Startup FREEZE: /etc/master.passwd not found!!!

[MrMacMan]

Okay guys, please help I took a summer job at my doctors office, repairing computers, optomizing, and mostly data entry.

When I went from the usual os 9 to Os X I got that MESSAGE!
'file not found: /etc/master.passwd' (I'm pretty sure I got that right, but I might be a little off), and I tried the key combinations I knew, but I failed. The weird thing was it ran like the terminal does, I guess thats *nix roots talking, I could run 'top' and see that about 4 things were running, but nothing could help me.

Now I'm asking if I boot up off a CD is going to the do trick?

I can boot off a CD, without getting that message? All i need to do really is switch the start up disk back to mac os 9, because obviosuly Os X doesn't work.

All help means a great deal of thanks from me.

Please help, thanks again.

--MrMacMan

[scan300]

If the system has been running OS9 in general, OSX resources are vulnerable to unwitting overwites, deletion etc.

I'd reinstall OSX. It won't affect your OS9 settings, do a minimal set-up and reset your start-up drive.

[MrMacMan]

Originally posted by scan300
If the system has been running OS9 in general, OSX resources are vulnerable to unwitting overwites, deletion etc.

I'd reinstall OSX. It won't affect your OS9 settings, do a minimal set-up and reset your start-up drive.
:scratched:

[MrMacMan]

Originally posted by MrMacman
I can't find my Os X install disks, I just have Os 9 ones...

Well scratch that, I found then, but I have a REALLY big *realativly* problem, I just made a data entry on a program on Os 9 (300 doctors I data entryied) and I need to be sure that doesn't get erased.

If I need to install os X, fine, I will try to, but all I need is Os 9 for now will I be able to boot off of my disks to change it back?

[MacMaelstrom]

Hold option down right after the chime

[MrMacMan]

Originally posted by MacMaelstrom
Hold option down right after the chime
I did and it only shows the X OS and not both of them... :(

[rainman::|:|]

Originally posted by MrMacman
I did and it only shows the X OS and not both of them... :(

Then you may already be screwed. You're going to have to reinstall one of the OS's, i suggest X, least chance of losing data... which really isn't going to happen unless data is already corrupted or partially overwritten.

If you desperately need to make sure that data is intact, you need to boot off another disk and check it, so no new data is written-- best method of making sure he damage won't get worse if there is any...

pnw

[MrMacMan]

Originally posted by paulwhannel
Then you may already be screwed. You're going to have to reinstall one of the OS's, i suggest X, least chance of losing data... which really isn't going to happen unless data is already corrupted or partially overwritten.

If you desperately need to make sure that data is intact, you need to boot off another disk and check it, so no new data is written-- best method of making sure he damage won't get worse if there is any...

pnw

omfg, this is what I get for restarting into mac os X.

G*D DAMN IT!

[pEZ]

I had that exact problem today when i was helping to clone a computer lab from a single master - one of the mach files is either missing or corrupted. Generally, it means that you need to reinstall OS X, as it renders the machine pretty helpless. Running fsck does nothing, and open firmware gets you nowhere. In my case, we accidentally deleted mach.sys (I think that's what the file was) because we thought it was an alias - nope. Fried X. Once we reinstalled the clone though, it worked fine.

You obviously wouldn't want to use a clone in this situation, at the risk of losing data - just reinstall X from the CDs.

[MrMacMan]

Originally posted by pEZ
I had that exact problem today when i was helping to clone a computer lab from a single master - one of the mach files is either missing or corrupted. Generally, it means that you need to reinstall OS X, as it renders the machine pretty helpless. Running fsck does nothing, and open firmware gets you nowhere. In my case, we accidentally deleted mach.sys (I think that's what the file was) because we thought it was an alias - nope. Fried X. Once we reinstalled the clone though, it worked fine.

You obviously wouldn't want to use a clone in this situation, at the risk of losing data - just reinstall X from the CDs.

Okay cool, so that's not gonna delete the files right?

Cause I worked reeally hard over tha pash 4 days (28 hours of work) for the file to disapear.

Thanks for the help everyone.

[jimthorn]

Start up the Mac in Firewire Target Disk Mode and see if you can salvage the files you need (the 300 doctors data you mentioned) remotely, then wipe the drive and reinstall.

[GeeYouEye]

Wait, why can't you just boot off an OS 9 CD and reset the startup disk from there?:confused:

Maybe I misread something, but if OS 9 and X are on the same partition, then holding down option at startup will only show the last selected startup system (whether it's 9 or X). Sounds to me like the only problem is that missing etc/master.pword file or whatever it was. Yes that'll mean a reinstall of X if you want to use it (which it sounds like you don't need to in favor of 9), but not an HD wipe.

[MrMacMan]

Yeah thanks Gee I talked to pEZ privately and came to the same conclusion.

I'll boot off Norton 4.0 CD (pretty sure i can boot off this) get into mac Os 9, grab my file and put it onto a Zip Disk.

I will repair some corrupted stuff, which was the reason I was booting into Os X...

I will change the Startup Disk back to 9.

After this, I might if the office wants install Os X and then really I'm done.

[MacMaelstrom]

That's all happy but if you don't want to use X anyway and just need to get in the system try the option key trick. It only works with more recent macs though. GL:)

edit: ah... I just scrolled up.... :p 9 may be corrupt? Not there anymore? Try doing it without any cds in the drive

[MrMacMan]

Even though I had to install Os X and everything worked out can someone explain this:

Why couldn't I boot up with an Os 9 disk?

I hit 'c' and then I tried 'command + Option + shift + delete' and when that didn't work I tried option, but option said there were no disks inside untill I put in a Os X disk...

Anyone explain that?