Need help to repair this cock up.

[dogbone]

I was following some instructions for removing classic from my system as I don't use it at all any longer and wanted to eliminate any possible system conflicts with fonts.

Anyway I went into single user mode and followed these instructions but I may have made an error. Hopefully not fatal.

Instead of...
$ rm -rf 'System Folder'

I typed in rm -rf system folder

Anyway I wasn't able to exit single user mode. So (I know I shouldn't have done this) I turned the power off to restart and hopefully finish removing the stuff through terminal.

However when it restarted I get an old System 9 type folder with a blinking question mark.

What should I do now?

EDIT: I have another mac that I could use to start if target mode if required.

 

[mad jew]

Maybe try an Archive & Install. Although, it may be a good idea backing up with Target Disk Mode first, since you already have the other Mac.

 

[gekko513]

Did you read the next line? "Be very careful with your spaces and escapes, or it's bye-bye to the /System folder (the actual OS X folder!), which would be very bad."

An archive and install may work, but no guarantees.

 

[PatrickF]

Instead of...
$ rm -rf 'System Folder'

I typed in rm -rf system folder

In UNIX type shells there's a BIG difference between the two. Basically the first line tells the rm command to remove a directory called "System Folder" (that's the old OS 9 one).

The second command tells the rm command to delete two folders, one called System and one called Folder. It may have given you some error about it not being able to find a directory called "Folder" but it will certainly have deleted the "System" directory (that's the OS X one).

You'll have to re-install OS X from scratch I'm afraid.

 

[ElectricSheep]

By omitting the quotes you unlinked (deleted) your entire /System folder, which was your OS X installation.

Its gone. Bye-bye. No way of getting it back.

Time to break out the installation discs and re-install OS X.

 

[FocusAndEarnIt]

By omitting the quotes you unlinked (deleted) your entire /System folder, which was your OS X installation.

Its gone. Bye-bye. No way of getting it back.

Time to break out the installation discs and re-install OS X.

Yeah, it's gone. Hopefully you didn't have any important files on there...

This did crack me up though...

 

[dogbone]

OK thanks, I did an achive and reinstall and everything seems intact, no files have been lost. Phew!.

I can see I was a bit remiss with the original commands. But I got thrown off a bit.

When I originally entered:
$ mount -uw /
I got the message -sh: $: command not found

Why is this? what message should I get before going on to the next command cd /

 

[AdamR01]

OK thanks, I did an achive and reinstall and everything seems intact, no files have been lost. Phew!.

I can see I was a bit remiss with the original commands. But I got thrown off a bit.

When I originally entered:
$ mount -uw /
I got the message -sh: $: command not found

Why is this? what message should I get before going on to the next command cd /

You dont enter the $, that is the symbol you probably see at the prompt.

 

[jeremy.king]

OK thanks, I did an achive and reinstall and everything seems intact, no files have been lost. Phew!.

I can see I was a bit remiss with the original commands. But I got thrown off a bit.

When I originally entered:
$ mount -uw /
I got the message -sh: $: command not found

Why is this? what message should I get before going on to the next command cd /

Perhaps you should start here...

 

[Temujin]

You should consider how people are going to perceive you....sorry couldn't resist, made me giggle