Terminal: chroot-command results in "no such file or directory", but the HD is there when using "cd"

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Terminal: chroot-command results in "no such file or directory", but the HD is there when using "cd"

Hello,

I am unable to start up from my harddisk with Yosemite and I am 98% sure that it's because I'm affected by the Chrome VAR bug. I try to apply the VAR bug fix, but I am stopped by this strange problem:

I start up from a different HD with Mojave installed. In terminal I can change directory to "Macintosh HD" (the Yosemite-disk) using the cd command. But when I us the chroot command I get the reply "no such file or directory".

This is copied from Terminal:

Prasads-Mini:Macintosh HD prasad-mojave$ chroot/Volumes/Macintosh\ HD 
-bash: chroot/Volumes/Macintosh HD: No such file or directory

As you can see the HD is recognised in line 1, but apparently not in when using chroot.

When doing the same in Recovery mode I get the same result.

Two more things:

When my Mac started acting strange - before rebooting - I ran disk utility and also CleanMyMac. Could it be that CMM has deleted something that has caused this problem? I have run it several times before with no issues, but perhaps a combination of VAR and CMM-cleanup is unfortunate?
I know very little about Unix and terminal commands.

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Sep 26, 2019 4:36 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

BobHarris

Level 9

53,261 points

Sep 26, 2019 5:39 AM in response to prasado

Not knowing what fix you are looking at, or more than the headlines about the Chrome /var deleting, cannot tell you if what you are doing is correct.

BUT, I can tell you the syntax error in the command you are showing.

You need a space between 'chroot' and /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD

chroot     /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD

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Answer 2

BobHarris

Level 9

53,261 points

Sep 26, 2019 6:10 AM in response to prasado

You got a different error, which means you got the syntax correct this time.

Since you have not posted the fix, and are just handing out snipits, I cannot comment on the effectiveness of the fix, or even if it is good Unix commands.

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Answer 3

prasado Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 26, 2019 6:17 AM in response to BobHarris

Oh yes you're right about that syntax error, sorry! But unfortunately it doesn't solve my problem.

I don't get to actually applying the fix, because of the "Operation not permitted" error. Does that error make any sense to you?

Here is the fix in its totality:

chroot /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD # "Macintosh HD" is the default

rm -rf /Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate/GoogleSoftwareUpdate.bundle

mv var var_back # var may not exist, but this is fine

ln -sh private/var var

chflags -h restricted /var

chflags -h hidden /var

xattr -sw com.apple.rootless "" /var

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Answer 4

BobHarris

Level 9

53,261 points

Sep 26, 2019 6:27 AM in response to prasado

I start up from a different HD with Mojave installed.

You are not 'root'. Did the original instructions have you starting from Recovery mode? You would have been 'root' in that situation.

Add the following command BEFORE you do the procedure:

sudo -s

The password asked for will be your user password, and I assume your user is an admin for that boot disk.

Also the "Macintosh HD" assumes you have not renamed your boot disk. "Macinntosh HD" is the default name macOS gives to a new system's boot disk, but it can be renamed, so if you did rename it you will need to use the actual name. You can verify the name using:

/bin/ls /Volumes

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Answer 5

BobHarris

Level 9

53,261 points

Sep 26, 2019 6:29 AM in response to BobHarris

Oh yea. It is technically possible the external disk you booted from Also has the name "Macintosh HD". So there may be 2 similar names in /Volumes. You get to figure out which is which.

Or disconnect the external disk, and boot into the recovery partition so there is only 1 disk to worry about.

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Answer 6

prasado Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 26, 2019 7:07 AM in response to prasado

YES - it worked! Thanks a lot for your help - you are my hero of the day!

I couldn’t see that space in the code on the page where I first found it (bad rendering). And then I tried while booted from a HD where I didn’t have root access. Sigh! But now it works!

Cheers to you, Bob! 😀👍

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Answer 7

prasado Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 26, 2019 7:42 AM in response to prasado

I now repeated the fix - while adding a line:

rm -rf /Users/prasad/Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate/GoogleSoftwareUpdate.bundle

The software update was placed in the library of my home directory. I guess this is what fixed it, hopefully for good!

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Answer 8

Oct 3, 2019 8:55 AM in response to prasado

May I ask if this fixed the issue for you?

I think I have the same problem and I’m trying to follow the instructions but my MacBook still can’t get past the loading screen. I can only use it in safe mode.

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Answer 9

prasado Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 26, 2019 5:48 AM in response to BobHarris

Thanks, Bob, but it doesn't seem that you are right about that space. The syntax is copied from the Google fix page. And I get an error "Operation not permitted" when I try with a space in between.

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