Help stuck on start up I think its a Permissions problem, not sure though?

sedohre

Hi everyone, I believe my "Permissions" are the problem.

I let someone change permission settings to share music files wirelessly from their hard drive and mine and another mac (3 in total) yesterday. I seemed to work. I got thier files, and they mine. I can't remember if I then shut down my macbook or just closed it. Anyway last night I was trying to organise the music files and save them to dvd. I also changed the permissions as some of the files were read only. I thought it worked. It seemed to be burning and the screen saver came up, I clicked to exit screen saver and it just went to black for a moment and back to screen saver and i couldn't go any further. I had to hold down the power button to turn it off.

I tried to turn it on and now it's stuck on start up gray screen with the loading wheel thing? just loading forever.

I used disk utility, "verified volume" and "repair disk" are ok, but "verify permissions" and "repair permissions", I get an Error message "the underlying task reported failure on exit"

After reading some posts on Apple Support forums I opened terminal and typed in what a poster said that repaired or reset his permissions,"chmod 775 /Volumes/'Macintosh HD'" and pressed return, Not sure if I should have pressed return or if I should have just closed the window?. Anyway I'm still stuck.

I don't want to try a reinstall as I want to save the music files that I just got yesterday.

I only have the mac since march so I believe I still have phone support, but if anyone can help I'd like to try and sort this out myself and therefore learn more.

Thanks

muggyog

I'm assuming you are running Disk Utility and Terminal from the boot CD?

Before going into Terminal repairs I think you should try starting in Single User mode ( hold apple+S keys on power up till you see text ). Type sbin/fsck -f at the command prompt (root#). The Mac will run off and check your drive (may take a while). When you see root# again, type logout and see if you get a login window.

nialler

if all that fails, disk warrior may be your saviour. I doubt you'll even get to the command line if it's stuck on teh grey screen.

sedohre

Thanks for the replies.

I'm just runing that sbin/fsck -f

It went through all the checking and said
" ** The volume Macintosh HD appears to be OK.

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

At the root I typed logout

the reply is

"jettisoning kernel linker
resetting IOCatalogue
GFXO: family specific matching fails
display family specific matching fails
matching service count =3
matching service count =3
matching service count =3
matching service count =3
May 12 locaolhost directory service [23] : WARNING -dstouch: file was asked to be opened"

"may 12 10:55:34 seds-macbook com.apple.launched[1] (com.apple.mDNSResponder [451]) posix_spawnp("/usr/sbin/mDNSResponder", ...): No such file or directory"

This line is just repeating itself except the number in [**] keep changing, I presume its refering to different files.

It hasn't stopped yet, going for at least 5 mins now.

HELP

I can't let this run forever, how do I get out of this?

whiterebel

sedohre wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

I'm just runing that sbin/fsck -f

It went through all the checking and said
" ** The volume Macintosh HD appears to be OK.

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

At the root I typed logout

the reply is

"jettisoning kernel linker
resetting IOCatalogue
GFXO: family specific matching fails
display family specific matching fails
matching service count =3
matching service count =3
matching service count =3
matching service count =3
May 12 locaolhost directory service [23] : WARNING -dstouch: file was asked to be opened"

"may 12 10:55:34 seds-macbook com.apple.launched[1] (com.apple.mDNSResponder [451]) posix_spawnp("/usr/sbin/mDNSResponder", ...): No such file or directory"

This line is just repeating itself except the number in [**] keep changing, I presume its refering to different files.

It hasn't stopped yet, going for at least 5 mins now.

HELP

I can't let this run forever, how do I get out of this?

fsck CAN run for ages. The usual is to keep running it until it is clear and no errors reported. I think it finds one problem, fixes it and finishes. Therefore you have to keep running it to clear each problem as it finds them. Look at the bottom of the disk utility window - Does it verify SMART status?

nialler

try ctrl-c, then type reboot, it's kinda looking like an archive and install is your only option, if you have another mac handy you could throw on a software update and see if that solves your problem, hook your laptop to your other mac via firewire turn laptop on holding the T button you'll see firewire symbol it'll mount on the other mac's desktop and apply the software update to it (downloaded from apple of course).

When you say your friend adjusted ownership, what did he adjust ownership of, was it the Hard Drive or your Home Directory? And you also know that iTunes has sharing?

