Stuck in single user mode OS 10.2.8

I forgot the admin password for this old iMac and can't find the system disk. So I started up in single user mode by turning on power, after chime pressing command, then S and holding until type began to come up on screen. When cursor stopped after "sh-2.05a#" I typed in "/sbin/mount -uw /" and return (no, I didn't see where it said to do fsck -y first). Computer came back with "sh-2.05a#" so i typed in "passwd" and username for account to change, return. Cursor on blank line, typed new password, return. New blank line, typed new password, return. New blank line, typed reboot, return. New blank line and nothing happening. Tried reboot again. Nothing happening. Just getting new blank lines no matter what I type. What is best to do now?

Thank you for the response. Data isn't an issue - I moved that to a newer computer some time ago. I just wanted to use the old computer for word processing and can actually do that through one of the user desktops. But it would be nice to have access to my desktop (the only admin), which is why I was trying to change the password.
I was "stuck" in the sense of not knowing what was safe to do next. Hoping there would be no damage, I turned the computer off. When powered back on, it seemed to start up normally to the log in screen and I could log into one of the other desktops.
I would still like to change the password. If I go back in and start with /sbin/fsck -fy, would that put me on the right track?
I don't know if it makes any difference, but this is one of the early iMacs running both system nine and system ten.

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My blk MacBook wouldn't start and is now stuck in Single user mode

Hello all-
I recently inherited my brothers old black macbook when he got the new "macbook air" and while surfing the web land safari froze, I tried to force quit- nothing happened. I held the power button until it went off. When I tried to reboot it got stuck on the blue screen with the apple logo and the spinning (loading) circle, it never get to the log in screen. After hours it just becomes a blue screen. After reading forums I tried rebooting in single user mode and I haven't been able to complete the process because i can't enter commands. Here's what the bottom part said i can give the rest if needed:
+nfs_boot : networking is not initialized+
+panic(cpu 0 caller 0x002C561D): fsbootinit failed with 6+
+Debugger called: <panic>+
+Backtrace, Format - Frame : Return Address (4 potential args on stack)+
*soooo then there were lots of codes after that (let me know if you need them)*
Kernal version:;
Darwin Kernal Version 8.11.1
Sooooo I don't know what to do....Please help
I don't have apple care and the nearest apple store is 3 hrs away and I cant get there til monday, any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks soo much
Jade:)

What you've gotten is a kernel panic. There are a few things that can cause this.
The first thing to do is get your hands on the disks and follow my last set of instructions for verifying and repairing your hard disk.
While you wait for them, however, there are a few more things to try:
1) Hold down the commandoption+pr keys while you turn the computer on. Continue holding them until the Mac restarts a second time. This will reset your NVRAM.
2) Reseat the RAM modules inside the MacBook. Poorly-seated RAM modules are one of the leading causes of kernel panics at startup. To do this, follow these instructions:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303721

Macbook won't boot after Airport update, stuck in single user mode

Wasn't sure what forum to put this in, so I'll start here. After re-imaging student machines from the server, for some reason the new Macbooks no longer recognize they have an airport card. On another machine I download the appropriate Airport software, copy to thumbdrive, and install on student laptop. After required reboot, the Macbook refuses to boot into OS X- I get the grey apple logo, spinning gear, then drops to what appears to be single user mode, with the exception that it seems to be "refreshing" itself constantly with messages appearing for brief moments (too fast to read). It cycles so fast that I can't type anything before it is gone again. If I purposely boot into single user mode, everything behaves as normal, if I mount as fire-wire drive, everything looks good. But I can't get into OS X. Before I brick more student machines, have any ideas?

Some added info, i CAN boot the bricked machine into Safe mode, but at reboot I get stuck in the same cycle again.
Oh, and in SafeBoot, the Macbook still tells me that no Airport card is installed, even though I know it does (and it's not knocked loose or anything).....

