Security change hdd. MacBook will not boot.

Hi Jake, and a warm welcome to the forums! 🙂

I've never seen that option, but I don't have any laptops, you might get better help here...

http://discussions.apple.com/category.jspa?categoryID=218

Will it Safe Boot from the HD, (holding Shift key down at bootup)?

Tough without the Install disc, but some things to try...

Does it boot to Single User Mode, CMD+s keys at bootup, if so try...

/sbin/fsck -fy

Repeat until it shows no errors fixed.

(Space between fsck AND -fy important).

Resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance with Disk Utility and fsck...

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214

Tough without the Tiger Disk problems, but try fsck...

To use fsck, you must run it from the command line. Unlike using your mouse to open an application to do something, you'll need to type a text command at the prompt (#) to tell fsck what to do. The Terminal application (/Applications/Utilities) and single-user mode are two examples of command-line interfaces in which you can type such commands. To use fsck:

1. Start up your computer in single-user mode to reach the command line. Hold CMD+s keys down at bootup.
Note: If necessary, perform a forced restart as described in the Emergency Troubleshooting Handbook that came with your computer. On desktop computers, you can do this by pressing the reset/interrupt button (if there is one) or holding down the power button for several seconds. On portable computers, simultaneously press the Command-Control-power keys. If your portable computer doesn't restart with this method, you may need to reset the Power Manager.

2. At the command-line prompt, type /sbin/fsck -fy

(SPACE between fsck AND -fy important)

3. Press Return. fsck will go through five "phases" and then return information about your disk's use and fragmentation. Once it finishes, it'll display this message if no issue is found:

The volume (name ofvolume) appears to be OK 
If fsck found issues and has altered, repaired, or fixed anything, it will display this message:
 *** FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED *** 

Important: If this message appears, repeat the fsck command you typed in step 2 until fsck tells you that your volume appears to be OK (first-pass repairs may uncover additional issues, so this is a normal thing to do).

4. When fsck reports that your volume is OK, type reboot at the prompt and then press Return.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214

I have a similar problem as Jake73, and I also don't have a my Install disc at hand right now, but have Leopard on my MacBook not Tiger.

I also accidentally changed my HDD settings from secure to insecure, including all subfolders(!!!).

Apparently this was a quite stupid thing to do. It took Finder some time to adjust the settings (it froze for a while, while other apps still where running properly), and after it finished, I tried to undo the setting be clicking the little lock symbol again, but the option for the subfolders was not available anymore. Everything still seemed to work fine though. But after a restart the system won't boot anymore. It tries to boot but only goes up to where the apple symbol is shown on a greyish/blueish screen and the little wheel is spinning. After about 30sec to 1 minute it does an automatic restart.

I cant start in safe mode (even if this was initialized I guess the restart would kill the process, which I read can take a while).

Starting in Single User mode works and I tried all of the things mentioned here and on http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1411?viewlocale=en_US. After running "/sbin/fsck -fy" it tells me that my volume appears to be OK, but when I run reboot nothing has changed, Mac still is unsuccessfully trying to boot and then restarting every minute or so.

Any advice? Is there maybe a timeout setting that triggers a restart when booting takes too long? Can I somehow reset the security preferences in the single user mode? The "mv Preferences Preferences_old" command in "Library" also wont work, and Im not sure if its even appropriate for 10.5.X.

Thanks for any help.

Hi FA_TE, and a warm welcome to the forums! 🙂

It's not quite clear what this part means...

I also accidentally changed my HDD settings from secure to insecure, including all subfolders.

Are you saying you changed Perissions on the drive or some folders, or what?

In the information menu for the hard drive I clicked on the little lock symbol on the very bottom right, thereby unlocking it, and also clicked on the option to adapt the settings to the subfolders (little gear wheel symbol). I had to confirm this by entering my system password. (I wanted to try change the settings when I got an error message trying to install a LaTeX application, which said there were no writing permissions.) Classical trial and ERROR! 😟

edit: I forgot... thanks for the warm welcome and the quick reply!!! 🙂

Message was edited by: FA_TE

OK, I think I understand what you did...

1. Start up your computer in single-user mode to reach the command line. Hold CMD+s keys down at bootup.
Note: If necessary, perform a forced restart as described in the Emergency Troubleshooting Handbook that came with your computer. On desktop computers, you can do this by pressing the reset/interrupt button (if there is one) or holding down the power button for several seconds. On portable computers, simultaneously press the Command-Control-power keys. If your portable computer doesn't restart with this method, you may need to reset the Power Manager.

2. At the command-line prompt, type /sbin/fsck -fy

3. Press Return. fsck will go through five "phases" and then return information about your disk's use and fragmentation. Once it finishes, it'll display this message if no issue is found:

The volume (name ofvolume) appears to be OK 

If fsck found issues and has altered, repaired, or fixed anything, it will display this message:

*** FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED *** 

Important: If this message appears, repeat the fsck command you typed in step 2 until fsck tells you that your volume appears to be OK (first-pass repairs may uncover additional issues, so this is a normal thing to do).

3B. Type
cd /Volumes
and press enter

3D. Type the command
chmod 755 Macintosh\ HD/
and press enter

4. Type reboot at the prompt and then press Return.

(Spaces important)

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214

Thanks. Unfortunately it didnt work. I followed the steps through as you proposed. Actually after "fsck -fy" it didnt go through five phases and information about disk use and fragmentation is not returned. It looks like that:

/sbin/fsck -fy
** /dev/rdisk0s2
** Root file system
** Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.

(... All together there are 8 "Checking ..." messages ... )

** Checking volume information.
** The volume Macintosh HD appears to be OK.
:/ root#

Then I enter"cd /Volumes" and subsequently "chmod 755 Macintosh\ HD/", after which I get the message "chmod: Macintosh HD/: Read-only file system" (It also says before "Root device is mounted read-only") After rebooting nothing has changed. 😟

OOPs, sorry forgot step 3a...

/sbin/mount -uaw