HELP, Please (Can't boot)

[ZoroLives]

I have been running a hackintosh for a couple years now, occasionally I do something dumb and cant get back in to my system - like now. I have three disks, two are normally bootlable. For some reason I can no longer get into either disk and my boot CD ISO disks are not getting me in either. All I have to work with is this old 12" PowerBook running 10.4.11. It will not run the modern Hackinstaller scripts. I can work with my formerly bootable Seagate External drive as it can run as an external disk on this PowerBook or boot (as it normally did) in my i7 configuration. To be as clear as I can, here is what I can do now, I can boot from an ISO cd (have two different emergency boot disks) but all that will do is allow me to look at all my disks in pre-boot and select any of them to boot, boot verbose, single user, etc. In fact, I can still do that with my old configuration, get to that pre-boot choice menu screen.

 

The problem is, I cannot successfully boot further in anything that I have tried to do. I get a KP or I get a hang and a perpetual attempt to boot (apple logo with spinning circle symbol) depending on which preboot and options I select. THe only positive thing that I Can do is that in one disk, the same one I can examine on my Powerbook, I can boot in single user mode. I have done that and run sbin.fsck -fy a few times and it always finds and corrects a directory count. THen I read the man pages for anything I think could help to change the boot volume or finish booting, but I am not at all skilled at UNIX so I dont know if there is a work around that way or not?

 

The last little problem is that, during this process, my powerbook CD drive pooped out so I can no longer burn additional boot CDs. In theory I should still be OK as I can still work on my external Seagate drive and then boot from it.

 

I dont know what else to do at this point. THe latest hackinstaller scripts only show my two options, where they used to show about 6 options. I think that is how I got into this mess again, I tried the [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] and I checked too many options (probably) I am the sort of user that really should have learned my now to be very careful before taking off the training wheels, I can be a little too "skilled" for my own good sometimes.

 

Now, I need some help getting this seagate back where I can finish the boot, then I can run the hackinstaller script again (properly) and get the main boot disk operational again.

 

In the mean time, I am shut out since last Tuesday or so. I have been working on about every angle I can think of. If you know of one or can help or suggest a method, I would very much appreciate it?

 

Much thanks.

 

PS - I forgot to mention, the Seagate drive I am trying to boot from is set to 10.6.6 and my main drive is 10.6.8. I let it that way because my 10.6.8 install has been giving my headaches with my CD/DVD drive.

[PookyMacMan]

Can you take a pic of it running in verbose mode (-v)?

 

You may want to reinstall your system to correct any filesystem issues. However, I would boot verbose first and take a shot of what happens. I may be able to help.

[ZoroLives]

Unfortunately my Sno Leo install disk is in storage, I can get it and I will if I have too, it's a coupe hour trip so.... I just stopped by best buy and picked up an external CD/DVD burner in case I need that. And a new 8 gig USB thumb drive. One problem I have is that I am getting different KP messages depending on which preboot system I use and on which disk and how I approach that disk (Ignore caches, verbose, standard boot, etc.

 

To do this I will have to get my camera out and literally take pictures of the screens. I can do that but it will probably take me well into tomorrow to do that. In the mean time I am hopeful that my 8 gig stick with a proper boot iso may work?

 

If I had a visual roadmap to look at, perhaps I could look at the extras folder and see what is or should still be installed? If iti is booting into Single user mode, it should be close, shouldn't it? This, USED, to boot so I am hoping that something is where it shouldn't be and this can be resolved without doing a whole reinstall (have to get the disk, etc).

 

Thanks for the help. I will get more info. Did you want just the long data strings at KP or do you also want the refused to load "This_or_That" info? It appears that it is having trouble with power management and complaining about a whole bunch of kexts for drivers that should not be there.

[Gringo Vermelho]

"refused to load this or that" can happen if you're trying to boot a 10.6 DVD with a boot CD that was made for 10.5.

 

If you can still get in via single user mode then it is definitely fixable.

I can boot in single user mode. I have done that and run sbin.fsck -fy a few times and it always finds and corrects a directory count. THen I read the man pages for anything I think could help to change the boot volume or finish booting

Type exit to continue booting.

[PookyMacMan]

I would like the kext info in particular. The data strings aren't as useful.

 

What did you do just before this happened to render your drives unbootable?

[ZoroLives]

OK, here are some screen shots. The one with the white screen , apple logo and spinning cursor is normal in the boot sequence, except that this one will stay running all night (tried it).

 

I guess after I get this all put together again, I had better make sure my emergency boot disks stay matched to my current system versions? I am encouraged that I can get into one of my drives (seagate) in Single User. Hopefully with that door open (and some clear instructions) I can get this back together again.

 

Or, knowing I can look at my Seagate disk off my powerbook in 10.4 - well .. this little machine seems to me having some hard luck. The CD drive just conked out, now it seemed to take a long while to boot this morning, had to take out the battery a half dozen times before it would boot.

 

First things first, lets get the main system back up and running. Thanks very much for all the help.

 

ADDED: On the fourth shot (SeagateVerbose) the far right side is cut off on the last line. Last thing that line says is timed out.

 

What I was doing before I could not boot: I have been having trouble with my dvd drive since going to 10.6.8 and I was trying some way of resetting the drive. I was trying the TonyMac [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] and I started putting in optional drivers. I did not realize that I might have put in too many drivers or the wrong kind - I assume this is what caused the problems. Why the other drive got sideways I am less sure? When I run DiskWarrior I have to reinstall the boot blocks and the DD script I have been using for a long while now only shows a couple of options where it used to show a half dozen chameleon options. I have been paring down my drives, eliminating a huge number of duplicate files, trying to get everything in order. I probably ran DW from a booted but already changed after reboot main drive and now, I am here .... (hope all that info helps)

[PookyMacMan]

For the KPs, the problem kext is the SleepEnabler. Do this: when you boot, type

 

-s pmVersion=0

 

This will boot you into single user mode and disable the SleepEnabler. Now do this:

 

/sbin/mount -uw /

rm -R /Extra/Extensions/SleepEnabler.kext

exit

 

That should fix your booting problems.