If your not sharing music and *copying each others* there's a personal filesharing tab under preferences/sharing that you can enable to allow people access to your home directory (remember to change password after).

sedohre

fsck CAN run for ages. The usual is to keep running it until it is clear and no errors reported. I think it finds one problem, fixes it and finishes. Therefore you have to keep running it to clear each problem as it finds them. Look at the bottom of the disk utility window - Does it verify SMART status?

When it say's "No such file or directory" I that not an error?

And I just have a black screen with the line I mentioned just repeating itself, I followed what muggyog posted, so I am in single user mode, I see no reference to disk utility window, or verify smart??

whiterebel

sedohre wrote: »

When it say's "No such file or directory" I that not an error?

And I just have a black screen with the line I mentioned just repeating itself, I followed what muggyog posted, so I am in single user mode, I see no reference to disk utility window, or verify smart??

Sorry, I put all that badly.

FSCK identitifes the error, and then goes and fixes it.

When booted up from the DVD, and in Disk utility, when you highlight the Volume on the left, at the bottom of the window it says SMART status - This SHOULD show verified.

However, I'd go with the archive & install that has been mentioned - it sounds like the permissions have been buggered up for the home folder which is why it won't let you in.

sedohre

Hi nailler, cntrl+c did nothing, it's still repeating those lines - "No such file....."

My friend, well work aquaintence, changed the permissions , not ownership, to read and write on my hard drive and his I believe, and removed the "everyone", so it just had my name his name and maybe admin and system who had rights, I'm not sure. He removed the "everyone" because we did it wirelessly over a network, and he said anyone could have had access while we were sharing, as there were two other macs there.

He did go into sharing and allowed files to be shared by ticking the box.

I work on contracts basis so I won't see these people for maybe another year.

I still would like to get out of the repeating screen, any help

sedohre

Thanks Whiterebel, I first need to get out of this scrolling message screen. To get to the Disk utility. Secondly I'm not sure how to archive and install, is that on the install disk? and third could I do this to an external hard drive instead of another mac, as the only other friend how has a mac will be afraid I'd feck up his mac, and I wouldn't blame him as I haven't got much of a clue



I need to go out for a few hours so if I don't respond now , I will later, please check back thanks

whiterebel

If it was me, I'd hold down the power button until it powers off. Then start it again off the install disk. When you go through the installation disk you will see an options button(I think its options) and it will go the choice to archive and install. Bit of a pin moving all your old stuff across to your new user account, but less painful than what you have at the moment, I'd say.

muggyog

It appears that your use of the Terminal was TOO successful in modifying the permissions.

One thing to do before a archive install. Try Single User mode again but this time type 'chmod 775 /' at the command prompt. Then type logout and see does that make any difference.

nialler

There's a myriad of special permissions on the Hard Drive which in reality shouldn't be touched though we're always wise in hindsight. I honestly think at this stage the archive and install option is the only way to go. It will take an hour or two but worth it to recover all your files and applications. One thing though MAKE A BACKUP before proceeding on anything.

sedohre

Do I access "archive and install" and "backup" through the install disk? Can I "archive and install" and "backup" to an external hard drive? or does it mean to another area on the internal hard drive?


Out for a bit, Back again soon thanks

muggyog

Try my option first, you cant lose anything.

"No such file or directory" I believe means that you don't have permissions to read mDNSResponder.

sedohre

Today 12:50
muggyog It appears that your use of the Terminal was TOO successful in modifying the permissions.

One thing to do before a archive install. Try Single User mode again but this time type 'chmod 775 /' at the command prompt. Then type logout and see does that make any difference.

I tpyed that in and I got a response

chmod: /: Read-only file system
root#

muggyog

Sorry about that , forgot a step:o

In Single user mode type sbin/mount -uv (to make drive read/write).
Then chmod 775 / and finally logout

nialler

oops.

sedohre

Hi Muggyog,

I typed

sbin/mount-uv

and the reply

-sh: sbin/mount-uv: No such file or directory
root#

Any other suggestions?


PS not one person has replied to my request for help on the applesupport site http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1517597&tstart=45 even though 56 or so people have viewed it...


I going out for a drink, I'll check back again tomorrow, please keep sending your advices and suggestions thanks

muggyog

Computers are SO literal, I once wiped a drive with a script that was missing a SPACE. Youve done the same, you have to type the commands EXACTLY as given.

