Log in window hung (won't boot)

[mad jew]

That part got fixed after a couple more fscks, didn't it?

Not sure. Even so, I've seen fsck not pick up errors that Disk Utility finds so maybe check with the install disks once more.

 

[iMeowbot]

Not sure. Even so, I've seen fsck not pick up errors that Disk Utility finds so maybe check with the install disks once more.

The verify and repair in Disk Utility just forks and exec's fsck. Verify is /sbin/fsck_hfs -fn -g <volume> and repair is /sbin/fsck_hfs -y -f -g <volume> . The -g flag is an undocumented helper that provides percentage cues for the progress bar.

 

[mad jew]

Yeah, but for some reason when I run it from my iBook's disks (repair from Disk Utility) I get errors yet fsck claims to fix them and says it's all fine. I've never understood this because I always thought they were identical.

 

[iMeowbot]

Yeah, but for some reason when I run it from my iBook's disks (repair from Disk Utility) I get errors yet fsck claims to fix them and says it's all fine. I've never understood this because I always thought they were identical.

If the install disks are older than the on-disk OS, I'd be suspecting a bug in the older version of fsck (or an fsck that's unaware of newer features).

 

[mad jew]

Yeah, good point. However, I didn't think anything had changed from 10.4 to 10.4.3.

 

[iBlue]

silly question but if it works...

do you think that getting Tiger on there would help? (just to buy a tiger disc and update to it) ? i have been meaning to get myself upgraded to it and if it produces a login window for me, well then it would be worth it and then some.
what do you think?

i tried running the disk utilities again and tried botting in safe mode, etc - it still sticks at the login window starting phase. <sigh>

i am going to buy a firewire in about an hour so i can backup my data; i had to wait for my perpetually sleeping musician husband to wake up. it's snowy and ice is covering the roads and i don't feel like taking the 3 year old out with me. i want to move to hawaii right about now.

is there any way to manually force a login window to appear? i am baffled as to why it is so difficult to get a login window to load.

 

[mad jew]

I don't think it'll make a difference whether it's Tiger or Panther. Either way, a clean install should fix it.

 

[rem7]

same problem on Tiger.

hello everyone. I am having the same problem as iBlue, I installed Tiger thru target mode because my computer doesn't have a DVD (G4 Digital Audio 2x533Mhz). The first time I started everything was fine, but I got an error sayin something like the computer was shut down before the OS, or something like that. since then i haven't been able to log in normally. I am able to log in in safe mode (holdin' shift) but after 5 minutes or so the machine just freezes, (I can't do anything even the cursor doesn't move) I ran fsck and I got no errors, I just got the machine on targeted again (my laptop hosting this, and I ran the disk utility and everything seems fine "No Repairs were nessesary" I also renamed that com.apple.plist thing (cant remember the rest). hummm... any ideas?
I don't have any important info on that comp, as I did a clean install of tiger OSX, but I really want to get Tiger runnin on that machine. Thanks in advanced.

 

[iMeowbot]

Yeah, good point. However, I didn't think anything had changed from 10.4 to 10.4.3.

fsck for hfs+ definitely received some substantial fixes in 10.4.2. More here.

 

[mad jew]

fsck for hfs+ definitely received some substantial fixes in 10.4.2. More here.

Thanks for that. Slipped by me, so it's very much appreciated.

 

[iBlue]

hello everyone. I am having the same problem as iBlue, I installed Tiger thru target mode because my computer doesn't have a DVD (G4 Digital Audio 2x533Mhz). The first time I started everything was fine, but I got an error sayin something like the computer was shut down before the OS, or something like that. since then i haven't been able to log in normally. I am able to log in in safe mode (holdin' shift) but after 5 minutes or so the machine just freezes, (I can't do anything even the cursor doesn't move) I ran fsck and I got no errors, I just got the machine on targeted again (my laptop hosting this, and I ran the disk utility and everything seems fine "No Repairs were nessesary" I also renamed that com.apple.plist thing (cant remember the rest). hummm... any ideas?
I don't have any important info on that comp, as I did a clean install of tiger OSX, but I really want to get Tiger runnin on that machine. Thanks in advanced.

that sucks! i wish i had a better answer for you. it's still a problem for me - thankfully this thread is here, tons and tons of good info! [awesome people here]

i picked a rather odd way of dealing with this though... i bought an iMac yesterday (which due to being overly busy i have yet to even get out the box) i will use it to back up my data. i have been wanting one for some time and used this as an excuse. more on that later though, i am off to go out to breakfast.

there's a light at the end of my tunnel here

 

[rem7]

so I started an i stayed in single user mode just to see how far it goes, i got to:

"Dec 4 10:43:27 rem7s-g4 ntpd[132]: sendto(17.254.0.28): Bad File descriptor"

and then just "Lastest crash infor for cpu 1:..." and a bunch of info, and it stopped.

