BootCacheControl: Unable to open /Var/db/BootCache.playlist:2 No such file or directory

For people who get this problem in future, check that /var/ is a link to /private/var/

My poor macbook had something try to place a file in the /var/ directory which overwrote the link. Now the Apple system creates files in /private/var/ but expects to find then in /var/. It can't find them so it wont boot, even a reinstall of the OS cannot save you!

My only solution was to boot single user mode (apple+option+S+U keys) and navigate to the root directory cd /

Then, check with ls -ls / that /var -> /private/var . In my case it did not, so I had to rename the 'var' directory mv /var /var-bak and then create a link using ln -s /private/var. Please be careful in single-user mode!

Note my information I only know is correct for versions Lion to Yosemite. Cant remember the structure of Snow-Leopard!

Boot into Recovery by holding down the key combination command-R at the startup chime. Release the keys when you see a gray screen with a spinning dial.

Note: You need an always-on Ethernet or Wi-Fi connection to the Internet to use Recovery. It won’t work with USB or PPPoE modems, or with proxy servers, or with networks that require a certificate for authentication.

When the OS X Utilities screen appears, follow the prompts to reinstall the OS. You don't need to erase the boot volume, and you won't need your backup unless something goes wrong. If your Mac was upgraded from an older version of OS X, you’ll need the Apple ID and password you used to upgrade, so make a note of those before you begin.

Hello,

I'm with the same problem on a new MacBookPro

- I have ran the disk utiities, disk is ok

- I have reinstalled MacOS X after booting via command-R, and big surprise: this didn't fix anything. In deed the file BootCache.playlist was not reinstalled with the OS and so I'm back at the start point.

- I have spent hours to check how I could regenrate this file manually (from single user mode). Indeed it appears ridiculous to me to make an OS reinstall where there is just a missing file. I appears the command "bootcachecontrol generate" is not very documented, in all cases I don't understand how to use it to rebuild a playlist file.

- I was wondering if there is a mean to deactivate the bootcache control system (I didn't find the unix file where it is launched), so I could first start the OS then do the upgrade to Marverick, hoping the problem will be fixed with this version.

- any suggestions ?

This computer was bought 3 months ago and it is out of use !

Thanks

I forgot to say potentiel permission problems were checked too while runing the disk utility to check the disk.

Someone tell me that the BootCache.playlist file is to be created if it does not exists at startup. So, complaining about its missing is curious ! I was wondering if the disk could not have a problem fsck could have not seen, preventing bootcachecontrol to worl correctly. In this case I should reformat the disk.

What do you think ?

I realy need help to get out of this.

Thanks,

Bernard

.

It appears that NORMALLY the BootCache.playlist file is rebuild by the system when missing. So the problem is why the system cannot be able to rebuild it ?

Anyway, the problem was solved this way:

- backup all datas (from single user mode for example)

- boot in repair mode (command-R), then DELETE the Macintosh HD Volume from the Disk Utility

- reinstall the OS

The problem was that the system was not completely reinstalled because the previous OS was still installed, so I needed to erase the HD Volume before.

Bernard

Good work, thanks for the report, usually a Disk Repair will as the last step recreate/update the Bootcache & displays such in red text here.

I have the same problem but I don't know in which way may I "backup all datas (from single user mode for example)" I don't have backup !!

My macbook pro is in gray sometimes blue screen,

I did:

check the hardware (with DVD) is OK

re boot with:

shift,

cmd R,

cmd P+R

cmd C with ethernet and with de original dvd

and nothing happen in any case.

Please help

Thank you in advance and sorry for my English