So its sbin/mountspace-uv.

The error is because system does not know where mount-uv is.


We'll get there eventually;)

sedohre

Hi Muggyog,

i did that and got this reply

root_device on / (hfs, local, read-only, journaled)
devfs on /dev (devfs, local)
fdesc on /dev (fdesc, union)
root#

A person I was talking to today suggested that I boot using the install disc, and I may be able to change permissions that way. I don't know what way the permissions should read anyway. But does that sound like an idea?

muggyog

I should listen to my own advice! I have been giving you commands from memory (not a good idea at my age) and have misled you. I have tested the following on my Mac so it SHOULD work.

Go into single user mode.
Type sbin/mount -a (Dont forget the space!)
Type sbin/mount -uw (Dont forget the space!)
Type chmod 775 / (Dont forget the spaces!
Type halt

Then restart your Mac.

If you get no joy from this ( you should ) boot from install CD/DVD and look in the pull down menu at top of screen. Disk Utility should an option, run it, select the boot drive in the left hand pane and select 'Repair Disk Permissions' which is at the bottom.

I thought you did this already but on rereading the thread realise you only did it from the bootup drive.

sedohre

thanks Muggyog, I'm in!!

Now Can you tell me What permissions should I have, it says

My HD, it says


Sed (me) : read and write
system : read and write
admin : read and write
everyone : read only


my home folder, it says


Sed (me) : read and write
staff : read only
everyone : read only

My desktop says


admin :read and write
Sed (me) : read and write
everyone : read only


Under the system preferences>sharing, File sharing is on.
In the list of shared folders, one is called "sed's Public Folder" and the users listed are

Sed (me) : read and write
Users : read only
Everyone : read only


So is there anything else I need to do to get everything back in order, any other folders, system preferences to change?

Other shared folders listed are 2 external hard drives, it's listed as 2 drives as it is partitioned (and formatted to ntfs) it has a third partition but that hasn't been formatted yet to FAt32? or what ever mac's use. however they are grayed out. I plugged the drive into my mac and I can move files to my mac but not back again to the external drive and when I "get info" on the external drive, at the bottom of the info under sharing and permissions it says "read only" And I can't change that.

To try and make this clearer Under system preferences>sharing The external drive is listed, the users listed are

Administrartors : read only
Sed (me) : read only
System administrator : Read and Write
System Group : read only
Everyone : Read only



Can I log on as system Administrator? And should system administrator be in any of the above list of users for HD Desktop, Home folder etc


I want to back up the music so I won't loose it again

Many thanks muggyog

muggyog

First suggestion: STOP CHANGING PERMISSIONS ON FILES UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING.

Second suggestion: From the Disk Utility application run 'Repair Disk Permissions' on the the bootup drive. This means that the correct permissions are on the operating system.

File permissions are a minefield especially when you are using two different file format structures (NTFS/FAT=PC. HFS=MAC). Surely you can share music without changing file permissions?

I believe you are already logged on as the system admin ( is SED account first one created on Mac? )

sedohre

Hi muggyog,

I ran the "repair permissions" and it corrected them.
Sed is my account, the only account I created.

I don't know why there was a need to change permissions in order to share the files? My colleague did it.

Anyway all is well it seems

Thanks

Sed

whiterebel

Well done Muggy, nice to see a successful conclusion documented.
Sedohre, I'd back up my music to an external HD now, much handier if you need to share again. Glad to see it worked out.

findur

I had the same problem Sed suffered. Yesterday afternoon my iMac just kept displaying the apple logo and the spinning wheel. I thought it was because a recently installed photoshop plugin since that was the last system modification I did or at least I remembered I did...

By pressing command+S I noticed the system couldn't find mDNSresponder file and that led me toy your post. Of course your solution was much better than others like archive and install or erase and install.

Since I'm really new to MacOS when found that my hard drive had permissions to "everyone" didn't hesitate deleting it... MY MISTAKE

So muggyog I wanted to thank you, and why not sedohre too, such valuable information.

ZENER

Well done lads !! Great result and an excellent illustration of the knowledge that abounds here and an example of true altruism for all !!

ZEN

Nonmonotonic

Good to see the value of the search engine.

muggyog

Your welcome

Will have to include 'gold star' icon in icons list