Heathen819

Q: rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone: No such file or directory

I am trying to bypass the admin setup on my powerbook g4 (2005) because it keeps freezing at the choose keyboard screen.

 

I looked up the tutorial using

 

mount -uw /

rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone

 

The prompt says that there is no such file or directory, I used the   ls -al /var/db, and I dont see it in the list that poped up. 

 

Can anyone help me with this problem---or even the freeze on the choose keyboard?

PowerBook

Posted on Apr 9, 2013 3:26 PM

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Q: rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone: No such file or directory

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  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Apr 9, 2013 6:12 PM in response to Heathen819
    Level 8 (49,110 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 9, 2013 6:12 PM in response to Heathen819

    Then the file isn't there.

     

    .AppleSetupDone is a placeholder that indicates the Mac has been set up with a User account. Its absence indicates OS X should initiate the "new Mac user" setup procedure. If it is not present the Mac is going to proceed with the latter, which will not bypass anything or solve your problem.

     

    ... it keeps freezing at the choose keyboard screen.

     

    That needs further explanation. When do you encounter it?

  • by Heathen819,

    Heathen819 Heathen819 Apr 9, 2013 6:19 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 9, 2013 6:19 PM in response to John Galt

    When I power it on it begins the setup process as if it was a new computer.  It goes through the choose language etc... but when it asks the keyboard I want : United States, Canada, etc.. it hangs up.  It wont let me click anythin, it never moves to the next screen-- The only thing I can do at that point is turn it off. 

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Apr 9, 2013 7:04 PM in response to Heathen819
    Level 8 (49,110 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 9, 2013 7:04 PM in response to Heathen819

    OK thanks, it appears that at least one essential component is corrupt or was removed from the operating system.

     

    Using your original System Install DVD, reinstall OS X. If a later version of OS X is already installed, you will need to erase your entire system first.

     

    Nothing short of that is likely to resolve it. If you have user account data on the disk and no backup, use another Mac and FireWire Target Disk Mode to archive the existing, corrupt installation so that you can migrate its user data after you reinstall (and subsequently upgrade, if required) OS X.

     

    One last thing to try before resorting to that drastic measure is to restore the .AppleSetupDone file. That ought to skip Setup Assistant, and with any luck at all may restore the normal Login screen. To do that:

     

    touch /var/db/.AppleSetupDone

     

    Type carefully.

  • by Heathen819,

    Heathen819 Heathen819 Apr 10, 2013 9:47 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 10, 2013 9:47 AM in response to John Galt

    Ok I will try to restore the .AppleSetupDone, do I need to reboot after i type that?

  • by Heathen819,

    Heathen819 Heathen819 Apr 10, 2013 9:49 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 10, 2013 9:49 AM in response to John Galt

    That did it! Thank You so much for your help!!!

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Apr 10, 2013 8:06 PM in response to Heathen819
    Level 8 (49,110 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 10, 2013 8:06 PM in response to Heathen819

    OK, re-creating the .AppleSetupDone file restored the normal login screen? Is your keyboard working as well?

     

    The reason I am asking is that you may now want to apply the appropriate "Combo" update for whatever OS X version you are using. The installer should not have stalled on the keyboard selection.

  • by Heathen819,

    Heathen819 Heathen819 Apr 11, 2013 8:53 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 11, 2013 8:53 AM in response to John Galt

    It's working fine.  I've lost the disks that came with it so I wouldnt be able to do that anyway unless I buy one, but I think it will be fine. 

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Apr 11, 2013 11:06 AM in response to Heathen819
    Level 8 (49,110 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 11, 2013 11:06 AM in response to Heathen819

    You can download the Combo update for whatever OS X version you have. Updates are free.

  • by CJShahmeran,

    CJShahmeran CJShahmeran Jun 16, 2013 11:38 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 16, 2013 11:38 PM in response to John Galt

    I had the same problem. I resolved it the same way. So far, so good.

  • by bianca1981,

    bianca1981 bianca1981 Apr 17, 2014 7:55 AM in response to Heathen819
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 17, 2014 7:55 AM in response to Heathen819

    i still have the problem it wont go past apple id keep asking me log in thts all

  • by joshuajj45,

    joshuajj45 joshuajj45 Sep 5, 2014 8:02 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 5, 2014 8:02 AM in response to John Galt

    when i type in: touch /var/db/.AppleSetupDone

    is says: Read-Only file system




    is that normal?

    but when i reboot it still stays in the setup procedure. And stuck at 'Another question' it just freezes.

  • by David27127,

    David27127 David27127 Mar 2, 2015 11:21 AM in response to joshuajj45
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 2, 2015 11:21 AM in response to joshuajj45

    DDid you ever figure this out?

  • by ingageco,

    ingageco ingageco Jul 12, 2015 9:55 AM in response to Heathen819
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 12, 2015 9:55 AM in response to Heathen819

    NOTE

     

    In my experience with this, when I booted into recovery mode typing:

     

    rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone

     

    Said the file didn't exist. When I rebooted, the setup screen didn't show. I logged in as the non-admin user, then looked in /var/db and the file DID exist.

     

    Further investigation showed that in recovery mode, / references the OSX Recovery Partition, and not Macintosh HD partition. So if you boot into recovery mode and .AppleSetupDone doesn't exist in /var/db/, and the setup screen still won't show, do the following in recovery mode:

     

    cd /Volumes

    ls -l (This will show all volumes)

    cd Macintosh\ HD

    cd var/db

    ls -la (You should now see a .AppleSetupDone file)

    rm .AppleSetupDone

     

    After this, reboot and you should see the setup screen.

  • by Davidsybert1987,

    Davidsybert1987 Davidsybert1987 Dec 5, 2015 11:58 PM in response to Heathen819
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 5, 2015 11:58 PM in response to Heathen819

    I'm having the same problem I factory reset my computer bc i forgot that password now I'm having the same problem it keeps freezing at the select your keyboard prompt it works up until select keyboard comes up I hit continue and that's it nothing else happens can't go back or anything could someone please explain to me what to do and I'd I got to type anything in orbwhat not tell me were to do so I don't know much about computers so so if you could put it in detail that would be awesome thanks and appreciate it

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