Single User Mode Question

I use single user mode to do fsck because doing it on a live disk takes way too long. I was wondering if there is a way to repair permissions from single user mode. Thanks

1. what does AFAIK mean?
As Far As I Know
2. What I have gathered is that it is near next to y difficult to repair permission fro the CLI and single user mode.
Correct. You can't use diskutil because the disk framework isn't loaded. You can do it if you're booted from an install DVD, though.

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Terminology question: "booting as root" vs. "booting in single user mode"

Terminology question: "booting as root" vs. "booting in single user mode". Are these terms interchangeable, or is there a subtle or not-so-subtle difference? (Obviously something I don't do often.)
Thanks in advance.

Boot to Single user allows root access.
It isn't "booting to root" as in Linux, but I think is as close as it gets.
You can enable root from a normal boot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-JEpDi-cME
Interesting read:
http://www.securemac.com/macosxsingleuser.php
This is fun:
http://osxdaily.com/2007/01/22/what-happens-in-the-mac-os-x-boot-process/

Single User Mode: Still waiting for root device

iMac G4.
I reset the NVRAM, PRAM. It won't attempt to boot from anything but a OS 10.4 cd; booting from OS 9 cd just leaves me at the flashing question mark icon.
If I try to boot from OS X cd, it comes back with the prohibitory sign.
If I try to boot into single user mode, it gives me a bunch of "...."has no kernal dependency lines, then a 'still waiting for root device' line, and repeats that.
Something to the effect before the 'still waiting for root device' is "Waiting on <dict ID="0"><key>IOProvider-Class</key><string ID="1">IOResouces</string><key>IOResouceMatch></key><string ID="2">boot-uuid-media</string></dict>"
Any help please?

Nevermind...I found out that the hard drive was bad...still puzzles me why it wouldn't boot from CD though, as I thought they all should even if no drive is present.

IMac G5 won't boot in normal and safe mode, but will from single-user mode

Hello everyone,
I'm quite new here, so I try to do my best if you have a question.
Yesterday, someone nearby me had a iMac G5 (Powermac8,1), and he sayd, that the computer sometimes will boot, sometimes not.
I did test it, I thought it was running fine, but when I played some music in iTunes, it was stuck on 9 seconds, and crashed (with a kernel panic). The guy also sayd, that there was nothing important on the computer, so a clean install was fine.
Now, the problem is, that it will not boot in normal mode (without anything pressed on boot), also it won't in safe mode (shift-boot), but it will, when I enter single-user mode, mount the hard drive and exit from single-user mode so it will go futher on booting. Sometimes it will not, and immediately gives you a kernel panic in single-user mode, but it will 90 percent of the time.
Then you've got another problem: when it's running in the normal desktop from single-user mode, it'll be stuck after some time again. If I look into the Kernel Panic file created, most times it's because of Spotlight indexing, so I disabled that.
He also gave me the disks (Apple Hardware Test and Extra Applications, and iMac G5 Mac OS X Install Disks 1-3) that came with the Mac. He sayd that I could use them, but I think he didn't test out the SuperDrive, because when I insert a disk, it will try to read, but it will make 2 same sounds, and quits after 10 tries, when it will spit the cd out. Also normal (audio) disks.
Also, I must hurry with the commands for mounting and exiting in single-user mode, or it will just not boot.
In all cases, after 30-45 seconds from pressing the power button, the fan will start blowing at full speed, and it will stop after the exit command in Single-user mode. That's weird.
I can't do anything with the SuperDrive, I can't normally boot in Mac OS X except for Single-user mode (but I don't think he would like to do that every time the computer boots up), and I have very limited time when Mac OS X arrived on the desktop.
When booting in Verbose mode, it will be stuck on this:
AppleSMU::PMU vers = 0x000d004c, SPU vers = 0x15, SDB vers = 0x01,
(and sometimes ends with a kernel crash by fsck_hfs)
Things I've tried (without any success):
- /sbin/fsck -fy (in single-user mode)
- Disabling Spotlight and mds
If you want some more information, feel free to ask!
Greetings
-MrYoranimo
PS: My main language is Dutch, so my English can be bad at some points.

