You may be able to get something out of reading the logs. Degree of difficulty: Moderate. Making sense of the logs: difficult.
Boot to console: see above. All information from 10.4.11 tiger.
The boot time logs are in "/library/logs/Console" The logs files are in your numeric userid directory. In my case, 1000. In your case, 500 (probably).
current boot file log:
console.log
prior:
console.log.0
mac $ ls /library/logs
AppleFileService/ CrashReporter/ SystemMigration.log vncserver-service.log.bak
CCC.log DirectoryService/ macvnc-service.log
CCC.stats LogMeIn@ macvnc-service.log.bak
Console/ Software Update.log vncserver-service.log
mac $ cd /library/logs/Console/
/library/logs/Console
mac $ ls
0/ 1000/ 501/ 502/ 503/ 504/ 505/ 506/ 507/ 508/ 509/ 510/ 511/ 512/
mac $ ls -l
total 0
drwx------ 7 root admin 238B Dec 5 2010 0/
drwx------ 13 mac admin 442B Aug 22 14:45 1000/
drwx------ 8 mac admin 272B Aug 27 2006 501/
drwx------ 13 me admin 442B Apr 20 2010 502/
drwx------ 13 mysideki admin 442B Feb 24 2014 503/
drwx------ 6 seeker admin 204B Dec 12 2009 504/
drwx------ 8 fv admin 272B Nov 6 2013 505/
drwx------ 10 506 admin 340B Jun 11 2013 506/
drwx------ 13 standard admin 442B May 2 2014 507/
drwx------ 13 508 admin 442B Aug 31 2010 508/
drwx------ 6 509 admin 204B Jun 21 2009 509/
drwx------ 13 student admin 442B Jun 2 2011 510/
drwx------ 13 compile admin 442B Dec 31 1969 511/
drwx------ 3 512 admin 102B Sep 28 2013 512/
mac $ cd 1000
/library/logs/Console/1000
mac $ ls
console.log console.log.1 console.log.3 console.log.5 console.log.7 console.log.9
console.log.0 console.log.2 console.log.4 console.log.6 console.log.8
mac $ cat console.log | less
mac $ ls -l
total 376
-rw------- 1 mac admin 14K Aug 22 14:49 console.log
-rw------- 1 mac admin 15K Aug 13 11:22 console.log.0
-rw------- 1 mac admin 16K Jul 31 23:03 console.log.1
-rw------- 1 mac admin 17K Jul 31 03:15 console.log.2
-rw------- 1 mac admin 13K Jul 29 21:58 console.log.3
-rw------- 1 mac admin 13K Jul 28 22:52 console.log.4
-rw------- 1 mac admin 13K Jul 21 19:42 console.log.5
-rw------- 1 mac admin 16K Jun 27 14:30 console.log.6
-rw------- 1 mac admin 14K Jun 23 17:18 console.log.7
-rw------- 1 mac admin 13K Jun 15 21:28 console.log.8
-rw------- 1 mac admin 14K Jun 14 17:43 console.log.9
mac $ nano console.log.0
mac $
There are lots of other logs. The log files are in multiple places with overlaping directories/files it seems.
/var/log
/library/logs
& some your home folder.
mac $ cd /var/log
/var/log
mac $ ls
AppleJack.log install.log.0.gz lpr.log.0.gz netinfo.log.4.gz system.log.0.gz
CDIS.custom install.log.1.gz lpr.log.1.gz ppp/ system.log.1.gz
FTPStats.plist install.log.2.gz lpr.log.2.gz ppp.log system.log.2.gz
OSInstall.custom install.log.3.gz lpr.log.3.gz ppp.log.0.gz system.log.3.gz
asl.log install.log.4.gz lpr.log.4.gz ppp.log.1.gz system.log.4.gz
crashreporter.log ipfw.log mail.log ppp.log.2.gz system.log.5.gz
cups/ ipfw.log.0.gz mail.log.0.gz ppp.log.3.gz system.log.6.gz
daily.out ipfw.log.1.gz mail.log.1.gz ppp.log.4.gz system.log.7.gz
fax/ ipfw.log.2.gz mail.log.2.gz pureftpd.log weekly.out
ftp.log ipfw.log.3.gz mail.log.3.gz sa/ windowserver.log
ftp.log.0.gz ipfw.log.4.gz mail.log.4.gz samba/ windowserver_last.log
ftp.log.1.gz lastlog mb.log secure.log wtmp
ftp.log.2.gz lookupd.log.0.gz monthly.out secure.log.0.gz wtmp.0.gz
ftp.log.3.gz lookupd.log.1.gz netinfo.log secure.log.1.gz wtmp.1.gz
ftp.log.4.gz lookupd.log.2.gz netinfo.log.0.gz secure.log.2.gz wtmp.2.gz
httpd/ lookupd.log.3.gz netinfo.log.1.gz secure.log.3.gz wtmp.3.gz
icdevnotifications.log lookupd.log.4.gz netinfo.log.2.gz secure.log.4.gz wtmp.4.gz
install.log lpr.log netinfo.log.3.gz system.log
mac $ nano system.log
mac $ ls /library/logs
AppleFileService/ CrashReporter/ SystemMigration.log vncserver-service.log.bak
CCC.log DirectoryService/ macvnc-service.log
CCC.stats LogMeIn@ macvnc-service.log.bak
Console/ Software Update.log vncserver-service.log
nano is your friend for a simple edit requiring system privileges.
In the console, when you see # as the prompt instead of $, you do not need the sudo command.
Macintosh-HD -> Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal
#The sudo command will ask for your administration password. No
# characters will appear when typing your password. Press return
# when done typing.
# Make a backup with the copy command, cp
mac $ sudo cp -i /etc/hosts /etc/hosts.previous
Password:
# The mouse doesn't work. Use the cursor keys to move around.
# Use delete to get rid of a character.
# Frequently used commands are listed out the bottom of screen.
# Confirmation messages appear at bottom too!
# Use control+o to save.
# The ^ means to use the control key plus the letter
mac $ sudo nano /etc/hosts
mac $
Robert