Unable to enter single user mode (to create Admin account)

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Level 1

8 points

Unable to enter single user mode (to create Admin account)

Hi

I had to install windows 10 with bootcamp to run lots of large memory Windows compatible only programs.

Somehow my admin account changed to a standard user account on Mac and the username and password became blank under "User groups" so I can't access it or use Admin to install/update on mac.

I tried to recover/create a new Admin account by following forum instructions and pressing Cmd and S key upon restart.

However each time it just takes me back to the windows account loading screen, even when I hold alt key to go back into my Mac standard user account and restart from there.

I have the feeling that if I delete the windows partition, then I can create the Admin account.

But it took me a very long time to install windows, and set it up with antivirus and install programs there, so I really do not want to go through installing it all over again

MacBook Pro with Retina display, null

Posted on Jul 3, 2018 4:20 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Encryptor5000

Level 5

7,502 points

Jul 3, 2018 11:53 AM in response to harambeqc

Hi Harambeqc,

When you trigger Single User Mode, your Mac tries to send this instruction to the operating system on the default startup disk. However, in your case the default startup disk (BOOTCAMP) contains Windows, and the Single User Mode command is ignored. Booting macOS won’t help this, since booting it once won’t set it as the default startup disk, resulting in the following Single User Mode command being sent to Windows.

To fix this issue, you’ll need to set your macOS volume as the default startup disk. This can be done directly in Startup Manager by doing the following:

1. Invoke Startup Manager by holding down the Option (Alt) key as you turn on or restart your Mac.

2. Use the arrow keys to select your macOS volume.

3. Hold down the Control key. The up arrow should change to a circular arrow.

4. While holding down the Control key, hit Enter (Return). This will set your macOS volume as the default startup disk.

To invoke Single User Mode afterwards, simply hold down Command-S while you turn on or restart your Mac. Windows will not boot unless you explicitly tell it to.

Hope this helps!

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Answer 2

Jul 3, 2018 8:04 AM in response to harambeqc

Do you have FileVault activated on your drive?

Here is another possible way you might be able to do this without using single user mode:

if you can temporarily use another mac, boot your mac in target disk mode, and access its drive from the other mac to remove the .AppleSetupDone file (which is the crucial step in the method to create a new admin account).

You will have to just use the line starting with "rm " from the instructions, but in this case it would be slightly different. Instead of "rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone" you need to type

rm /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD/var/db/.AppleSetupDone

(appropriately edited to match the actual name of your mac drive - in the example I used the common "Macintosh HD" name; the \ is necessary to escape the space character)

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Answer 3

harambeqc Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 3, 2018 11:57 AM in response to Encryptor5000

Thanks this worked!

Setting up the Admin account was tricky afterwards because of the way people wrote the commands into different paragraph's I think they could have explained or written it out in a different way, as pressing enter doesnt let u make a new paragraph and i was getting denied messages -

the tricky part of it -