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How can I delete a System folder when my mac won't start up?

Hi.

Please could someone help me.

My Mac has got 2 System Folders on it and a Previous System Folder and so it won't start up (I guess it is confused).

How can I delete one or both of the system folders?

There is information on the hard drive that I would like to keep so I'd prefer not to have to erase the whole drive.

I would be very grateful if someone could help me.

Otherwise I guess I will have to take it to a Mac engineer to sort it.

Many thanks

Ve

Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Feb 13, 2013 8:41 AM

Reply
4 replies

Feb 13, 2013 3:23 PM in response to VeBrown

My Mac has got 2 System Folders on it

That's impossible. Two folders cannot have the same name. Hence, you do not have 2 System Folders. You may have a folder with a different name but similar, but computers will not be confused.


Anyway, this isn't the reason your computer will not boot.


Try holding down the option key then power on. This brings up the startup manager. Click on your hd. Click on right arrow key. See if you can get this to work.


Shutdown your machine. Hold down the shift key. Poweron. Wait awhile Wait awhile while you harddrive

is being checked.

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1455



I suspect disk corruptions.


verify & repair your startup drive

To verify & repair you file system on the startup drive, you will need to run disk utility from you installation DVD.


This article will tell you how to get to disk utility. Once in a disk utility, you can go and attempt to recover the disk.

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1417

To repair your startup drive, you will need to run disk utility from your startup DVD.
Mac OS X 10.4: About the utilities available on the Mac OS X 10.4 Install DVD

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2055


How to run disk utility from your startup DVD.

  1. Insert your startup DVD into your reader. Power down your machine. Hold down to the c key. Power on your machine. This will bootup your startup DVD.
  2. This will bring you to a panel asking you for your language. Pick your language.

  3. User uploaded file
  4. You you come to the Install Mac OS panel. Do not install.
  5. Click on Utilities menu item. This will give you a pulldown list of utilities. User uploaded file
  6. Click on the disk utility.
  7. You are now in disk utility. Pick your disk. Click on repair it should be on the lower right of the panel. User uploaded file
  8. Once the repair completes successfully, you should update your permissions.

How can I delete a System folder when my mac won't start up?

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