 

[rem7]

Ok, I got it fixed. It was my ram, I think one of my modules is messed up cos right now I'm only running with 256, instead of 384 and its running smooth. I think I'll muy some more ram during the week so that it runs better.

 

[iBlue]

ok after a month (and chaotic holidays) i've finally decided to address the issues and get the powerbook working again. i love the new iMac but i want my laptop back. it isn't looking good.

target disk mode is a bust, even after resetting the PMU - it just won't read those files or something. i got error messages, which i screenshot.

play by play:

target disk mode. (connect iMac to target powerbook) PB boots ok in target disk mode (i assume)
orange firewire "macintoshHD" icon appears on iMac's desktop
i click it and sees partially what is on the powerbook... it knows something is there.
(the powerbook's name is Seraphim) when i go to click the Seraphim HD icon, it takes me immediately back to the iMac's HD
it will not copy any files out of it and doesn't show me anything inside the powerbook's system... well not the files anyway. that error comes up on the areas i can see and the rest is not accesable or something.
i repaired permissions on both computers. still nothing doing.

i don't know how to explain this but i am at my wits end and ready to smash that thing. help save my powerbook.

screenshots...

 

[mad jew]

Bizarre. I've heard a lot about error -8058 from people trying to duplicate CDs using Finder in Tiger but I hadn't heard anything about it happening with drives. FWIW, I'm pretty sure it's a bug related to Apple trying to make it harder for people to copy disks and eliminating that functionality from Finder however thankfully it's still in Disk Utility.

Anyway, there's a pretty naked article here that doesn't really help, sorry.

Does Disk Utility on the iMac recognise the PowerBook? Could you repair the disk from there?

 

[iBlue]

Bizarre. I've heard a lot about error -8058 from people trying to duplicate CDs using Finder in Tiger but I hadn't heard anything about it happening with drives. FWIW, I'm pretty sure it's a bug related to Apple trying to make it harder for people to copy disks and eliminating that functionality from Finder however thankfully it's still in Disk Utility.

Anyway, there's a pretty naked article here that doesn't really help, sorry.

Does Disk Utility on the iMac recognise the PowerBook? Could you repair the disk from there?

yeah it didn't let me eject it a couple of times, so that sounds like the problem. <sigh>

the iMac's disk utility did see the firewired PB and it let me repair disk, but the permissions was greyed out. the repair disk said nothing needed repairing. (the fsck from last time said it was ok too)
after "repair" it still won't read that PB's data

i am crushed that a year after buying a $3000 laptop it is basically a hunk of junk; my luck is inevitably horrible - i would get the lemon of the apple bunch.
(sorry, just really ticked off and frustrated)

 

[iBlue]

i am still having this problem and officially HATE that powerbook. now all i want is to get my data off of it and erase the whole system and start over. all i want are my files, namely pictures, i don't care in the slightest about secondary applications.

but TARGET DISK MODE will not work. i assume this is because of friggin file vault (boy do i regret that now) my iMac seems to see that the powerbook's HD is there but it won't let me gather any data from it.

please please please someone tell me how i am supposed to get this data off of that PB with all of my unfortunate conditions.
what exactly would archive and install do (?) if it would even help. would the files be retrievable after archive & install? how so? (and how/what options do i use for this?)

any more tips desperately wanted before i try to find someone to take tons of my money in this stupid little town to fix my "rare" computer. friggin whole town is a windows town. i am really getting upset having a powerbook that is non-functional.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

what exactly would archive and install do (?) if it would even help. would the files be retrievable after archive & install? how so? (and how/what options do i use for this?)

Mac OS X: About the Archive and Install feature

Basically, yes, all your data should be available after an archive and install, and although I normally would recommend that a complete backup is performed before an A&I, in your case this might be vavered... It's worth a try since resetting (zapping) PRAM, running fsck from singel user mode and all the other attempts didn't solve anything...

 

[ITASOR]

I have absolutely no clue why this would work, but connect the PB and iMac with FW Target Mode (start powerbook with T held down) and then once the powerbook's HD icon appears on the iMac, go to system preferences>startup disk and find the powerbook's HD.

Then you could click restart and it would try and boot from the powerbook's HD....

Again, I don't know how that could help, but it's worth trying I guess.

See if anyone else thinks there's even a remotely small reason for doing this.