Thank you for your support! This reply is a little bit late, because I was to the camping this weekend.
The only thing I sure do know, is that the iMac has a bad SuperDrive. That's one problem, but I don't really wanna use it, and you fix everything by Single-user mode and when I get to the desktop to test things and change stuff in the Preference Panes.
What also came to my mind was that there also is a problem with the videocard (driver), because sometimes when I boot into Single-user mode, I can see some white pixels which aren't supposed to be there. And when booting from SUM you can see that some of the colors are different and there are weird patterns on the screen.
I also tried to setup a NetBoot server on this computer (MacBook Mid 2010) with just Lion 10.7.4 on it, but I'm not that expert and I didn't really find the good posts on the Internet, although I tried it with the Server applications and both Server applications and DeployStudio. But I didn't succeed.
I don't really like buying a new FireWire hard disk or external FireWire dvd reader/writer, except if it has USB support, because my MacBook doesn't support FireWire, and I really wanna make use of it then.
If I know more or have fixed it, I will surely post again here with what I did to fix it (if no one else has posted here already ).

How do I mount an external Firewire HD when booting into single user mode?

Hi,
How can I mount an external Firewire Harddisk from the Darwin Console, once I have booted into single user mode?
I'm trying to make a backup of all my files and then re-install my iMac G5 since it doesn't start the GUI anymore and I haven't gotten any responses to my question here: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1104762&tstart=0
Thanks,
Torsten

ok, I executed the following commands:
/sbin/fsck -fy
/usr/libexec/registermach_bootstrapservers /etc/mach_init.d
autodiskmount
There were two messages:
UniNEnet: Ethernet address 00:14:51:32:19:b8
and
Aug 29 20:55:29 launchd: server 2e3b in bootstrap 1103 uid 0: "/usr/sbin/lookupd"[16]: exited abnormally: Hangup
I don't know whether this has anything to do with the commands I entered.
And since I don't know what the volume name for the external Firewire HD is, I typed
ls -l /Volumes
but the only volume that is being listed there is my iMac's internal HD.
What should I do next?
Thx!

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.

Impossible to boot MacBook Pro Retina ! impossible to start in single user mode, Openfirmware password set, but safari works!

I have got a Macbook pro retina.
I have done 2 partitions on the SSD drive. 1 for the OS and 1 for the user (with a kind of ln -s /Home/myself /Volume/Part2/myself
I was watching a movie (with VLC) in full screen for a while and I wanted to escape. Impossible, and impossible to reboot.
When I start, I have a directory with a question mark.
I have a Open firmware passwords set (that I remember).
I cannot reset PRAM. (I can not change the RAM amount inside the commuter as this is a retina model)
I cannot start in verbose mode.
I can choose a disk to boot. I see only the OS drive and not the user partition, and no 'recovery partition'. It seems that i need to do a fsck -yff on the user partition but how ?
I can start the OS partition, and i can choose 'guess' or 'myself'. If i choose myself, I have an error message :'there is a error, the session can not start'. If I start with the guess account, I restart, and then I can browse the internet with safari (this is how I am writing this text!)
=> How can i repair the partition ? (open a terminal, boot in single user mode ...?)
best regards.

Actually, the recovery partition was there, but was not shown as my user partition. I have seen that reseting the PRAM and changing the ram could remove the open firemware password. So i have turn the computer on until the battery was empty. Then I boot about 20 times, and unplug the power supply after few seconds at different step of the booting pricess. At last, the screen default resolution when booting changed, I undertood that i succeeded, and I was able to enter.
Then I boot in single user mode, removed the open firmware password, activated the root user, and everything was fine now !

Freeze in Single User mode

Hi, my iMac G5 is freezing right away when I boot in single user mode. I mean right away at the prompt. I cannot even start typing anything. The fan start at 100% and I have to hard shutdown the machine. This happens ALL the time I boot in single user mode. EVERY TIME no exceptions.
I am trying to run a memory test (using MEMTEST) to see if my 1gig memory is defective. My iMac freeze randomly without me able to find a consistent pattern.
Questions:
1- Does the freeze at boot could be a problem with me using a bluetooth keyboard and mouse?
2 - If not, the fact of freezing at boot in Single User mode a possible explanation of memory problem (does the single user mode lock-up memory that could be bad?) as my iMac do not freeze (for a while) when booted in multi-user mode.
My setup: 2 ghtz iMac G5, 1x1gig Kingston PC3200 memory (sold and installed by my Apple reseller). My G5 is 7 month old still under warranty.
I am new to the Mac - I switched from PCs.
Thanks for the help.
iMac G5 + Thinkpad T40 Mac OS X (10.4.2)

