Resolved 2002 eMac (Tiger 10.4.11) Re-Setup Errors

[Gamer9430]

Hello! I recently acquired an 2002 eMac... I wanted to make a new admin user and delete the old one... So first I used a Leopard Install disk drive to get to the password reset, and after re-booting, it gave me a login screen with a box to enter a username and password, but I couldn't get anything to work. Thus, I want into single-user mode to try and trick the computer into re-running the first boot setup. Now, the setup won't complete without giving me errors... I have them listed below:

Sorry, an unexpected error has occured.

[Local account creation failed]

[NOTE: this exception originated in the server.]
*** -[NSPathStore2 rangeOfString:|options:range:]: nilargument
(The | is there to prevent the emoticon from showing up)

If I press ok, it gives me another error which says:

Sorry, an unexpected error has occured.
(unable to add standard user)

If I press quit, it just restarts the whole setup over again.

This happens after I put in my username, house name, and password. Strangely, if I put in my full name and just first name, it says a user with that name already exists. Thus I shorten it, and it gives me those errors.

I tried to post this in my super thread (Getting FREE Apple Products!), but no one replied, so now it's in a separate thread to try and get some help faster.

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

Hello! I recently acquired an 2002 eMac... I wanted to make a new admin user and delete the old one... So first I used a Leopard Install disk drive to get to the password reset, and after re-booting, it gave me a login screen with a box to enter a username and password, but I couldn't get anything to work. Thus, I want into single-user mode to try and trick the computer into re-running the first boot setup. Now, the setup won't complete without giving me errors... I have them listed below:

Sorry, an unexpected error has occured.

[Local account creation failed]

[NOTE: this exception originated in the server.]
*** -[NSPathStore2 rangeOfString:|options:range:]: nilargument
(The | is there to prevent the emoticon from showing up)

If I press ok, it gives me another error which says:

Sorry, an unexpected error has occured.
(unable to add standard user)

If I press quit, it just restarts the whole setup over again.

This happens after I put in my username, house name, and password. Strangely, if I put in my full name and just first name, it says a user with that name already exists. Thus I shorten it, and it gives me those errors.

I tried to post this in my super thread (Getting FREE Apple Products!), but no one replied, so now it's in a separate thread to try and get some help faster.

Your best bet would be to format the HD and do a clean re-installation. I do that when I get a new Mac, as it's best to have everything default after having gotten it from a different user. Boot from your installation disc (and I would be running Tiger on this if I were you) and then open Disk Utility from the bar at the top. (obviously before the installation process). Select your drive and reformat as 'MacOSX Extended (Journaled)'. Then you can close Disk Utility and select a clean installation. Before clicking install, you can also click 'Customize' and remove the useless language packs, which frees-up about 1GB of space.

 

[Intell]

I too suggest wiping and reinstalling Mac OS X.

 

[Gamer9430]

Thanks! Would it be possible to restore the old tiger HDD from my PowerMac G5 to the eMac using the disk utility in the Leopard instal disk? I don't have a tiger disk, so I can't do a fresh install. Also, is there anyway to extract data off the current hdd, there might be some valuable apps... I didn't really get a chance to see what was on it before I messed it up.

 

[weckart]

Possibly, for apps installed for all users. Take the HDD out and mount it in another system. Scan the Applications folder for anything you like. Then check in Library/Application Support/ for any folders relating to the application. Also check in /Library/Preferences. In fact, check all the Library folders just in case.

 

[Gamer9430]

Possibly, for apps installed for all users. Take the HDD out and mount it in another system. Scan the Applications folder for anything you like. Then check in Library/Application Support/ for any folders relating to the application. Also check in /Library/Preferences. In fact, check all the Library folders just in case.

I thought of that, but I just wish it wasn't so hard to get the HDD out... I have a SATA/IDE to USB, but I can't get to the HDD to even connect it to the adapter and plug it in

 

[weckart]

Why not Target disk mode, then? Just get a long Firewire cable and hook both up together.

 

[Gamer9430]

Why not Target disk mode, then? Just get a long Firewire cable and hook both up together.

Holy ******! I completely forgot about that! Thank you so much for saying that. Anyone know where i can get a FW cable?

 

[128keaton]

Holy ******! I completely forgot about that! Thank you so much for saying that. Anyone know where i can get a FW cable?

Ebay, Amazon, and maybe even WorstBuy.

 

[Gamer9430]

I've been meaning to write an update, so...

I got a FW cable from my aunt and was able to get the stuff off and restore my old Tiger HDD to it. Works nicely and has great speakers. Thanks for reminding me about Target Disk Mode, I completely forgot about that.