Imac wont boot after trying to set permissions

[calderone]

Hi there. This is exactly what happened to me a few minutes ago. Literally locked myself out of my own computer. How can I fix this problem? Please help.

Sorry for the delayed response. Here are the instructions:

1. Boot to your OS X Install DVD.

2. Select "Terminal" from the Utilities menu.

3. Assuming you only changed permissions and not ownership, and that the volume you have OS X installed on is Macintosh HD type the following:

chmod 775 /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD

and then

chmod +t /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD

4. Quit Terminal
5. Quit the Installer
6. It will should ask you if you want to restart or select a Startup Disk, select the Startup Disk option
7. Choose your Macintosh HD
8. Click Restart
9. Confirm the Restart when it asks

It should work. If your OS X volume is not named Macintosh HD, replace it with the name of yours. Be sure to escape the spaces as shown in the example, if you aren't sure of the name type.

ls -l /Volumes

If you need any help, let me know.

 

[andreviegas]

Thank you, accidently I change the permission of the hard disk during one configuration and the computer wasn´t booting. I think that apple should enable a pop message warning about the trouble we will have when changing permissions to the main hard disk.

 

[arustagi]

i need your help calderone!

Hey folks,

I did a similar thing, only I applied to all subfolders/contents. I tried the Chmod commands, confirmed that they worked using ls -l, but still boot cycling. Do I need to change all the permissions on all files on the hard drive, and is there a recursive way to do this? I am in hot water: shared computer at work!!!
Also, booting from install dvd results in Disk Utility repair permissions saying "cannot verify permissions due to failure on exit." Verify disk says disk is normal. Am I hopelessly ruined? Mac OS 10.5.9

 

[wildrider]

HD permissions reset downs IMac OX

I did the same, a PC user for 30yrs , I just can't seem to get into that Mac mindset, I was annoyed at having to enter my admin password every time I tried to delete my GF's excess files so I thought I would do a PC thing and go to the top, set my permissions for all directories below. Well, as soon as I hit apply it started a long process I could not shut down and many small windows came up saying I should not change a certain system or other file. There was no yes, no or maybe and no way to back out only hit OK about a hundred times. when done all i got was a blue screen and unresponsive cursor. Upon reboot I got the chord then the grey screen and the little "working" animation.
I took the thing to the Geek squad and after several tries with the shift button pushed and the same response the told me I would have to leave it for 5 days and all data would be lost. I took it back home.
I read what passes for a manual before trying the suggestions here al to no avail. I then thought as it was not booting from disk or responding from the keyboard the perhaps it needed to boot to use the "bluetooth" keyboard.
Ok I have a PC USB keyboard somewhere, in the mean time... suggestions???... Frustrated...

 

[wildrider]

HD permissions reset downs IMac OX cont

well I switched out the keyboard for my Microsoft custom that had a USB plug.. put in the OX Snow Leopard startup disk and hit power then tapped the "C" key until logo came on.... BUT THIS TIME I could hear the computer reading the disk!!! So I waited...
eventually I saw a wallpaper and a window with directions as to whether to use time machine or utilities, I tried time machine... it went into a search mode like forever and since the thing was asking me to choose a disk and I had no external disk, I figured this was a dead end. I backed out and went back to the menu and picked disk utilities.
I then picked my "restored hard drive" (this was a recycled computer) and picked the "verify permissions" button.... (with show details) it took a while and came up with a long list but i noticed the listings would say permissions are.... permissions should be.... so when that finished I went to the next button " fix permissions" that did not take long so I hit verify again.. that took 9 min and produced nothing so I decided to quit OX instal and restart computer... to do this I had to wait while the thing found the available disks, I picked my hard drive and while that is restating (I ejected install disk using one button down on mouse) and started writing my progress, I am having the feeling that the elation I was feeling a while ago may be dashed!
didn't work so back to utility.. this time i picked the next level up from my HD "500.11" and did the verify thing it reported that ACL was found but unexpected soooo I did a fix permissions again (I don't know why I am trusting MAC to know what to do but what choice do I have.. well it said 2 min for repair...
well it was over 2 min so I stopped it .. it reported disk repair complete (wonder why it only reports that after you stop it ( I am thinking if it was not complete it should say disk repair "stopped")
ok it is reading the OS disk.. sigh... OK this time I went to the HD partitioned and hit "disk repair" (not that I thought there was an issue with the disk but just to check) it reported it would take 15 min which almost immediately dropped to 3min. Finally reported the HD was OK, so quit the installer picking restart, ejected OS disk and waited.. then shut off and tried again... sigh.. no go.... :-( seems my cures of Bill Gates may have been premature!.. I guess next step is to reloaded op sys but there is that "D" button with the other disk...