With the PC-Viewsonic keyboard, Pierre, the symptoms you describe are exactly what you would expect.
Third party, non Apple, keyboards, even wired ones, can't usually be used to do anything beyond simply starting up in SU mode (you can start them up and get to the prompt, but when you are there you can't do anything further).
The same applies to Apple Wireless keyboards when running versions of the OS 10.4.2 or earlier, or if the bluetooth firmware isn't up to date. Again, you CAN start them up in SU mode, but you can't do anything with them after you reach the prompt.
As far as the BT issue goes, as you say its running 10.4.6 I'm beginning to wonder if there was a problem with one of your OS updates. I'd be inclined to download a fresh copy of the full 10.4.6 Combo updater, and run it again. Probably worth running the Blue Tooth firmware update again, too, just in case.
Rod

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 you run a bash script on boot in single user mode

Hey guys quick question.
Is it possible to run a bash script on boot in single user mode.
I can create a file and dump it on the root hd.
Let's call it repair.
I can then boot to single user mode and run it by typing /repair.
But I want it to do it automatically.
Every time I go into my machines that I clean for my job. I have to run sbin/fsck -fy
Then I have to mount the drive and then remove all cache files, then reboot the machines.
I would like to automate this by just holding command s and then moving to the next computer.
There must be some sort of boot daemon somewhere.
Please help.
Sincerely,
John

Have you seen Applejack?
http://applejack.sourceforge.net/
It doesn't start automtically, but does cleanup.
Robert

Stuck keys in single user mode

I am running Solaris 2.6. on an Ultra10. When in single user mode, I am getting "stuck keys". If I type a y to answer a question, I get yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. If I try to delete some of the repeated letters, the delete key removes them all.
What's up with that? I am trying to perform a restore, and need to be in single user mode.
Thanks for any help,
Phil

Welcome to  discussions, shaolson.
Have you done anything recently that could have caused this?
What Operating system do you have 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 ??
1. Try starting up in safe mode, by holding down the Shift Key.
2. else, if you can get the Install DVD in, startup using the 'C' key to boot into the Install DVD and run repair Disk from Disk utility. I know you have already tried fsck in single usermode, but the benefit of using Disk Utility is you can get useful feedback about what it has done.
The procedure, in case you are unfamiliar with it is;
To do this: Insert the Install Disk 1 into the drive and then select Restart; when you hear the chime hold down C key until the apple logo appears.
This will take you to the installation software, but you do not want to install.
Select your language, then go up to the top menu bar to Utilities in 10.4 (or Installer in 10.3) and navigate to the Disk Utility application.
Select the start up drive, then go to the First Aid pane where you can click on Repair Disk.
If it finds errors, repeat the process until it reports no errors.
After these repairs, quit the application, and restart normally.
3. If it still will not start up normally, restart with the Install DVD and do an *Archive and Install* to preserve your existing files. If successful, these will be located in a folder called Previous System on your hard drive.
4. If Archive and Install is not possible, because you have insufficient Disk space to complete that operation, then you will need to connect your eMac to another Mac and and retrieve the important files via that means.
regards roam

How do I get networking in single user mode?

My MBP won't boot OS X anymore (it tell's me I have to restart my pc). This happend after I redid my boot camp installation. Anyways disk utility/fsck won't repair the drive but I can still read the files...
Now whenever I try safe boot or run sh /etc/rc the machine panics/restarts. However single user mode has an ftp client and I have enough storage on a networked ftp server. Question is how do I get ethernet going without running sh /etc/rc?

Enter the following command into the Single User mode prompt:
ifconfig en0 up
Try using the FTP client after running the command. It assumes the connection used is the built-in Ethernet connection; use en1 for an AirPort connection or fw0 for a FireWire cable. The 0 is the number zero.
(11785)

What's "...start in Single User mode"? HOW? and WHY?

A silly question...
What's "...start in Single User mode"? HOW? and WHY?
Can anyone, please explain that to me?
Cheers!

Hello Nando,
The only silly questions are the ones that never get asked
Have a look in here...
Single User Mode
Hope that helps
Regards
Ian

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

Lock single user mode? sum

Is it possible to lock single user mode? Like when unauthorized persons get their hands on your mac and boots into sum, it will ask for a root password or something before they can do anything? Thanks a lot!
os x 10.9.4 - macbook airs and pros

Thanks you, quick question, is there a difference between a "root password" and a "firmware password"?
Kappy
Frank Caggiano

Single User Mode Question

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