try booting to open firmware holding apple-option-o-f and typing the following commands--
reset-nvram (hit return)
set-defaults (hit return)
reset-all (hit return)
the last command restarts the computer. if none of these things work, you will probably have to archive and install your operating system. http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107120. it is not an uncommon thing to be done for booting to the darwin bsd screen. keep me posted as to whether or not you are making any progress. [ 8 ) ]

IMac with bootcamp and parallel boots into windows 7 but won't boot intoxc lion.

IMac with bootcamp and parallel boots into windows 7 but won't boot into Mac OS lion?

Hi,
Thanks for your suggestion. Actually that was not the problem, because I had the Mcintosh drive set as my boot drive. The answer was that my Lion Os got somehow corrupted and I had to reinstalll Lion. This was all after I discussed the situation with the Apple Support people.

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

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]

Booting to Darwin/BSD login/password

Help! Upon doing the recommended Apple Updates, my comuter boots to a black screen asking for
Darwin/BSD (my name-Computer.local) (console)
login:
I executed some suggestions from other posts and it accepted a login & password, but then I get "Welcome to Darwin".
Help!

Sojourner:
I thought I'd share the more technical Unix approach first. I am not at all adept at Unix. Michael Coniff, who posted that solution also posts in the Unix Forum, but also frequents these pages. My own solution was more rudimentary. I share it here not because it is any way exemplary, but because it worked for me.
Here is an account of how I dealt with the issue:Nov 3, 2005 11:54 AM
I was finally able to get the iBook to boot from the install disk, after failing to get it to boot from TechTool Pro CD. Disk Utility reports a lot of extent allocation file overlaps that it can't repair. I was able to select my LaCie external boot drive as a Startup drive. I have TechTool Pro installed on it and am now running TechTool Pro. Hopefully this will straighten out those overlapping extent allocation files. Will keep you posted.
Nov 4, 2005 1:24 PM
After being able to get into the iBook by booting from my LaCie boot drive I ran DU and found all kinds of overlapping directories that DU couldn't repair.
Went to TechToolPro and repaired, rebuilt directories, optimized drives (took all night; my son-in-law never did any maintenance and almost 20,000 disk fragments). So I thought, for sure we had taken care of Darwin. However, rebooted from the iBook this a.m. and, sure enough, there was Darwin again.
So I am in the process of cloning the entire drive to an empty partition on my LaCie reserved for just such emergencies. Then I plan to wipe the entire HDD and write zeros all over it. Then reinstall and restore. Hope that takes care of the little devil. Will let you know.
Nov 4, 2005 7:59 PM
The project is complete. I have reinstalled Tiger and restored the User Folder, and the computer boots on its own. Darwin must be lurking somewhere, which is fine, so long as he doesn't show up on the display.Here is the link to that thread: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=1047613&#1047613
Good luck.
cornelius

: Booting to Darwin/BSD Screen

greetings,
I noticed a link here with a solution to my inquiry but I can't understand if there are suppose to be spaces or all info is suppose to be closed. the link is here:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=320663&tstart=0&messageID=3088 809#3088809
I am sure the answer will work but I just couldn't figure out the segment, for instance the boot is written like this (/sbin fsck -fy) but when I tried it, I finally got the G4 to state it was actually /sbin/fsck -fy, where above it has spaces. after this I couldn't figure out how many spaces were between other codes listed here:
/sbin/mount -uw /
cd /var/db/netinfo
mv local.nidb/ local.nidb.bad
ls -ln /Users
can some rewrite it correctly?
would it be like this:
/sbin/mount -uw
cd/var/db/netinfo
mvlocal.nidb/local.nidb.bad
ls -in/users
I couldnt get past the first, the G4 gave me other options after i typed in command /sbin/fsck -uy. would appreciate any feedback, its like a million combos to me at this point.

hmmm I got stuck on the first part, after i put in FY, it told me it was a error and to Force start it with -F, after that, it worked, I got the okay, but after i put in the code of /sbin/mount -uw / it pulled up the word MOUNT: and three lines of different codes, none of which were familiar.
I followed the link:
Reset OS X Password Without an OS X CD...
http://theappleblog.com/2008/06/22/reset-os-x-password-without-an-os-x-cd/
that seemed to set me up with a new name, but when I control s, i dont get single anymore, only it popped up and said:
Welcome to Darwin!
"my name for admin"-powebook-g4-12:~ect.
I cant even get into single user anymore, it just comes up when i hit command s: Darwin/BSD (name, name-powerbook-) (console)
login:

Will not boot normally, but will boot into Safe Mode... what now?

