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Level 2

180 points

Uninstall unresponsive applejack

Does anyone know how to remove applejack when the command 'applejack uninstall' results in the response 'no such file or directory' ?

I just updated my OS from 10.5.8 to 10.6.8. Applejack v1.6 was already installed on the drive and worked in 10.5, but is unresponsive now. Furthermore, to get out of single user mode now takes two attempts at 'exit'. The prompt: type 'applejack' for more information still appears on the single user screen, but all attempts to produce the applejack menu, to get auto mode to start, or to uninstall all result in the 'no such file' response.

Their Read Me says the script is loacted at: /private/var/root/Library/Scripts/applejack.sh, but, as a novice in single user mode, I have no idea where that is in the finder. The finder's Find page and Spotlight were no help loctating it.

Starting fresh with the newer OS, I'd prefer to get rid of this unresposive program that still appears on the single user page and now interferes with the 'exit' function.

Thanks in advance,

Dr. Rock

Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.6.8), 1.83GHz Intel Core2Duo 2GB SDRAM

Posted on Jan 2, 2012 9:49 PM

29 replies

BDAqua

Level 10

239,339 points

Jan 3, 2012 7:30 PM in response to Dr. Rock

Were you booted from the backip drive when you succesfully removed it from that drive?

X423424X

Level 6

14,265 points

Jan 3, 2012 9:25 PM in response to WZZZ

WZZZ wrote:

That script came from here. I always thought sudo, superuser do, allowed one to run commands as root, period. So I'm ready to learn more about this from you.

I always thought that admin privleges had it's limits, and reaching into the root account (/var/root) was that limit. As I said though, I could be wrong about this.

Maybe the Dr. has to enable the root account and try running that script. Then we may know.

Except he keeps refusing to do that.

Not too long ago I was trying to help someone else uninstall a failed AJ. Never understood why it failed -- it's never happened to me -- or why he had so much trouble uninstalling. He ended up throwing in the towel, prematurely I thought, and just reinstalled.

Yuk!

EDIT: just realized that page is for AJ 1.4/Tiger version. Maybe that's why the script won't work. Can't get into Terminal right now to see man applejack.But I think the default location and directions to uninstall are the same in the Snow version.

I just took a look at the AppleJack 1.6 .pkg installer (and it's postflight script). A quick scan of that stuff looks like that script is correct.

But this just gave me another idea for Dr. Rock:

Dr. Rock, why don't you rerun the AppleJack 1.6 installer on your system? I don't know what's going on currently with your system and your applejack troubles, but if you rerun the installer it should reinstall all its requisite components...correctly. The you can boot up in single user mode, launch applejack, which presumably will launch correctly, and use its uninstall option.

With respect to that script. Earlier I said for you to try,

sudo rm /private/var/root/Library/Scripts/applejack.sh

And you said you got a "file not found" error. Frankly I don't understand that since that is where the installer installs applejack.sh. This is also basically the same command in the first line of the script WZZZ gave as well.

BDAqua

Level 10

239,339 points

Jan 3, 2012 9:28 PM in response to X423424X

I'm suspecting Directory or OS corruption at the moment.

X423424X

Level 6

14,265 points

Jan 3, 2012 9:53 PM in response to Dr. Rock

For future reference. Here's the layout of everything the applejack 1.6 installer installs:

/Library

/Documentation

/Applejack

License.rtf

ReadMe.rtf

/usr

/local

/sbin

memtest (optional)

/share

/man

/man8

applejack.8

/private/var/root

.profile

/Library

/Scripts

applejack.sh

Note, the .profile is the original root .profile (if any) with the applejack-specific lines added.

Dr. Rock Author

Level 2

180 points

Jan 3, 2012 9:54 PM in response to BDAqua

BD: Yes, I was booted from the backup drive and successfully removed it there.

Dr. Rock Author

Level 2

180 points

Jan 3, 2012 10:06 PM in response to X423424X

X: OK, not knowing anything about root accounts and terminal, I did ask "Does root level need to be activated in System Preferences for this to tactic to work?" in a prior post regarding running scripts, but got no clear answer as to how to proceed.

I thought about reloading a new copy of applejack 1.6 (the version I originally installed), but the problem applejack was supposed to fix has also migrated from 10.5 to 10.6. At this point, I'm inclined to think there is some basic corruption here, especially since single user mode will not exit on the first attempt. BD may be right. Maybe I should just bite the bullet, erase the drive and start over.

Thanks to all.

Dr. Rock

BDAqua

Level 10

239,339 points

Jan 3, 2012 10:13 PM in response to Dr. Rock

First see what Disk Utility>Verify Disk says about it.

Dr. Rock Author

Level 2

180 points

Jan 3, 2012 10:15 PM in response to BDAqua

Tried that this morning. Ran both verify and repair disk. No problems reported.

BDAqua

Level 10

239,339 points

Jan 3, 2012 10:35 PM in response to Dr. Rock

If all the above fails, then it appears to be time for a relatively painless Archive & Install, which gives you a new/old OS, but can preserve all your files, pics, music, settings, etc., as long as you have plenty of free disk space and no Disk corruption, and is relatively quick & painless...

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107120

Just be sure to select Preserve Users & Settings.

Dr. Rock Author

Level 2

180 points

Jan 3, 2012 10:46 PM in response to BDAqua

This is almost the same conclusion I came to. Since all my content is on the 10.5 backup drive, and there is no Archive and Install feature on the 10.6 disk, I'll use what they call Erase and Install to erase the main drive and use the Migration Assistant to load all my data.

Thanks to everyone for your kind help,

Dr. Rock

BDAqua

Level 10

239,339 points

Jan 3, 2012 10:58 PM in response to Dr. Rock

10.6 does by default what we used to call an A&I, you have to go out of your way to do otherwise, I think I'd try that first. 🙂

Jan 3, 2012 11:48 PM in response to Dr. Rock

When needing to locate and delete any files the apps 'EasyFind' and 'Find Any File'

Are your good friends. Both work beautifully.

BDAqua

Level 10

239,339 points

Jan 4, 2012 12:04 AM in response to iskander1

Indeed, Spotlight is worthless, EasyFind hs been my savior! 🙂

Dr. Rock Author

Level 2

180 points

Jan 4, 2012 11:01 AM in response to BDAqua

Thanks for the mention of EasyFind. Should be very helpful going forward.

As to the reinstall, it was the default installation that left us with the fragmented applejack and odd single user response in the first place. Erase and Install from the bootable backup drive turned out to be relatively painless, and took just about the same time as the first go round. Tested single user mode after the fresh install. Applejack prompt is gone, logout successful with on first typing of 'exit'.

All is good. Thanks to all who helped.

Dr. Rock

Uninstall unresponsive applejack