MacPro Won't Boot, Rolling Back OSX

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Level 1

4 points

MacPro Won't Boot, Rolling Back OSX

Hello.

I guesst this is the part-2 of my journey [ Lion Downgrade to SnowLeopard, MacPro ]

So, I thought I'm all good to go with my new MacPro but after setting up my user accounts and permissions and some applications, I got this problem.

Here's a little backtrack, I needed to roll back OSX for our primary application Avid MC5 :

Reformatted Hdrive/Installed SnowLeo. CD (10.6.3) / installed UpdateCombo (10.6.8) [target mode-MAcPro-MacPro-FW800]
migrated user account/files using MigrationAssist. [target mode]
Snow running well, AvidMC-5 on migrated user account
set permissions of hard drives (info/sharing&permission)
got errors (error16) when launching apps like Photoshop, Audition-trial...
Shut down to reboot... NO BOOT (only gray apple)

Now, I'm running DiskUtility, repairing permission via target mode...

Any ideas or recommendations?

Thank you.

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8), Video Editing Workstation - 2

Posted on Feb 28, 2012 6:35 PM

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Answer 1

Feb 28, 2012 9:36 PM in response to ervzman

reset ACL by booting from the install disk?

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Answer 2

ervzman Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 28, 2012 9:42 PM in response to ervzman

I also noticed that the other drives (MEDIA & XBACKUP) is locked. Is that ok?

So I guess my concern is, in case permission is UNrepairable, is it ok to reformat system drive with new user/permission and still access those drives?

SCREENSHOT: On target mode - Three drives from the MacPro (system drive and other internal drives)

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Answer 3

ervzman Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 28, 2012 10:03 PM in response to boink boink

boink boink wrote:

reset ACL by booting from the install disk?

thanks boink boink.

How do you reset ACL?

I tried several times but the new MAcPro-8core does not boot from my SnowL. (10.6.3) CD. I'm not sure why. When I hold 'c' on startup, I can hear the CD would start spinnning then stop, then nothing.

That's the other reason why I'm using DiskUtility via TargetDiskMode. I'm curently reapring permission on MacPro drive. It's been more than an hour now... Does it really take that long?

PLease keep the support coming. Thanks!

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Answer 4

Feb 28, 2012 10:25 PM in response to ervzman

i think resetting ACL will not fix this.

are the disk on Mac OS X journaled? can you check via disk utility.

i' looking for the command to fix this.

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Answer 5

petermac87

Level 5

7,447 points

Feb 28, 2012 10:29 PM in response to ervzman

When you say New MacBook Pro, just how new are we talking here?

Thanks

Pete

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Answer 6

Feb 28, 2012 10:31 PM in response to boink boink

before you try this, i hope we have a backup of you files sitting on the external HD. if you can't access it, then there's no choice but to take the risk.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2778787?start=0&tstart=0

baltwo wrote:

See Niel's guide.

VK said for locked HDs and volumes at http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2329689

sudo chflags 0 /volumes/*
sudo chmod a+rx /volumes/*

replace * with the name of your external hard drives.

sudo chflags 0 /volumes/MEDIA
sudo chmod a+rx /volumes/MEDIA

sudo chflags 0 /volumes/X_BACKUP
sudo chmod a+rx /volumes/X_BACKUP

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Answer 7

ervzman Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 28, 2012 10:49 PM in response to petermac87

petermac87 wrote:

When you say New MacBook Pro, just how new are we talking here?

It's an eight-core MacPro, the big tower :-)

we just bought it last week.

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Answer 8

ervzman Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 28, 2012 11:06 PM in response to boink boink

boink boink wrote:

before you try this, i hope we have a backup of you files sitting on the external HD. if you can't access it, then there's no choice but to take the risk.

Thanks boink boink.

Disk Format :

Mac OS Extended (Journaled)

Just a clarifrication, the three drives from the screen capture are all TargetDrives inside the MacPro. I just had an icon customized on 'MacPro'.

Do you have any fix the 'MacPro' system drive? It still does not boot up on its own.

BTW, I cancelled the permission repair because it's taking so long. Should I complete it?

Thanks.

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Answer 9

Feb 28, 2012 11:01 PM in response to ervzman

if you can boot from the install disk, do the repair of permission there on all disk. to reset the ACL check this link.

http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/how_to_resolve_user-level_permissions_iss ues_mac_os_x/

not really sure if resetting ACL will help.

for the HDD with custom permission, i might run the command below in terminal. i'm just doubting my suggestion for the harm it might cause if it is not the fix. but your issue seems to be similar from what i had and this is what i tried. crossing my fingers for you.

sudo chflags 0 /volumes/MEDIA
sudo chmod a+rx /volumes/MEDIA

sudo chflags 0 /volumes/X_BACKUP
sudo chmod a+rx /volumes/X_BACKUP

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Answer 10

ervzman Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 28, 2012 11:27 PM in response to boink boink

running DiskUtility...

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Answer 11

ervzman Author

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4 points

Feb 28, 2012 11:37 PM in response to boink boink

Posititve Update: permission fix (Terminal) on the media drives is good. lock removed.

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Answer 12

Feb 28, 2012 11:38 PM in response to ervzman

ervzman wrote:

Posititve Update: permission fix (Terminal) on the media drives is good. lock removed.

that's good news!

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Answer 13

ervzman Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 28, 2012 11:44 PM in response to boink boink

DiskUtil. is still running. Do you think repairing permissions on the MacPro HDD will solve the boot problem?

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Answer 14

Feb 29, 2012 12:06 AM in response to ervzman

It is possible that it will fix it if it is a permission issue. while booted from the disk, go to utilities then start up disk, does MacPro show up? if not, it is not a bootable drive.

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Answer 15

ervzman Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 29, 2012 12:36 AM in response to boink boink

I'm on another MacPro (old), targetting the new MacPro via firewire. The target system drive (MacPro) was working until this problem.

As mentioned earlier, CD boot is not working on the new MacPro. Its an old SnwL. (10.6.3) CD.

Permission repair still running. Estimate still says 10 mins...that was an hour ago.

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