Help---Mac boots to Darwin login

[Jimmy Swanson]

Hello,

I have never used a Mac before but volunteered to try and fix an issue a neighbor is having. Apparently, he had downloaded updates from Apple and now it boots to the Darwin login screen (black screen with password/login prompt). If I simply type "exit" it seems to quit out as the screen turns the normal background color but then it shows the login screen again. Any help would be appreciated. I figured I'd see what I can do as my neighbor was actually just going to go and purcahse a new computer.

 

[KaosDG]

try re-installing the OS?


Sounds like for whatever reason it can't start the Aqua interface so it just dumps back to the login prompt. for advanced administration / repair.

Can you login and see the logs? (usualy in /var/log)

 

[Methodical]

I recently suffered through the same thing after by disk took journal damage. first of all, login if you can. then type "fsck -fy" until it comes back as all-ok. After my disk damage was fixed it booted right up.

 

[Jimmy Swanson]

Well, the thing is I can't login. My neighbor said he tried any passwords he had. I have OS installation discs and try to to an archive install but when installing the first disk it says there were errors. I tried the utilities app to repair the disk and it gives an error and won't do it.

 

[Methodical]

what was the exact error you got while attempting to repair?

Locate a friend with, or buy a copy of, diskwarrior 3.0.3 by alsoft, give that a shot (its bootable).... or remove the hard drive, place it in another mac and attempt to repair it that way.