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Permissions Help... I think?

Alright guys, here's the run down.


I made the stupid mistake of changing the permissions and clicking apply to all enclosed folders. (I know NOW to never do that so let's not bring that up 🙂 )

So now my Mac won't boot. It's a late 2007 iMac running 10.6.8 so my options are limited.

Just to limit them a bit further, I don't have the install disk, no TM back-up, recovery mode or disk utility & won't boot in safe mode.

Basically the ONLY thing I have to work with is Single User Mode, which I'm quite comfy in 🙂

I've tried some chmod commands, fsck comes back fine, the only thing I can noticeably see is verbose mode shows the start up hangs at a dubious permissions on file & to please rename to launchd: /etc/mach_init/d/dashboardadvisoryd.plist. No idea what that means!

I'm ok with erasing everything and starting over, but when I run the remove apple setup command, it comes back with no file found?


More recently I've tried /usr/libexec/repair_packages --repair --standard-pkgs because I read it's pretty much the same thing Disk Utility Repair Permissions runs.

That brought up something about the ACL's and I think my Mac is repairing itself, it has the look of single user mode but it's scrolling super fast! For about 35 mins now...


So here's my question(s):

How long should I let this thing run? I've read clearing ACL's take just a few minutes.

Are there other commands in SUM I could try?

How can I fix that dubious permissions error?

And if it has to come down to it, I'm totally fine erasing everything and starting over, so I would need some help on that 🙂


Thanks in advance guys! I'm sorry I have so many questions, I've just been googling my butt off and wants some answers once and for all! 🙂

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on May 29, 2015 2:53 AM

Reply
2 replies

Jan 8, 2017 7:50 AM in response to SassyCookie1012

It sure helped *me*! I'd tried a few solutions that involved single-user mode, but yours is the only one that worked.


I let it run overnight. It took six or seven hours to complete repairs. (There are just under a million files on the drive.) My suggestion to others would be not to despair if repairs aren't completed in only an hour and a half. Give it time.


Can't tell you how much I appreciate this. Thank you, SassyCookie!

May 29, 2015 3:58 AM in response to SassyCookie1012

I did it!! I'm up and running using ONLY single user mode!


So boot into SUM

Fsck -fy

Mount -uw /

/usr/libexec/repair_packages --repair --standard-pkgs

Wait... It'll load ACL info

After that your screen should start scrolling really fast

DO NOT INTERRUPT IT

Mine ran for an hour and a half

Once it stopped scrolling, it said volumes repaired

REBOOT <enter>

You are welcome 😉 I know I dug around for awhile so maybe this will help you!

Permissions Help... I think?

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