Can't Get Past "Do You Own Another MAC?" Screen

hongbiaoke · #1 02-11-2009, 08:26 AM

I've installed iDeneb v1.3 10.5.5 on my Dell XPS M1530, everything went well until I got to the "Do you own another Mac?" screen. I clicked on no, do not import and continue, after about 1 min it goes back to the "welcome screen" (Select your language). I did a bit of research and found this:

Code:

Boot into the Leopard Install DVD and hit F8 then type -s to enter the single user mode and type
/sbin/fsck -fy
/sbin/mount -uw /
passwd root
touch /var/db/ .AppleSetupDone
reboot

I did that, and nothing...so I went back and did it again and took a pic

I am a n00b at this and this is my first time messing with OSx86, any suggestions? Thank you!

ozzeh · #2 02-11-2009, 08:56 AM

(had the same problem on my dv2000, did the above but modified the steps a bit)

if I'm not mistaken the error message is telling you that diskutil cant be run in single-user mode. try the above procedures but take out the fsck and passwd commands, fsck is not required, and I have no idea why you need to use passwd.

throttlemeister · #3 02-11-2009, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozzeh

and I have no idea why you need to use passwd.

Because OSX does not have a user and root does not have a password set. Without password, OSX will not allow you to log in.

You do not need to do a diskutil repairpermissions. It does not work, as you already found out.

Not running fsck is stupid and shows lack of understanding of UNIX. In single user mode, the filesystem is readonly for a reason. Before remounting that filesystem for writing, you should ALWAYS make sure the filesystem is clean and not corrupted. Failing to do so will mess up your system sooner or later. It is not a question of IF, rather WHEN if you choose to ignore that rule.

Just:
fsck -fy
mount -uw /
passwd root
touch /var/db/.AppleSetupDone
reboot

After that, you can log in to OSX with username root and the password you have entered with the passwd command.

Once logged in, you can add a regular user and proceed to use OSX as normal. If you want, you can use diskutil to repairpermissions after you have logged on to OSX normally.

Why are you trying to do this anyways? The instructions you have listed are correct, and nowhere does it say to run diskutil. If you get instructions, you should follow them and not make up your own and wonder what went wrong.

ozzeh · #4 02-11-2009, 08:52 PM

The point I was making was that to actually write the file to get him past the loop, did not require a passwd call. To log in after, yes, but not just to touch it.

throttlemeister · #5 02-11-2009, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozzeh

The point I was making was that to actually write the file to get him past the loop, did not require a passwd call. To log in after, yes, but not just to touch it.

Well, you'd have to agree that would make the whole point kinda useless.

The whole purpose of this exercise is being able to log in and use the system, instead of being stuck in a loop. Being stuck at a log in prompt without being able to log in is just as useless and annoying as it is to be in that setup loop.

Voyn1x · #6 02-11-2009, 10:09 PM

The login loop is a known issue connected to the network card. I had this before and disconnecting the cable worked for me. Other solutions can be found in the wiki here:

http://osx86.wikidot.com/known-issues#toc9

Hope this helps!

throttlemeister · #7 02-11-2009, 10:15 PM

True, but the -s method always works.

It also seems to be very often happening with iDeneb. Other distributions don't have nearly as much problems with this loop.

hongbiaoke · #8 02-11-2009, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by throttlemeister

Because OSX does not have a user and root does not have a password set. Without password, OSX will not allow you to log in.

You do not need to do a diskutil repairpermissions. It does not work, as you already found out.

Not running fsck is stupid and shows lack of understanding of UNIX. In single user mode, the filesystem is readonly for a reason. Before remounting that filesystem for writing, you should ALWAYS make sure the filesystem is clean and not corrupted. Failing to do so will mess up your system sooner or later. It is not a question of IF, rather WHEN if you choose to ignore that rule.

Just:
fsck -fy
mount -uw /
passwd root
touch /var/db/.AppleSetupDone
reboot

After that, you can log in to OSX with username root and the password you have entered with the passwd command.

Once logged in, you can add a regular user and proceed to use OSX as normal. If you want, you can use diskutil to repairpermissions after you have logged on to OSX normally.

Why are you trying to do this anyways? The instructions you have listed are correct, and nowhere does it say to run diskutil. If you get instructions, you should follow them and not make up your own and wonder what went wrong.

I did all of that, and I am still getting the loop...

When I type in "fsck -fy" I got this:

Code:

/dev/rdisk1s3 (NO WRITE)
Root file system
Checking Non-journaled HFS Plus volume.
Checking Extents Overflow file.
Checking Catalog file.
Checking multi-linked file.
Checking Catalog hierarchy.
Checking Extended Atrributes file.
Checking volume bitmap.
Checking volume information.
The volume iDeneb v1.3 10.5.5 appears to be OK.

Then I type in "mount -uw /"

Code:

disk1s3: device is write locked.
0 [Level 3] [ReadUID 0] [Facility com.apple.system....

Then I typed "passwd root" it says "passwd: command not found"
So I typed "touch /var/db/ .AppleSetupDone" and it gives me:

Code:

disk1s3: device is write locked.
0 [Level 3] [ReadUID 0] [Facility com.apple.system....

again...I reboot and still the same thing

hongbiaoke · #9 02-11-2009, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Voyn1x

The login loop is a known issue connected to the network card. I had this before and disconnecting the cable worked for me. Other solutions can be found in the wiki here:

http://osx86.wikidot.com/known-issues#toc9

Hope this helps!

I will try that out, thanks!

throttlemeister · #10 02-12-2009, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hongbiaoke

I did all of that, and I am still getting the loop...

When I type in "fsck -fy" I got this:

Code:

/dev/rdisk1s3 (NO WRITE)
Root file system
Checking Non-journaled HFS Plus volume.
Checking Extents Overflow file.
Checking Catalog file.
Checking multi-linked file.
Checking Catalog hierarchy.
Checking Extended Atrributes file.
Checking volume bitmap.
Checking volume information.
The volume iDeneb v1.3 10.5.5 appears to be OK.

Then I type in "mount -uw /"

Code:

disk1s3: device is write locked.
0 [Level 3] [ReadUID 0] [Facility com.apple.system....

Then I typed "passwd root" it says "passwd: command not found"
So I typed "touch /var/db/ .AppleSetupDone" and it gives me:

Code:

disk1s3: device is write locked.
0 [Level 3] [ReadUID 0] [Facility com.apple.system....

again...I reboot and still the same thing

Well, your first clue should be that you are getting an error giving the mount command. If you can't do a remount of your root filesystem to read/write, everything coming next is already useless.

What exactly is causing this I can't tell from this little information, but getting a "command not found" as reply to the passwd command indicates there is more wrong with your system than just a loop. It is not unlikely that your system is not installed properly.

I would suggest dumping iDeneb as it is slow and unstable for a lot of people and try installing iAtkos v5.

As a generic note: it would help if people trying to run OSX on a regular computer would have a general grasp of how to work a unix system. This is not a plug and pray solution. If you are not comfortable in working with the commandline and thinking for yourself to find solutions, you are better off staying in Windows or buying a real Mac.