Stuck in single user mode and can not get past it

I am experiencing a problem I recently had lent me a Mac g4 tower. I decided to upgrade to tiger and accidentally set the start-up preference to the disc, every time I boot up it goes into single user mode, if I boot up holding the option key it brings up 3 icons on the right is an arrow in a circle formation which is refresh at a guess in the middle is the hard drive which is depressed kind of thing and on the right is a straight arrow. I have tried selecting each of these individually and even pressing enter all but the refresh icon goes back into single user mode. When the disc is in and I go to this it does not ring up the disc as an option.
I have zapped the PRAM reset the CUDA button and even telling it to reset the NRAM etc.
I have tried it with the disk in and out and all paths lead to the same outcome it starts up I hear the tone and the screen goes grey with an apple icon on then it goes to lack screen saying localhost:/root#.
I have also used the (fsck –fy) in single user mode to scan the disk and it says it appears to be ok. I have done all these steps multiple times but I am still getting the same outcome.
I have also tried pulling the logic battery and pressing the cuda switch and leaving it to stand and even pulling the RAM but this has not worked and I am still getting the same out come of been put straight in to single user mode.
I have tried starting up in safe mode but again this just goes to single user mode as well.
As yet I have not tried booting up using this machine as a slave drive or using another Mac as a slave drive and seeing what this out come does as I have not got access to another Mac at this time.
Unfortunately I do not have the original discs that came with the machine either so can not even boot from them.
Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated thank you.
Please read my post properly thanks.
I have tried several key commands such has D, C and even holding (option, command, shift and delete) when i do this it just brings up a folder with two changing flashing icons.

Ok checked them out and followed the instructions given, but still getting the same outcome, looked at the system log and it tells me.
localhost login: PAM pam_inithandlers:no default config /etc/pam.d/other
localhost login:PAM error reading PAM configuration file
localhost login:PAM pam_start:failed to initialize handlers
localhost shutdown: halt by andy
Any more ideas???

Stuck in Single User Mode

eMac started up in single user mode one day. I ran fsck and it said the volume is okay. I tried to reboot. I tried to exit. All I get is:
sh:/etc/profile:is a directory
sh-2.05b
Lots of needed files are trapped! What should I do next?

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

/var/run/name_service_door - zones stuck in single user mode

Hello,
I have two Sol10 boxes - e4500 & x86. Both have multiple zones configured which have been working for quite a while. I was enabling audit logging on these machines (perzone) which required a reboot.
After a reboot, the zones won't come out of the singleuser milestone. Trying to ping the global zone by name (nsswitch is files, dns), it hangs. A truss reveals:
open64("/var/run/name_service_door", O_RDONLY) = 3
fcntl(3, F_SETFD, 0x00000001) = 0
door_info(3, 0xFF16F7A8) = 0
door_call(3, 0xFFBFD790) (sleeping...)
and hangs forever.
I threw the latest patch cluster at both and it had no effect.
Each zone has a /etc/sysidcfg, /etc/.NFS4inst_state.domain, and proper nsswitch.conf/resolv.conf that had been working (rebooting) until I tried to enable auditing. This happened a while ago and a total uninstall/reinstall of the zones fixed the issue.
svcs reveals
offline 13:11:49 svc:/network/nfs/client:default
offline 13:11:49 svc:/system/filesystem/autofs:default
offline 13:11:49 svc:/system/system-log:default
offline 13:11:49 svc:/network/smtp:sendmail
offline 13:11:49 svc:/milestone/multi-user:default
offline 13:11:49 svc:/milestone/multi-user-server:default
offline 13:11:50 svc:/application/print/ipp-listener:default
offline 13:11:53 svc:/network/ssh:default
#svcadm milestone svc:/milestone/multi-user:default
Requesting System Maintenance Mode
(See /lib/svc/share/README for more information.)
Console login service(s) cannot run
Root password for system maintenance (control-d to bypass):
At this point I'm not sure how to debug this issue. Any ideas?
Thanks
Zetan

