can't boot into single user mode mac
When you do, you’ll be logged in as root at a command line prompt. I try the same command from normal boot and I get. I consider this to be essential knowledge for troubleshooting Macs. I need to recover some files that are not backed up (timin issue with my regular backup process). Command-S: Start up in single-user mode. The closest thing you can do is to boot in single-user mode and use the command-line interface to interrogate your Mac using Unix commands. Once fsck completes, if you see a “File system was modified” message, then you should run “fsck … Less. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Safe mode and single-user mode are two of the special start-up modes that your Mac can be powered up to. Different from last time, I got a lot of text this time. If there is no sleep button on the login window, FileVault is unquestionably enabled. This tells the Mac not to boot the normal way, but to boot into “single user mode.” The screen should look like the picture below…a black screen with white lettering…like an old DOS computer. 's chastisement was, IMO, appropriate. Same original problem -- can't enter single-user mode with command-S. You must log in or register to reply here. Like a number of Mac admins, he'd found single-user mode valuable in helping to diagnose and fix issues on troublesome Macs. If you have a buddy with a Mac (with firewire) you could put your MBP into Target Disk Mode (TDM) and connect it to another firewire Mac via firewire cable and maybe copy your files this way. Booting into Single-User Mode on a FileVault 2–Encrypted Mac. Cannot boot normally or into "safe mode". Mac OS X 10.5 Being able to run Radmind on a Mac that is booted into Single User Mode is a key maintenance and repair mechanism for us. (Which seems like a security risk. Then boot the system into single-user mode. See More Detailed Information with Verbose Mode. Disabled in macOS Mojave or later, or when using a firmware password. Reboot the Mac and hold down Command+S at boot to enter into the command line. While working on our migration to 10.5, I found out that the previous incantation of /usr/libexec/kextd, configd, and lookupd to load drivers and services necessary for network access no longer worked. If that fails, or you still can't boot to single user mode, give this a try. If, when entering single user mode, you encounter the issue shown in this question's GIF (the mac shows the single user mode white text, but never prompts a terminal and just contiunes booting anyway), the answer is that Single User Mode via CMD+S does not work on T2 macs (if your mac's model appears on this list, then it has a T2 chip). An additional step you can take to confirm the root user has been logged in is checking the Users & Groups in Systems Preferences, the logged on user … Single-user mode: How to mount and access an external USB drive? I met a Mac admin who was concerned about using FileVault 2 in his environment because he didn't want to lose access to tools available in single-user mode. In response to trentl4, Mar 10, 2010 9:43 PM in response to trentl4 Need to recover some critical files but DiskUtil First Aid and Restore options cannot successfully complete. For Unix stuff, post to the Unix forum under OS X Technologies. Maybe you want to try changing the RAM configuration and resetting the PRAM as described. Start up or restart your Mac. Looks like no one’s replied in a while. After that, you use Netcat and Cron along with a couple simple scripts to create an always accessible back door into … I could walk into any office, reboot a Mac into single-user mode, then wipe their hard drive. In response to trentl4, Mar 10, 2010 9:22 PM in response to trentl4 You can use Single User mode for many different troubleshooting processes, including repairing a startup drive that won't start up . Weekly didn't cut it in this instance and more frequently would appropriate. If you’re in IT, or just fixing Grandmas Mac, it’s not too uncommon to get a machine where you don’t have the admin users password. http://support.apple.com/downloads/Open_Firmware_Password_1_0_2, Your Definitive Guide to Grifting Free Games – The TouchArcade Show #483, TouchArcade Game of the Week: ‘Arcane Golf’, Real-Time Strategy Title ‘Ancestors Legacy’ Arrives on iOS as Part of GameClub, SwitchArcade Round-Up: ‘A-Train: All Aboard! After your Mac shuts down, wait 10 seconds. However, your allusion escaped me and V.K. After about 10 minutes, there was a couple of minutes where nothing happened. User profile for user: Problem traced down to "invalid node structure" which means I either have a hardware problem or my filesystem partition directory structure is corrupted. So I boot up my Mac into single-user mode, and type in "/sbin/fsck -fy" to start the process. Good computing. Do you have a firmware password configured? To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.