I am trying to bypass the admin setup on my powerbook g4 (2005) because it keeps freezing at the choose keyboard screen.
I looked up the tutorial using
mount -uw /
rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone
The prompt says that there is no such file or directory, I used the ls -al /var/db, and I dont see it in the list that poped up.
Can anyone help me with this problem---or even the freeze on the choose keyboard?
PowerBook
OK thanks, it appears that at least one essential component is corrupt or was removed from the operating system.
Using your original System Install DVD, reinstall OS X. If a later version of OS X is already installed, you will need to erase your entire system first.
Nothing short of that is likely to resolve it. If you have user account data on the disk and no backup, use another Mac and FireWire Target Disk Mode to archive the existing, corrupt installation so that you can migrate its user data after you reinstall (and subsequently upgrade, if required) OS X.
One last thing to try before resorting to that drastic measure is to restore the .AppleSetupDone file. That ought to skip Setup Assistant, and with any luck at all may restore the normal Login screen. To do that:
touch /var/db/.AppleSetupDone
Type carefully.
OK thanks, it appears that at least one essential component is corrupt or was removed from the operating system.
Using your original System Install DVD, reinstall OS X. If a later version of OS X is already installed, you will need to erase your entire system first.
Nothing short of that is likely to resolve it. If you have user account data on the disk and no backup, use another Mac and FireWire Target Disk Mode to archive the existing, corrupt installation so that you can migrate its user data after you reinstall (and subsequently upgrade, if required) OS X.
One last thing to try before resorting to that drastic measure is to restore the .AppleSetupDone file. That ought to skip Setup Assistant, and with any luck at all may restore the normal Login screen. To do that:
touch /var/db/.AppleSetupDone
Type carefully.
The model Apple portable you have appears to be one build in 2005 and for details
in how to start up from the single-user mode or other details, you'd have to state
what you have, and what you did. Also why you were trying to perform this action..
And if you still have the system software restore install DVD media it shipped with.
Or the last supported OS X version on DVD for the PowerPC processor series...
that would be the Leopard OS X 10.5 retail DVD; to use it as startup disc to test
the hard drive, and perhaps reset or restore a system.
Details about your computer, when it was made, etc are in a Lookup by Serial Number
https://www.powerbookmedic.com/identify-mac-serial.php
The number you posted appears to be this model...
...perhaps a Host will move your posts to a new discussions area separate from earlier content.
Were you trying to start in single user mode, or just get the computer to take a new admin user password?
If you had the correct install-restore media (original grey label DVD that came with PBk, or retail 10.5)
the proper method would be to start the computer with the DVD in the optical drive, and hold the C key
until it loads, then select from the menu items in the Installer, until you see Reset Password; in OS X 10.5
retail media, not gray label from a specific computer, you'd never need to use terminal or single-user.
There may have been an error in your attempt if you made a mistake in the typing; so if you had a
correct line to enter in single-user mode, or copy-pasted the right one, the command may be OK.
http://www.gizmobeast.com/how-tos/macbook-password-resetting-without-cd.html
or this
http://www.macosxtips.co.uk/index_files/reset-lost-os-x-account-password.php
Good luck...! 😐
Ok I will try to restore the .AppleSetupDone, do I need to reboot after i type that?
When I power it on it begins the setup process as if it was a new computer. It goes through the choose language etc... but when it asks the keyboard I want : United States, Canada, etc.. it hangs up. It wont let me click anythin, it never moves to the next screen-- The only thing I can do at that point is turn it off.
Did you notice that Heathen819 asked that question in April of 2013-over four years ago, The forum software is deficient in that it seems incapable of identifying and locking old threads. We all have to look at the date of the original post now to avoid mining up old dead threads.
Then the file isn't there.
.AppleSetupDoneis a placeholder that indicates the Mac has been set up with a User account. Its absence indicates OS X should initiate the "new Mac user" setup procedure. If it is not present the Mac is going to proceed with the latter, which will not bypass anything or solve your problem.
... it keeps freezing at the choose keyboard screen.
That needs further explanation. When do you encounter it?
That did it! Thank You so much for your help!!!
OK, re-creating the .AppleSetupDone file restored the normal login screen? Is your keyboard working as well?
The reason I am asking is that you may now want to apply the appropriate "Combo" update for whatever OS X version you are using. The installer should not have stalled on the keyboard selection.
It's working fine. I've lost the disks that came with it so I wouldnt be able to do that anyway unless I buy one, but I think it will be fine.
You can download the Combo update for whatever OS X version you have. Updates are free.
I had the same problem. I resolved it the same way. So far, so good.
i still have the problem it wont go past apple id keep asking me log in thts all
when i type in: touch /var/db/.AppleSetupDone
is says: Read-Only file system
is that normal?
but when i reboot it still stays in the setup procedure. And stuck at 'Another question' it just freezes.
DDid you ever figure this out?
NOTE
In my experience with this, when I booted into recovery mode typing:
rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone
Said the file didn't exist. When I rebooted, the setup screen didn't show. I logged in as the non-admin user, then looked in /var/db and the file DID exist.
Further investigation showed that in recovery mode, / references the OSX Recovery Partition, and not Macintosh HD partition. So if you boot into recovery mode and .AppleSetupDone doesn't exist in /var/db/, and the setup screen still won't show, do the following in recovery mode:
cd /Volumes
ls -l (This will show all volumes)
cd Macintosh\ HD
cd var/db
ls -la (You should now see a .AppleSetupDone file)
rm .AppleSetupDone
After this, reboot and you should see the setup screen.
rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone: No such file or directory
