Need to delete /usr/bin without using terminal

Question

Level 1

0 points

Need to delete /usr/bin without using terminal

In a bit of a bind.

All how-tos detailing how to delete or alter the /usr/bin file involve terminal, but terminal won't work b/c of this error

login: PAM Error (line 396): System error
login: Could not determine audit condition

[Process completed]

I alterred something in usr/bin and need to change it but must do so with some other program other than terminal (altering that usr/bin file will then fix terminal).

Kind of a chicken or egg problem.

Macbook 2.16 (White), Mac OS X (10.5.1)

Posted on Aug 5, 2008 10:44 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Aug 6, 2008 12:21 AM in response to johntkucz

I take it you're no Unix hand, so I hope you otherwise know what you're doing since deleting /usr/bin will remove important files used by the operating system.

Boot into single-user mode. At the prompt enter:

/sbin/fsck -fy

If you receive a message that says " *** FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED ***" then re-run the command until you receive a message that says "** The volume (name ofvolume) appears to be OK." If you re-run the command more than seven times and do not get the OK message, then the drive cannot be repaired this way.

Next enter:

/sbin/mount -uw /

This will make the filesystem writeable. You can navigate by entering:

cd /usr/bin

This will take you to the /usr/bin directory. Note that in single-user mode you are root. Much damage can be done if you aren't careful. When you finish enter:

reboot

Reply

Answer 2

johntkucz Author

Level 1

0 points

Sep 12, 2008 1:25 PM in response to Kappy

well actually I am a bit of a novice-intermediate unix hand. I'm familiar with the cd and mount commands as well as those arguments (but I've run them on linux). Don't know how/why you misinterpretted that...but anyways your commands look somewhat familiar and should be helpful. thanks. I'll give it a go after backing up some stuff. hehe.

Message was edited by: johntkucz

Reply