[delbert]

Hello:

First some background. I'm more of a Unix/Linux person, and not at all familiar with MacOS X.

I have a friend/business associate, whom has recently purchased a beige G3 pizza box desktop unit, with MacOS 10.2.8 preinstalled. In the process of applying a security update, I borked the install by quitting too early (I dislike when the screen goes dark, 'cause one can't tell if the install is finished or not, but I'm digressing) by restarting the box prematurely, conseqently it wouldn't boot up. Since I don't have a MacOS 10.2 cd, I installed MacOS 10.1, which I had onhand.

So, now after installing MacOS 10.1 (a clean install on the bootup drive, [there are two hard drives]), I haven't been able to install any software to the bootup drive, only the second hard drive. I'm thinking this is a permission problem, but for some reason, we can't repair the permissons, 'cause we can't install the utility to repair them! Catch 22.

Did this happen, because I didn't reformat the drive in question, before installing MacOS 10.1 (even with the 'clean install')? I'm thinking there probably is some artifacts from the previous MacOS 10.2 install -- I used a different user name for the 10.1 install.

We've tried applying the security updates, and we're installing using the 'admin' user, but no dice.

Any suggestions? Should I just reinstall 10.1? I know that's not the "Unix" way, but then this is no ordinary Unix.

[pat++]

You mean you get an error when you launch disk utility?

I would try to boot in single user mode (hold command-S during boot) and then do it the unix way if you are familiar with it :

fsck -y /

(and repeat until no more errors are reported)
You should definitely be able to launch Disk Utility (in /Applications/Utilities) and repair permissions...

If it still does not work, you can still try to reformat the disk and install OS X again...

[chris v]

I'm suprised that you got 10.1 to install over 10.2 in the first place. Since you've got two drives, it would be easy enough to copy the important files from the boot drive, and just re-format from the installer disk.

The next time the screen goes to sleep, just give the space bar a gentle tap, and wake it back up.

CV

[delbert]

Originally posted by chris v:
I'm suprised that you got 10.1 to install over 10.2 in the first place. Since you've got two drives, it would be easy enough to copy the important files from the boot drive, and just re-format from the installer disk.

The next time the screen goes to sleep, just give the space bar a gentle tap, and wake it back up.

CV

Well, of course, the spacebar, or any mouse movement didn't clear the screen. It happens numerous times, previously I was in front of the monitor when installing, so just waited it out. In this install, we did it unattended (after starting it), so when we came back, we had no idea how long it had been that way. I don't know if this particular issue occurs only with legacy Macs or not...

I didn't install *over* 10.2, I did a clean install. What I was getting at, was should I have reformatted the drive first, and are my problems the result of NOT doing so? FWIU with MacOS, a clean install is not necessarily the same as reformating the target disk. Correct?

[delbert]

Originally posted by pat++:
You mean you get an error when you launch disk utility?

I would try to boot in single user mode (hold command-S during boot) and then do it the unix way if you are familiar with it :

fsck -y /

(and repeat until no more errors are reported)
You should definitely be able to launch Disk Utility (in /Applications/Utilities) and repair permissions...

If it still does not work, you can still try to reformat the disk and install OS X again...

Thanks for responding. For some reason, I didn't receive notice of this reply via e-mail, as I did the one below.

Ah single user mode -- I'll try that. Didn't know how to get there with MacOS. Thank-you.

Is the option to repair permissions available in the vanilla 10.1? I'm attempting to troubleshoot this with the user, remotely. The user isn't very experienced, and he claims that there is no repair permissions facility in his Disk Utility. I did some research, and it appeared that one has to download the repair permissions separately for 10.1. Of course if so, it's a catch 22, as he can't install anything presently.

[chris v]

The "repair permissions" in the Disk Utility was indeed a 10.2 add-on. I presume you don't have a 10.2 install disk? You might be able to order one at a fair discount, since it's out of date. Maybe Mega Macs or someone like that will have a 10.2 retail box. You'd be better off with 10.2 anyway, if you can swing it, somehow.

CV

[chris v]

Originally posted by delbert:
Well, of course, the spacebar, or any mouse movement didn't clear the screen. It happens numerous times, previously I was in front of the monitor when installing, so just waited it out. In this install, we did it unattended (after starting it), so when we came back, we had no idea how long it had been that way. I don't know if this particular issue occurs only with legacy Macs or not...

I didn't install *over* 10.2, I did a clean install. What I was getting at, was should I have reformatted the drive first, and are my problems the result of NOT doing so? FWIU with MacOS, a clean install is not necessarily the same as reformating the target disk. Correct?

Sorry, I really wasn't trying to be an ass. (it doesn't take me much effort sometimes...) Don't know why it wouldn't wake back up. I've never run an install on a machine that old, so I'm ignorant of any issues with them in particular.

I suppose the only advantage to doing a reformat prior to a clean install, would be that you'd have a tidy directory, in case the old one was screwed up, somehow, which could be part of the problem. Do you know anyone with a Disk Warrior CD? It'll fix things that fsck won't.

CV

[delbert]

Originally posted by chris v:
Sorry, I really wasn't trying to be an ass. (it doesn't take me much effort sometimes...) Don't know why it wouldn't wake back up. I've never run an install on a machine that old, so I'm ignorant of any issues with them in particular.

I suppose the only advantage to doing a reformat prior to a clean install, would be that you'd have a tidy directory, in case the old one was screwed up, somehow, which could be part of the problem. Do you know anyone with a Disk Warrior CD? It'll fix things that fsck won't.

CV

Hey, you weren't being an a**. Perhaps I was in the reply -- just trying to clear up some loose ends. Nprb.

Unfortunately, my last exposure to MacOS was in earlier days (my first computer was a Macintosh back in the mid 80s -- so No, I don't know many people with such MacOS software, currently.

Oh well, perhaps I need to revisit the user, and reinstall the OS. This time, I'll zero the destination drive first.

Thanks for all responses. Much more concise help here, than over on the MacOS X Hints forum... )

[mitchell_pgh]

Yah, we know we rock