[bkb]

Hi,
I read somewhere that if you go into terminal and type:

>sudo shutdown now

It takes you to single user mode. However, when I type it, this is what I get:

>shutdown: -o requires -h or -r
>usage: shutdown [-] [-h | -p | -r | -k] [-o [-n]] time [warning-message ...]

I've tried sudo shutdown now -h which simply turns the computer off
I've tried sudo shutdown now -r which reboots

How do i get form the Terminal to Single User Mode?

Thanks,
BKB.

[gorickey]

You can enter “single-user mode” by holding down command-S at startup...

[bkb]

Originally posted by gorickey:
You can enter “single-user mode” by holding down command-S at startup...

Thanks. I am aware of this. I'm trying to figure out how to return to Single User Mode from Terminal?

[chris v]

Originally posted by bkb:
Thanks. I am aware of this. I'm trying to figure out how to return to Single User Mode from Terminal?

The updates in the underlying UNIX (don't ask me for version numbers--I'm a *NIX idiot) appear to have changed the possible behaviors of the shutdown command between OS X 10.2 and 10.3. The only think that will get you there from a terminal window is the -r tag, which reboots you. -k should work, but for some reason, the -k tag just kicks back that message again and again whenever I try it.

There may have been security concerns that caused the change of this behavior? Maybe you should ask in the UNIX forum if nobody more knowledgeable than me answers here.

CV

[bkb]

Originally posted by chris v:
The updates in the underlying UNIX (don't ask me for version numbers--I'm a *NIX idiot) appear to have changed the possible behaviors of the shutdown command between OS X 10.2 and 10.3. The only think that will get you there from a terminal window is the -r tag, which reboots you. -k should work, but for some reason, the -k tag just kicks back that message again and again whenever I try it.

There may have been security concerns that caused the change of this behavior? Maybe you should ask in the UNIX forum if nobody more knowledgeable than me answers here.

CV

Same here:
sudo shutdown -k now
Password:
shutdown: -o requires -h or -r
usage: shutdown [-] [-h | -p | -r | -k] [-o [-n]] time [warning-message ...]

Thanks Chris V. I'll ask in the UNIX forum.

[gorickey]

Have you tried logging in as ">console" at the Login Window?

[pat++]

sudo kill -TERM 1

will switch to single user mode in Panther.

[bkb]

Originally posted by pat++:
sudo kill -TERM 1

will switch to single user mode in Panther.

Hi Pat,
Is this command going to put my system in harm's way?

Thanks.

[bkb]

Originally posted by gorickey:
Have you tried logging in as ">console" at the Login Window?

Yes, I know this works also. I'm trying to get to Single User Mode once I've logged into my account.

Thanks.

[pat++]

Originally posted by bkb:
Hi Pat,
Is this command going to put my system in harm's way?

Thanks.

It shouldn't hurt... but like on Jaguar after shutdown now, you won't be able to go back to multi-user by typing exit... which might be why they disabled the shutdown now option to go to single user mode (not sure).

btw, some more info about the init man page :

Init will terminate multi-user operations and resume single-user mode if
sent a terminate (TERM) signal, for example, ``kill -s TERM 1''. If
there are processes outstanding that are deadlocked (because of hardware
or software failure), init will not wait for them all to die (which might
take forever), but will time out after 30 seconds and print a warning
message.

I hope this helps.

[bkb]

Originally posted by pat++:
It shouldn't hurt... but like on Jaguar after shutdown now, you won't be able to go back to multi-user by typing exit...

Hm...
That really defeats the purpose. I wanted to switch back and forth between single and multi user modes. Is there any other way that might do this?

Thanks.

[pat++]

Originally posted by bkb:
Hm...
That really defeats the purpose. I wanted to switch back and forth between single and multi user modes. Is there any other way that might do this?

Thanks.

I don't know of any other way to do it... you may want to try it on your Mac, it might work on yours... but from what's i've seen on my iBook, it's not going back to multi-user.

just curious... why do you need to go in single user mode?

[bkb]

Originally posted by pat++:
I don't know of any other way to do it... you may want to try it on your Mac, it might work on yours... but from what's i've seen on my iBook, it's not going back to multi-user.

just curious... why do you need to go in single user mode?

Pat,
Doubt it will work on mine if it didn't work on yours

I will look for another solution.

Thanks,
BKB.

[gorickey]

bkb:

Why are you trying so hard to get b/w the two of them? What are you trying to accomplish in single user mode anyway? Just wondering.

[bkb]

Highly confidential my friend...

[gorickey]

Originally posted by bkb:
Highly confidential my friend...

LOL!

Rrrriiiiggghhhtttt...

The answer I have for you in getting this done is "Highly confidential" as well then...

[bkb]

i'm just fooling around with it, nothing important. learning the UNIX ropes.

any non-confidential suggestions on learning UNIX?

[Moonray]

Originally posted by bkb:


i'm just fooling around with it, nothing important. learning the UNIX ropes.

any non-confidential suggestions on learning UNIX?

http://www.google.com/search?q="learning+unix"

-

[larkost]

Unless your system is having major problems there is no reason to go into single user mode. This is as true on MacOS X as it is on Solaris, Linux, *BSD, etc... The only reason I have ever had to go into single user mode on any of those OS's is to fseck the HD (or format it in one case where it got that bad).

Single user mode stops all of the normal services... that is the whole point. So going back and forth to it is essentially rebooting the computer, but with the possibility that you have messed up state on something.