Hi, snikpmup.
Your panic log cites a page fault:
panic(cpu1 caller 0x001A3135): Unresolved kernel trap (CPU 1, Type 14=page fault)…
This is a common fault type, indicating the processor could not access either data memory or the next instruction to be executed. Potential causes include RAM problems, hard disk corruption, and programming errors.
The panic log you posted is incomplete, so there's not much else to say based on what you've posted. I do note some messages prior to the panic indicating M-Audio devices: you might want to check with those folks re: Mac Pro compatibility, any necessary updates, etc.
I suggest following the full set of troubleshooting steps cited in my "Resolving Kernel Panics" FAQ. The FAQ includes step-by-step instructions for identifying and resolving some of the most common causes of kernel panics. The FAQ is a roadmap: start at the beginning and work systematically through the end, i.e. the "If all else fails..." section.
Good luck!
Dr. Smoke
Author: Troubleshooting Mac® OS X
Note: The information provided in the link(s) above is freely available. However, because I own The X Lab™, a commercial Web site to which some of these links point, the Apple Discussions Terms of Use require I include the following disclosure statement with this post:
I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link.

HELP-Single User Mode

I am stuck in single user mode and need out badly. What command do I enter to boot to OSX interface? The prompt starts localhost:/ root#
Please help

With "exit"

G4 single user mode help

i am stuck in single user mode i tried to switch form os 9 to os x 10.3.4 and it rebooted into single user mode begining with this -sh-2.05b#
i tried everything to get it back to os 9 so i can install a newer version can anyone help?

Insert the CD you want to use, if possible. Type "reboot" and hold down the option key \[provided you have an AGP Graphics G4 or later] to have the ROM-based Startup Manager invoked:
HT1492- Mac OS X: How to start up in single-user or verbose mode
HT1310- Startup Manager: How to select a startup volume

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

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

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

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

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 =(

Booting in single user mode to trouble shoot grey screen the boot stops at "CODE SIGNING .... clearing CS_VALID" will not command c past - stuck

booting in single user mode to trouble shoot grey screen the boot stops at "CODE SIGNING .......... clearing CS_VALID" - cannot command C past - just stuck

Hi opjml0,
Welcome to the Apple Support Communities!
If your Macbook is starting up to the gray screen, I suggest the steps in the following article.
Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup
http://support.apple.com/kb/ts2570
I hope this helps,
-Joe

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 ).

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

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

I'd bet the drive is damaged. You could try reformatting if possible. Again, you are booting from the Recovery-10.8.2 disk if you can. If you can't, then you will need to use the installer disc that came with the computer.
Install or Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion from Scratch
Be sure you backup your files to an external drive or second internal drive because the following procedure will remove everything from the hard drive.
Boot to the Recovery HD:
Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
Erase the hard drive:
1. Select Disk Utility from the main menu and click on the Continue button.
2. After DU loads select your startup volume (usually Macintosh HD) from the
      left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
3. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Optionally, click on
        the Security button and set the Zero Data option to one-pass. Click on
      the Erase button and wait until the process has completed.
4. Quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Install button.
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible
            because it is three times faster than wireless.

Hi, i forgot my macbook pro(snow leopard) password and i tried to reset it through single user mode, but whenever i type, everything comes out in CAPs instead of lower case. Each time i press the minus(-), it always comes out as an underscore(_).Pls help.

Hi, i forgot my macbook pro(snow leopard) password and i tried to reset it through single user mode, but whenever i type, everything comes out in CAPs instead of lower case. Each time i press the minus(-), it always comes out as an underscore(_).Pls help.

Well, you can try easing the shift key up with something thin but flexible (credit card sort of thing) but if the contacts below are stuck you may need to get it seen to by an authorised repairer.
If you can borrow a keyboard (a PC one will probably work as long as the password is alpha-numeric with no special characters) you can at least get in to backup your HD before going for repair.

Stuck in single user mode OS 10.2.8

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