Hey y'all, I've got an iBook G4—purchased in 2003—that's had its hard drive replaced (due to the OE one failing) and that's on its second battery (which will need replacing soon unless I can't get this resolved, then it's new computer time... ugh).
Last night I left it open and on and probably had a couple of sites open in tabs in Safari, as well as Mail and iChat open (Preview might've been open, too).
When I went back to it this morning it wouldn't come off the black screen (I don't have it set to sleep), and I thought it was because it's dry here and I must've discharged into it through the trackpad (though I've always felt it before), which freezes it, a problem that's happened before and that's normally resolved with a restart. Confirmed it was, indeed, frozen by turning the number lock on and off (which turns the light for it at the top of the keyboard on and off).
Powered it down by holding the power button. On restart it wouldn't go beyond the black screen. Tried it a couple of times, same problem. Things were pretty warm, so I let it sit for a while. Went back to it and it would freeze on the gray apple screen with the progress "gear" freezing after a few seconds of whirling about. Managed to get to the UN/PW screen once, but it froze after entering my UN and PW. Now it freezes on the apple/gear screen every time.
I used the Hardware Test CD to check things and all the hardware tests showed up fine. Booted it into Safe Mode and ran Cocktail. Rebooted, no joy.
Booted again into Safe Mode and backed it up onto an external HDD using CCC. I had done a clone a few weeks ago, but I wanted my most recent emails, etc.
Used Disk Utility to repair permissions. No change. Attempted to boot from my cloned disk image. No go. Repaired some permissions on that drive and tried again. No joy.
The thing "works" in Safe Mode, but I cannot get it to boot into things normally.
Seeing as it was online, is it possible that I picked up some corrupted font that's causing these problems? Got that idea from other stuff I've read online regarding iBook G4 start-up issues and this: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1564?viewlocale=en_US
Any other ideas?

Gents, truly, thank you.
In safe mode I couldn't disable the Airport card as it was already off and the hardware was "not found". No biggy. I simply pulled it. Booted up normally without a problem several times.
I swapped in a known-good Airport card from another iBook G4 and put this one's in that iBook. That computer wouldn't start and this one started up no problem (and I'm posting from it).
Weird that it would go bad like that, but it did. It's nice to know what the problem is and that the fix is easy. I'm glad I didn't go through any restore or wipe and install procedures.
So, again... THANK YOU!

Cannot boot into Recovery Mode but need to reinstall OS X, any suggestions?

My Mac boot is stuck at the Apple logo with a progress bar, and even when booting Recovery Mode (Command+R) it is stuck. Hence I don't think I can use Internet Recovery to reinstall OS X. Do you guys have any suggestions as to what to do? Thanks!

FYI:
I have tried booting into Single User Mode, using fsck to repair permissions, but to no avail. However in the Single User Mode I did notice something unusual. When trying to reboot using the command 'exit', a long list of errors came out.
Most were Library/Extensions/... .kext is not authentic; omitting from prelinked kernel.
Some errors were ...: No such file or directory
And afterwards the errors were stuck there and no reboot occurred. I also couldn't type anything.

Mac Pro 2006 boots into OS fine but graphics freezes on grey apple logo

When I boot my Mac Pro it boots into Mac OS X fine. I can access it remotely and all seems fine however the monitor only displays the grey apple with the whit background. I know the graphics card isnt over heating because I have removed any dirt/dust and had additional fans blowing the card and it is running cool.
does this mean the graphics card is dead? if so what can i replace it with as the machine is now 5 years old?
the current graphics card is a GeForce 8800 GT.

That last one is not a good sign. Kernel panic when starting from an installer DVD either mean you are using an installer version that cannot boot your model or there's a hardware problem.
I'm thinking your original thought may be valid. It would be provable if you had another GPU to try, but if you don't then I suppose you should replace the one you have. Of those available the ATI 5770 is an excellent replacement choice for both performance and cost unless you want to look for a different replacement card on eBay.

Booting in Darwin/bsd question

Hello, I have a macbook that starts up to the darwin/bsd login: screen. I followed the first two steps from Micheal Conniff's posts to a similar question, but this is where i get stuck.
I get to where the log says:
loginwindow[64]: Login Window Started Security Agent
loginwindow[64]: Terminate WaitinForLoginWindow (51)
loginwindow[64]: AuthorisationRef doesn't have a username (<LoginAuthRefMgr: 0x338bc0>).\n
launchd: onoption repeating too quickly on port /dev/console, sleeping
If anyone has any advice or experience with the same problem, I would really appreciate the help. Thanks alot.
John

In all likelihood, securityagent is crashing because of a problem with the NetInfo database.
Oh, ok, if the NetInfo database is potentially the root cause and probably has to get fixed anyway, I'll work on that. Any idea why the NetInfo database would just suddenly start causing a problem, and how to prevent this from occurring again?
So I'm to rename local.nidb, delete .AppleSetupDone, then reboot? Is there a typo in your instructions, does the "/" after ".nidb" belong there?
This sounds similar to Apple's "Mac OS X, Mac OS X Server: How to Replace the NetInfo Database" instructions (except Apple doesn't seem to care about matching UIDs & shortnames!), in there they also mention the possibility of restoring from a potentially extant automated backup of your NetInfo database, is this a procedure I should be considering, would it be easier or better than restoring it via Setup Assistant?
If you still think going ahead via Setup Assistant is a better route, I have to figure-out if I think I can guide her through it over the phone. Do you have a rough idea of what info I need to be able to supply besides the UIDs & shortnames? If this works as you expect it to, what's the end state we're left in, is the system likely to be perfectly back to normal and function again as though none of this happened or is there expected to be additional recovery steps to do after this? How risky/disruptive would this be for me to intentionally do this (rename local.nidb) to my own machine (like hers, PB G4 17", except I'm OS 10.4.2) so that I know how it will look when she runs Setup Assistant, would that be a good idea?
bear in mind the time difference and the fact CSI is on tonight
I know there's lots of CSI fans out there but personally once I'd watched all the "Battlestar: Galactica", "24", & "Robot Chicken" sitting on my DVR I'd go watch re-runs of "Stargate" (many I've never seen). But enjoy!

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

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