MAC help needed

[Fats25]

Having worked in IT for the last 13 years I am pretty adept with WINtel technologies. However a couple of years ago I made the unwise decision to buy a MAC as my home laptop. After 2 failed hard drives, one failed battery and another hardware problem that I cannot remember - it has decided to have a software issue now.

My knowledge in Unix/MAC OS is about as competent as a pc expert in PC World!

So any advice is most welcome.

I left the MAC installing a few updates yesterday morning and when I got home it needed to be restarted to finalise the installs. Now it will not boot up properly.

What happens is that it will get to the user accounts interface, and then immediately drop to a Unix login script before I can click on the user profile. I can login using my admin account on the machine at the Unix prompt, but then have no idea of what command to "force" MAC OS to load!

I will dig out the receovery OS cd tonight and go through the procedures if I don't get any feedback - but if anyone has any idea then let me know!

Thanks

[PJ S]

It's Mac for a start - MAC is an acronym relating to physical network address as opposed to assigned IP address.
Now, knowing which updates you installed, and which flavour of OS X you're using would be a useful start - 10.4 or 10.5
The easiest quick method of getting back to where you were, is use the installation discs and choose the option to Archive & install.
You'll need to maybe reinstall a couple of your 3rd party Apps/Utilities - but you'll be know if that's the case or not once you launch them.
Once you're happy the system is fine, you can delete the old System folder that'll be there now.
The alternative if you had TechTools Pro 4, would be to boot with the eDrive and simply download and install the combo 10.4.11 package.
That would undo the issue.

But, regarding the admin User, you say you can log in - all the way or just putting in your password?
If you can go the whole way, then try changing the normal User account to auto login.
Of course, if you can log in the whole way, then it's a User account issue, and none of the above are needed.

[Fats25]

Fair point re MAC vs Mac - same same - but different.

I have techtools - so will take a look down this route. When I say I can log in - I mean it accepts my credentials at the Unix login prompt. However this still sits in a unix environment, and I have no idea how to get out of the "shell" and into the full blown OS.

[kiwisr]

Just re-install OS-X.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301...

Or try typing 'exit' at the command prompt to see if it continues.

Edited by kiwisr on Wednesday 19th December 16:28

[Fats25]

kiwisr said:

Just re-install OS-X.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301...

Or try typing 'exit' at the command prompt to see if it continues.

Edited by kiwisr on Wednesday 19th December 16:28

Tried exit - it just loops back to the Unix login screen. Will go down the re-install route - but as usual being an IT person - I have no backups!

Will use the boot utility with external drive, copy the data and then re-install. Does not seem like there is any alternative.

[kiwisr]

You can re-install OS X without destroying any data or app settings, probably wise to backup if important though

[Bodo]

kiwisr said:

Just re-install OS-X.

Now we're entering the MS Win fixing approach

[Fats25]

Bodo said:

kiwisr said:

Just re-install OS-X.

Now we're entering the MS Win fixing approach

Perhaps - but it worked!

A quick install later (Techtool did not fix the issue - however it did repair broken volume) and everything now seems ok. Was impressed with the Mac install keeping all profile information.

Just downloading 10.4.11 update - and hope it does not screw up again.

[PJ S]

Bodo said:

kiwisr said:

Just re-install OS-X.

Now we're entering the MS Win fixing approach

Ah, but no....
You see, unlike Billy boy's approach, Steve's has been one where if only a System component is the culprit, simply resinstall the System components and have another crack.
Such is the beauty of Archive and Install option, rather than throw down a complete OS any old place a la Windys sytlee, it writes the System folder to free space on the drive, and you can pull some components out of the old into the new, to save redownloading and resinstalling, should you be lazy.

Fats - seeing as you have TTP4, get busy with making a new updated eDrive, but also (if space allows) make a bootable clone of the OS - versiontracker.com or macupdate.com have Utils which will do this for you. Might be also worth using the Safety features of TTP4 - Protection and Diagnostics, more the former though.
I presume you're downloading the combo from Apple directly rather than the incremental 4.11 via SW Update?

Edited by PJ S on Thursday 20th December 00:20