The next repair option is what I consider the user-hostile CLUI approach. It may appear to you as diabolical, anything but simple, but it works very well and is worth knowing. It uses a program called 'File System Check' accessible only in what is called 'Single User Mode' during the Mac OS X boot process. Getting to Single User Mode is a rather iffy process on some models of Macintosh, making this method of repair even more annoying. But, I have found a reliable trick that should help.
1) Boot to Mac OS X. You can stop at the login window.
2) Reboot your MOSX disk holding down the 's' key. 'S' stands for Single User Mode. [This key command has a changed from MOSX Server where you hold down the 'v' key for the same result. The 'v' key will still get you into 'verbose' mode on MOSX but will not let you run fsck]. What this does is cause Mac OS X to boot with a command line user interface (CLUI) versus the entirely graphical user interface. We are entering UNIX here.
NOTE: On some model Macs, such as my PowerBook G3 Series 233/512K, this procedure fails to land you in the CLUI. So here is my little trick: Restart again with the 's' key down. As soon as you hear the Mac 'bong' let go of the 's' key, then push it back down again. Don't ask me why it works, it just does. And yes, you have to do it just as I say here or it won't help you. Its Twilight Zone time.
3) Follow the instructions that appear just before you arrive at the command line. This is what it tells you to do: type '/sbin/fsck -y' then hit <return>.
What is this incomprehensible gibberish? CLUIs are stupid and annoying, made for geeks, not mere humans. But, what you just typed means that you want to run the fsck application in the sbin directory. The creators of UNIX loved abbreviations, allowing users to type as little as possible. Sadly, this has nothing do to with serious user-friendliness. So what is this '-y' stuff? It means you are automatically agreeing to all the repairs fsck wants to make. This is a good thing, as fsck only asks you to say yes to good and useful requests. [I am fully aware that this was not necessarily the case in the ancestors of MOSX, but I have yet to find any problem at all with adding -y when using MOSX].
Want to know a little secret? Skip '/sbin/' and '-y' stuff and just type 'fsck' and hit <return>. I have yet to find it makes a shred of difference in MOSXb1. Honestly.
4) Watch fsck do its thing. The results exactly like Disk First Aid! If any problems are reported, run it again, just like Disk First Aid. Stop running it after a successful run without repairs.
5) Restart MOSX. You do this by typing 'reboot.'
Yes, there are other options than restarting, like 'exit.' But, I am here to attempt to keep things simple. Just restart. It will get you back to the GUI and hopefully happiness.
I don't know what else to do! I'm not very adept at inner mac workings/settings. I've downloaded some other files inluding a compressor but it won't let me open any of those either for the same reason...Can anyone help? Anyone know what's causing this? Any and all help greatly appreciated!
