Read-only file system error

UNIX macOS
1

My first post :slight_smile:
I deleted all the files within /system/library/startupitems to the trash bin. Now my mac snow leopard won't boot at all. All I got is the gray screen, apple logo and the spinning wheel...just spinning forever. I was able to boot in single-user mode. I'm trying to copy cp command whatever in the trash back to startupitems folder.

Input:
bash-3.2# cp -r /users/dali/.trash/* /system/library/startupitems
Output:
cp: /system/library/startupitems/tftp.plist: Read-only file system
and the list continue with the same error .....for each file

Thank you guys :slight_smile:

2

Are you the "root" user?

who am i
3

Try

mount -u -w /

( /system/library/StartupItems is mounted on / (usually))

4

"who am i" output is "root console feb 12 15:26

thx for your quick reply Methyl

---------- Post updated at 03:35 PM ---------- Previous update was at 03:29 PM ----------

ok a new break through. I tried mount -u -w / and the cp command and it worked. I see all the files in the startupitems. I tried to boot and still does the same thing :frowning: gray screen with a spinning wheel. Should I empty the trash bin ? is that what causing the confusion maybe ? thx Scottn

5

Have you tried doing a Safe Boot?

6

yes. I tried safe boot but it does the same thing ...gray screen and the spinning wheel. successful CD boot " didn't really help" and single-user mode boot. I'm using the Single-user boot for UNIX command input.

7

Suggest you review what is in startupitems. If you have copied the entire contents of trash to this folder there may well be some items which are inappropriate. The timestamp on the files will be a clue depending on how old your system is.
Don't empty the trash bin - it is not involved in booting the system and may contain files which you need.

---------- Post updated at 23:54 ---------- Previous update was at 23:51 ----------

Btw.
Shouldn't we be using "cp -rp" not just "cp -r".

8

I've moved this thread to the OS X sub-forum (with redirect).

There are some other options listed in the Apple Support page if you haven't read / tried them.

(and use cp -rp as methyl suggests - good catch)

9

Can I back up my system before a fresh install ?. When I booted from the OS mac CD I could see all my files and applications that I need really bad !.

10

You mean you don't have a backup :eek: ?

If you have storage available to make a backup, then do.

You could make a copy with, for one, ditto.

11

lool Scottn I feel bad already and yes no backup :frowning: i just need a 30 GB or more storage which I don't have and I can't afford. Thx Scottn for your help man. I won't give up ...what a great hands on exercise for my UNIX class !

12

Ditto will copy directory structures while cp will copy files. However, this can be easily remedied by simply installing OS X 10.6 again. You can do a non destructive overlay of the OS.

You could also rsync it to preserve all attributes after you mount the file system as read/write.

As a rule of thumb, you never really want to modify anything in the /System folder.

13

loool I learn the hard way :slight_smile: at the end, I thank disk utility for letting me creating a new partition within the disk, making a new image of my old partition that it doesn't boot, installing a fresh copy of snow leopard over the old partition, and at the end of the installation a window pop up asking me if I wanted to transfer my info to the new installation from the new partition :slight_smile: it doesn't get better than this. What do you mean by a non destructive overlay ? can you explain how you do that ?

14

By default OS X 10.6 installer does not format the HD, instead it always does an overlay of the OS unless you pop open disk utility first and erase the hard drive.

15

I bet real cash money that this is an ACL issue. OSX started using ACLs a while back on the system folders.