Ticket Options

Question Details

TICKET ARCHIVE -> Archive And Install In Osx 10.3.9

Joules - Jul 6, 2005 - 2:38 am

G'morning,
Can you tell me about 'Archive and Install' If it is an option, why the need to go through all the time consuming repair processes?
Please advise,
JP.

skapp - Jul 6, 2005 - 3:18 am

Because the time comsuming repair process may take a lot less time and trouble than doing an Archive and Install. Furthermore, if the only installation CDs you have are Upgrade CDs, then you cannot do an Archive and Install. Lastly, unless your hard drive is properly repaired and OK, you cannot do an Archive and Install.

Joules - Jul 6, 2005 - 9:13 am

Thanks S.K.for your response and understood. My problem is not unusual in that my OSX reaches 'windows login starting' and the colour progress bar just keeps going to nothing and the system won't open up. I have used disk utility and Disk Warrior via OSX installer disk 1 and nothing appears to have changed, so perhaps archive and install is my last option. Is it a dangerous move?
JP.

skapp - Jul 6, 2005 - 2:27 pm

Archive and Install may be an option, but the problem you are having may be fixable. If you are willing here are some things you can do to try and fix the problem:

You will need to type some Unix commands. If you are not comfortable with this, I don't know of anything other than a re-install. But if you are careful, you should be OK. I recommend you print this out in a largish mono-spaced font so you don't miss any spaces (or add extra ones). Note that case is important.

Be careful. Some of these commands are dangerous, since you are going to be root.

Start up in Single-User mode by holding down the command (Apple) key and the 's' key while you press the power switch. You can let go the keys when you see white text on a black background. When this has finished you will see a prompt ending in '#', although there may be other messages. Type


/sbin/fsck -fy

followed by a return, at the prompt and wait a few seconds for 8-10 lines of output. If the last line says repairs were carried out, repeat this command until you get a message 'The volume appears to be OK'. Then continue with


/sbin/mount -uw /
cd /Library/Preferences
rm com.apple.loginwindow.plist
rm com.apple.windowserver.plist
cd /Library/Caches
rm -r *
cd /System/Library
rm Extensions.kextcache
cd /System/Library/Caches
rm -r *
cd /Users/yourshortname/Library/Preferences
rm com.apple.loginwindow.plist
reboot

This should now take you to a proper login screen after the normal boot sequence. You should then Repair Permissions by using Disk Utility (in your /Applications/Utilities folder).

If you get error messages saying files do not exist, note them carefully and just type reboot. Post back to say how far you got and what messages were output.

If the above doesn't resolve your problem, then it's time to resort to an Archive and Install. Before doing an Archive and Install boot from your Installer CD/DVD. After the installer loads select Disk Utility from the Installer menu (Utilities menu if you are using Tiger.) After DU loads select your startup volume from the left side list, click on the First Aid tab in the DU main window, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports errors it has fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need to reformat the hard drive and start from scratch. Do not attempt to do an Archive and Install unless the drive is OK.

Please read the Archive and Install document carefully so you will know what you will be doing and what to expect.

Joules - Jul 7, 2005 - 12:35 pm

OK thanks and have now reached the line reading 'Your volume appears to be OK. You then list some further text that I should type in. This further text is made up of several lines of text,should I press return after each line or just carry on typing as if it is just one line?

skapp - Jul 7, 2005 - 2:23 pm

John,

The important thing about running fsck is what it returns. If it says it found an error and repaired it, then re-run fsck -fy and keep doing that until it says the no errors were found and the drive is OK.

As for the following lines to which I think you are referring:

/sbin/mount -uw /
cd /Library/Preferences
rm com.apple.loginwindow.plist
rm com.apple.windowserver.plist
cd /Library/Caches
rm -r *
cd /System/Library
rm Extensions.kextcache
cd /System/Library/Caches
rm -r *
cd /Users/yourshortname/Library/Preferences
rm com.apple.loginwindow.plist
reboot

Yes, press return at the end of each line and wait for the return of the prompt. Note that in the first line, /sbin/mount -uw / that there is a space after the -uw and before the /.

Joules - Jul 7, 2005 - 4:03 pm

Terrific, as I thought. But it's a tight task and I have made a small/big bloomer. After typing rm Extensions.kextcache I made an error with rm -r* and not rm -r * so upcomes rm: illegall option -- * plus a few other letters.
I can't use the back key to retype.
S.O.S
JP.

skapp - Jul 7, 2005 - 4:29 pm

Just re-enter properly, but do be careful that you are in the correct directory as rm -r * can delete an entire hard drive if you aren't in the desired directory.

Joules - Jul 7, 2005 - 6:39 pm

Sorry SK but I am not adept enough to decipher whether I am in the correct directory or not. I can only write what I see on the screen before me and that is as follows after my rm -r* mistake.

rm: illegal option -- *
usage: rm (-f 1 -i) (-dPRrvW) file ...
unlink file
-sh-2.05b?

The 4 brackets should be square, the letter after f in the brackets could be a straight vertical line and the question mark should be a HASH. My iBook keyboard doesn't have these keys.
Just off to bed but hope to hear from you am.
Thanks.

skapp - Jul 7, 2005 - 6:46 pm

Just look at the prompt which should tell you. If not, don't worry about it, just be sure to carefully enter each line and check it before pressing return.

It's not as bad as you think. ;-)

Joules - Jul 8, 2005 - 5:40 am

OK so far but have to report that after entering:
cd/Users/yourshortname/Library/Preferences
I get "No such file or directory"

skapp - Jul 8, 2005 - 7:45 am

Observe the spaces in the lines, John. It's

cd /Users/yourshortname/Library/Preferences

Note the space between cd and the path. Also "yourshortname" is where you need to substitute the shortname you use for your account.

Joules - Jul 8, 2005 - 8:43 am

"Space" noted.
It is not accepting my account short name. Interesting?

Joules - Jul 10, 2005 - 5:04 pm

Hi Steven, I've just realised that I my shortname is probably not listed as I acquired my G4 secondhand from ebay!!!!! I put the OSX on and upgraded but can't remember the original users name.

skapp - Jul 10, 2005 - 6:42 pm

Just look at the Accounts listing of users or open the Users folder and see what the foldername is for you account. That's the username. Can't help you with the password, though.

Joules - Jul 11, 2005 - 5:31 pm

Dear Steven, am having to take a break as I seem to have lost my presence of mind over this problem. Thanks for your help in the meantime and will get my head around this after a short break.
Cheers,
John.

skapp - Jul 11, 2005 - 6:30 pm

John,

I'm sorry this has proven such a bothersome task. Let me suggest something that may work better and should be easier for you.

Download a utility called Applejack from www.versiontracker.com and install it. Be sure to save the usage instructions.

After Applejack is installed you need to boot your computer into single-user mode. After startup you will see the prompt. Simply enter at the prompt:

prompt> applejack auto restart

That's it. It should perform all the necessary repairs that would hopefully get you back to normal. When it finishes it will automatically restart the computer.

Joules - Jul 12, 2005 - 6:57 am

Excellent but how do I download from the broken!! G4. I have downloaded Applejack on my ibook, so should I burn that and stick it in the G4 CD Rom?

skapp - Jul 12, 2005 - 1:44 pm

John,

That's a good idea. If you can get it over to the G4 and install it, then you can boot the G4 into single-user mode and run Applejack.