[xylon]

So the other day one of the machines in my office died. It gets to the grey screen with the Apple logo and the spinning logo and no further. It'll sit there in that state until someone turns it off.

I gathered it was a problem with the OS so just decided to upgrade to 10.3. Problem is, I can't even get the computer to boot off the CD. Just gets to the grey screen and stops. I bounced around in single-user mode where my suspicion was confirmed. Apparently the Security Server isn't loading and the computer keeps trying to load it again and again until someone shuts it off.

Any ideas on what to do here? I'm no Unix guru, but I can type given commands like it's nobody's business.

Thanks.

[theolein]

I have no idea what that is. It could either be corrupt RAM or perhaps, and I'm really not sure here, the PRAM. The PRAM can be reset by holding cmd-opt-p-r at boot until the computer makes a second chime. Do that about three times and try it again. Since it boots into single user mode, it seems that the machine itself is ok, I think.

[Old Toad]

Originally posted by xylon:
I bounced around in single-user mode where my suspicion was confirmed.

Did you try running the File System Check (fsck) while in the single user mode?

How to Use fsck -y From the Command Line

Once you have reached a command line, follow these steps to use fsck:
1. At the prompt, type: /sbin/fsck -y -f (NOTE, there is a space between the k and the - and the y and the next -)
2. Press Return.

The fsck utility will go through five "phases" and then return information about the disk's utilization and fragmentation. Once the check is finished, if no issue is found, you should see "** The volume <name of volume> appears to be OK."

If fsck alters, repairs, or fixes anything, it will display the message:

***** FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED *****

IMPORTANT: If this message appears, repeat the " /sbin/fsck -y -f" command until this message no longer appears. It is not unusual for your computer to require several "passes" of fsck, because first-pass repairs may uncover additional errors.

3. When fsck reports that no problems were found, type: reboot
4. Press Return.

If I'm preaching to the choir, just forgive an ancient amphibian.

Also, DiskWarrior is a very good investment for repairing and maintaining your directories, etc.

Hope this has been of some help. Good luck.

[xylon]

Thanks for the replies guys.

1. I did reset the PRAM, about 4 or 5 times. No go.

2. I also ran fsck, disk comes up with no problems.

I've run through pretty much all the standard troubleshooting moves (except for fixing permissions because I don't know how to do that in Unix).

I'm pretty sure the problem is in the /etc/rc and /etc/rc.boot directories (after I pico'd the file that apparently is having trouble) which I gather are pretty significant directories (although I have no knowledge of OSX underpinnings).

I was also unable to mount the drive (using mount -uw).

I need to find some way to reinstall the OS since I can't the computer to boot at all, from either the drive or the CD. Any ideas?

[mrgaskell]

I have an iMac at my school with the same problem. I also have a Walstreet PB that is not allowing to mouse to be used and has problem with kernel panics. It's hard to promote Apples and OS X when this stuff happens.

jg

[iNeusch]

DiskWarrior ?
It could detect what is wrong...

Mount the mac in target mode (press T at boot) and plug it in another mac
You will get the data back and get a chance to fix it

[theolein]

Originally posted by xylon:
Thanks for the replies guys.

1. I did reset the PRAM, about 4 or 5 times. No go.

2. I also ran fsck, disk comes up with no problems.

I've run through pretty much all the standard troubleshooting moves (except for fixing permissions because I don't know how to do that in Unix).

I'm pretty sure the problem is in the /etc/rc and /etc/rc.boot directories (after I pico'd the file that apparently is having trouble) which I gather are pretty significant directories (although I have no knowledge of OSX underpinnings).

I was also unable to mount the drive (using mount -uw).

I need to find some way to reinstall the OS since I can't the computer to boot at all, from either the drive or the CD. Any ideas?

Since one can normally boot from CD with the C key (I have some vague idea that this doesn't work with Panther anymore or something like that) I assumme that perhaps more is broken than just the OS. It could perhaps be the RAM, or the OpenFirmware.

If you have more than one RAM stick you could perhaps try booting with just one and alernate them, and you can boot directly into OpenFirmware.

To boot into OF, press cmd-opt-o-f on boot and you will land up, if all's well, in the grey commandline OF environment. If you then enter "printenv" and press "enter", you'll see a list of all environment variables. You can boot from CD there by using the CD device (it'll be something ATA, but not the line where the boot device is). Let's assume the CD device is called "ext-ata" (I don't know what it is offhand). You would then enter: "ext-ata:1,\\:tbxi" (1 is the partition, and \\:tbxi is the bootloader). Perhaps that will work, I'm not sure.

The fact that you can't mount the disk might be indicative of a disk problem, but the fact you can't boot from CD either is puzzling.

[philzilla]

Originally posted by theolein:
Since one can normally boot from CD with the C key (I have some vague idea that this doesn't work with Panther anymore or something like that)

nope, you can totally still do that.