Have a oct 2009 Power Mac with ML on it (latest updates) Machine cant' boot into safe mode. Did a reinstall...still no luck. One theory, i have a secondary HD for data that is a software mirror. I heard if the boot drive is a software mirror, safe mode won't work (not confirmed with Apple). Anyone aware of this fact AND do you think having an alternate drive
Mac Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2), 8GB RAM
It's true that you can't safe-boot from a software RAID, but if I understand, that's not what you're trying to do.
If you're using a wired keyboard connected to a hub, connect it to a built-in USB port and try again. If you're using a wireless keyboard, try a wired one.
Otherwise reset the NVRAM:
Reset of PRAM didn't work (tried that amongst all other basic troubleshooting...IT pro for 27 years). Keyboard is not plugged into a hub.
Other reasons for not being able to use safe mode include activating FileVault and setting a firmware password. If neither of those applies, you may be able to force a safe boot independently of the keyboard by entering the following shell command:
sudo nvram boot-args="-x"
Caution: this may make your system unbootable except in single-user mode, or maybe even in single-user mode. In that case, reset the NVRAM again. Otherwise reverse with
sudo nvram boot-args=""
I thought about this one. Is the worse repercussion that I end up in the console, reverse it and back to normal?
I'm truly stumped on this and Applecare provided zippo.
At worst you will have to boot in single-user mode to clear the boot-args variable, or failing that, reset the NVRAM. At least that's how it should be. Since something is apparently wrong with your system, I can't be sure what will happen.
My theory on the alternate drive might be right (assuming you can't boot from a software RAID) there is info in the console log that mentions a prior boot parittion that no longer exists. Any ideas on how to clear this up?
1/1/13 12:29:25.280 PM com.apple.kextd[12]: Warning: /Volumes/DATA/System/Library/Extensions: No such file or directory
1/1/13 12:29:25.281 PM com.apple.kextd[12]: /Volumes/DATA/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/EFILogin.framework/Resources/EFI ResourceBuilder.bundle/Contents/Resources: No such file or directory
1/1/13 12:29:26.278 PM com.apple.kextd[12]: Warning: /Volumes/DATA/System/Library/Extensions: No such file or directory
1/1/13 12:29:26.279 PM com.apple.kextd[12]: /Volumes/DATA/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/EFILogin.framework/Resources/EFI ResourceBuilder.bundle/Contents/Resources: No such file or directory
1/1/13 12:29:26.284 PM com.apple.kextd[12]: '/Volumes/DATA' updating, delaying reboot.
1/1/13 12:29:26.364 PM com.apple.kextcache[6743]: Warning: /Volumes/DATA/System/Library/Extensions: No such file or directory
1/1/13 12:29:26.367 PM com.apple.kextcache[6743]: /Volumes/DATA/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/EFILogin.framework/Resources/EFI ResourceBuilder.bundle/Contents/Resources: No such file or directory
1/1/13 12:29:26.760 PM com.apple.kextcache[6744]: /Volumes/DATA locked; waiting for lock.
1/1/13 12:29:27.709 PM com.apple.kextcache[6743]: Error copying /Volumes/DATA/System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches/Startup/kernelcache to /Volumes/Boot OS X/com.apple.boot.S/System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches/Startup/kernelca che
1/1/13 12:29:28.526 PM com.apple.kextcache[6743]: Error copying /Volumes/DATA/System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches/Startup/kernelcache to /Volumes/Boot OS X/com.apple.boot.S/System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches/Startup/kernelca che
1/1/13 12:29:28.633 PM com.apple.kextd[12]: kextcache error while updating /Volumes/DATA (error count: 2)
1/1/13 12:29:28.634 PM com.apple.kextd[12]: /Volumes/DATA is still busy, delaying reboot.
1/1/13 12:29:28.634 PM com.apple.kextcache[6744]: Warning: /Volumes/DATA/System/Library/Extensions: No such file or directory
1/1/13 12:29:28.634 PM com.apple.kextcache[6744]: /Volumes/DATA/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/EFILogin.framework/Resources/EFI ResourceBuilder.bundle/Contents/Resources: No such file or directory
1/1/13 12:29:29.184 PM com.apple.kextcache[6744]: Error copying /Volumes/DATA/System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches/Startup/kernelcache to /Volumes/Boot OS X/com.apple.boot.S/System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches/Startup/kernelca che
1/1/13 12:29:29.880 PM com.apple.kextcache[6744]: Error copying /Volumes/DATA/System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches/Startup/kernelcache to /Volumes/Boot OS X/com.apple.boot.S/System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches/Startup/kernelca che
1/1/13 12:29:29.957 PM com.apple.kextd[12]: kextcache error while updating /Volumes/DATA (error count: 3)
1/1/13 12:29:29.957 PM com.apple.kextd[12]: Warning: /Volumes/DATA/System/Library/Extensions: No such file or directory
1/1/13 12:29:29.958 PM com.apple.kextd[12]: /Volumes/DATA/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/EFILogin.framework/Resources/EFI ResourceBuilder.bundle/Contents/Resources: No such file or directory
You seem to have a damaged secondary boot volume. I doubt that would stop you from booting your primary volume in safe mode, but maybe I'm wrong. Reinstall the OS on the secondary volume and see what happens.
That volume is a software RAID so can't be a boot volume. It has this issue from installing developer tools prior. I need a solution to get the kext to stop seeing this...there is either a file to edit or some cache that I can't seem to empty.
A software RAID can be bootable. I don't know what's on the volume, so I suggest you erase it and restore only the data you know you need on it from a backup.
On Apple's site it says a software RAID can't be so I'm going to go by that with all due respect. That said, besides having to move TBs of data and erase, I suspect that will not reslove it as there is something in the boot files that addresses the missing files so erasing the drive will still produce the same errors in the log. I need a solution to exorcise the mentions of this ghost boot drive from my boot partition if you will.
You can install OS X on a RAID without a Recovery partition:
To repeat, I don't know what's on the volume. Does it have a System folder? If so, delete that.
That still isn't the issue at hand which is I don't want that to be a boot drive nor did i set it up as one. Devleoper tools (installed to that drive prior) somehow caused this and I need a solution to tell the system to not look to this drive and this ghost boot partition.
You could not possibly have installed Xcode on the volume unless it was bootable. We seem to be going in circles, and you're not providing any more information, so I don't have anything to add. Good luck.
You can choose to move the App Directory for Xcode and all tools to another drive which is what I did. This was not a drive that had a system folder on it prior.
I too have the same issue, MBP 13 A1278 with latest ML update. I have moved the original 700GB disk to the dvd bay and placed a 240GB SSD in its place. The 700GB disk is empty, ML and all data are on the SSD drive. I cannot boot in Safe Mode, when I do, it stays stuck in the progress bar at about 15%.
Can't Boot Into safe mode mountain lion
