Mac not booting!

[LLiam]

Please please help me. I have simply added myself in the permissions! Then reboot BUT the mac does not boot (grey screen with turning wheel).
It does not start in safe mode.
It says 'no such a file or directory' when trying to boot.
I tried chmod 755. it responds 'unable to use my own hostname!'

what can I try??

 

[ElectricSheep]

I have simply added myself in the permissions!

What exactly did you do, in steps, to "add yourself in the permissions"?

 

[LLiam]

Thank you for responding!
I have right clicked on HD icon
Get Info
Then Sharing and Permissions
Unlocked with my password the little Lock on bottom right
Added with + Me with Read and write permissions

Just that !!

 

[ScoobyMcDoo]

I tried chmod 755. it responds 'unable to use my own hostname!'

I'm confused. If you cannot boot, how did you use this command?

Anyway, boot to the recovery partition or some install media and use the disk utility to repair permissions.

 

[LLiam]

Thanks but How do I do that?

----------

I have started in single use to give those commands.

 

[ScoobyMcDoo]

Thanks but How do I do that?

You didn't mention what mac or version of OSX, so I'll just assume it's fairly new. If so, just hold down cmd-r while booting.

 

[old-wiz]

doing chmod system wide without understanding unix oermissions commonly results in an unbootable system. OSx and *nix let you hang yourself a little too easily.

a repair disk pemrissions might help, but likely you will need to reinstall osx..


and for goodness sake make a bootable clone for fast recovery!!!!!

 

[LLiam]

doing chmod system wide without understanding unix oermissions commonly results in an unbootable system. OSx and *nix let you hang yourself a little too easily.

a repair disk pemrissions might help, but likely you will need to reinstall osx..


and for goodness sake make a bootable clone for fast recovery!!!!!

OK OK
1) how do I make a bootable clone??
2) if I reinstall the OX I suppose my data will be lost .. or not?
3) I had access to disk utility with the CD - but it cannot repair permissions! It says ' the undelying task reportated failure on exit"
so what can/should do? thanks

----------

You didn't mention what mac or version of OSX, so I'll just assume it's fairly new. If so, just hold down cmd-r while booting.

I have 10.5.8 cmd-r does not work ... any other idea?

 

[Weaselboy]

2) if I reinstall the OX I suppose my data will be lost .. or not?

Nope... if you have the CD just reinstall. That will not erase your data and hopefully it will fix the permissions issue you created.