G4 only boots to terminal

Question

G4 only boots to terminal

This is a new one for me... I was running updates on a G4 running 10.3.9 and it froze up, requiring a hard reset (probably because I was running Software Update AND Microsoft Office Autoupdate AND checking email).

Now the computer boots up ok... it starts booting the GUI (I get the apple picture, the blue screen, etc), but the login window doesn't come up. It leaves me in the Terminal for that (ie. at the Unix command prompt). I can login, check my files, but obviously, I need the GUI (as do the computer's users).

Diskwarrior didn't fix this (I didn't think it would, but what the heck). What can I try short of an archive and install? This is a good learning experience as to how OS X loads up.

Thanks.

Posted on Nov 11, 2005 10:15 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 11, 2005 10:25 AM in response to Everett Griffiths

Can you boot in Single or Safe mode?

Try:
Boot in Single-User Mode. to do that you should:
1. Shut down.
2. Start.
3. After chime immediately press and hold the ⌘S.

At the command line prompt, type:

/sbin/fsck -fy

Press Return key.
The fsck utility will go through five steps. Once the check is finished,
if no issue is found, you should see "** The volume (name of volume) appears
to be OK."
If fsck alters, repairs, or fixes anything, you should see: ** FILE SYSTEM
WAS MODIFIED ***
If this message appears, repeat the fsck command until it you see "** The
volume (name of volume) appears to be OK."
type:

reboot

Press Return key.
Open DU and Rebuild Permissions.
Restart
--

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Answer 2

Nov 11, 2005 11:41 AM in response to Everett Griffiths

Thanks, Ivan, but I should have mentioned this: I already tried Single User mode and repairing permissions. No go. This is just weird. Fsck did not uncover any errors, but the permissions were out on several key files. However, the behavior remains the same: the OS boots normally (in the GUI) until the login window... as soon as the progress indicator finishes on the "Login Window Starting..." it drops to the Unix command line.

Any other ideas of what to try?

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