 

With pic 4, it looks like fakeSMC isn't loading properly.

[ZoroLives]

Thanks, I will go back and try that. Can you please say more about how to get the boot line "-s pmVersion=0" interjected? Is this going to look like, a) booting as before until the hackinstaller screen starts to load, hitting the down arrow to get the bootable drives screen, c) on that main drive, before hitting "BOOT", type in "-s pmVersion=0", d) then hit BOOT?

[PookyMacMan]

Yes. At the "Press any key for startup options" boot prompt, press a key and type -s pmVersion=0, then hit enter.

[ZoroLives]

OK, I have had some successes, and some ,,, not so much. I can get into my main drive now, but it isn't exactly working as it should... THE screen shot shows what happens when I run the terminal commands as you suggested. It seems that it is not actually removing the files. More than that, after I booted I went through Finder to kill that darned sleep enabler file, but is seems it is still there???

 

How I can boot. I cannot not boot through my main drive startup using your -s method or any other way - "IF" I first boot into that main drive. I can boot directly to that other drive, the Seagate drive and when I have the option to boot verbose etc and I change over to the main drive, and use hte -s suggestion you gave me, then exit after arriving at single boot screen, I can get in that way.

 

I am just glad I can get in some way. Unfortunately I still cannot boot into the Seagate drive or boot normally into my main drive. The DD script is not helping on the Seagate like it used to do and it has fewer options. The TonyMac hack only works on the drive it is booted to so I can't use that one either.

 

I am open to further ideas. And ongoing thanks for the help.

[Gringo Vermelho]

It didn't work because you aren't paying attention to the directions you were given, or what's going on on the monitor in front of you.

 

You typed both commands on one line, typed pm instead of rm, and because you can't do that you were then shown usage instructions for the mount command, which you ignored and typed exit.

 

It's good practice to run fsck before mounting (exactly as instructed at the prompt).

[PookyMacMan]

Definitely removal of the SleepEnabler will eliminate the panic. If you want, you can do it in Finder, too, (using one of your CDs) if you're not comfortable with Terminal (or single-user).

 

Actually, I have a 10.6.8 SleepEnabler; I can upload that if you like.

[ZoroLives]

It didn't work because you aren't paying attention to the directions you were given, or what's going on on the monitor in front of you.

 

You typed both commands on one line, typed pm instead of rm, and because you can't do that you were then shown usage instructions for the mount command, which you ignored and typed exit.

 

It's good practice to run fsck before mounting (exactly as instructed at the prompt).

Cmon, ease up, this is not easy. FWIW, I did try it as the instructions said, exactly. I typed it in separate lines, and then (since that did not work) i tried it all on a line. as you can see from the screen shot. Not that I am not going to make really stupid mistakes, I just appreciate any help.

 

I can get into the Finder, but it is still quite a difficult boot process to do that. I searched with HoudahSpot for sleepenabler and I thought I had removed it.

 

To compound matters, I have no internet access directly on my machine and I have to come to Starbucks with my laptop to continue this thread.

 

I have run the fsck and I have run APplejack (when in single user mode). I have done the mount -uw but I don't really understand what that is doing?

 

I apologize again for not understanding how to fix this, but that was my point in asking for help. For those with the patience to continue assisting, I am grateful.

 

Definitely removal of the SleepEnabler will eliminate the panic. If you want, you can do it in Finder, too, (using one of your CDs) if you're not comfortable with Terminal (or single-user).

 

Actually, I have a 10.6.8 SleepEnabler; I can upload that if you like.

I would like to understand this better. Are you suggesting that there is a SleepEnabler version that is needed to boot into 10.6.6? Is it also true that there are other versions of SE and that using the wrong version is part of the problem?

 

And, is it also true that in version 10.6.8 there should be no SE, in any version?

 

Ongoing thanks.

 

ADDED: Yes, please, if you could attach that SE to me in a message, I would appreciate it.

[artur_pt]

hello

 

u don't have windows ?

 

if so use transmac or macdrive

 

and delete the kext

 

to reach sleepenabler kext must use the therminal from the installation dvd

 

cd /Volumes/Volumename/System/Library/Extensions

rm -rf sleepenabler.kext

 

 

boot

 

-v

 

good hack

[TheDub]

I have run the fsck and I have run APplejack (when in single user mode). I have done the mount -uw but I don't really understand what that is doing?

 

/sbin/mount -uw / --- is the full and proper command and what it is doing is mounting your filesystem which is represented by the "/" as read-write because by default in single user mode it's read only.

 

SleepEnabler.kext does exactly what it suggest. Enables Sleep Mode. It is not needed to boot up it is only needed for Sleep functionality, your Hack could live without it if you never put it to sleep. However I believe the extension version must match the kernel version.

 

As others have mentioned, and the Kernel Panic itself mentions to a certain extent the cause for your Kernel Panic is SleepEnabler.kext - it needs to be removed from /System/Library/Extensions.

 

/sbin/mount -uw /

 

rm -R /Extra/Extensions/SleepEnabler.kext - this should not return an error other then possibly file missing if an error is returned try rm -R -f /Extra/Extensions/SleepEnabler.kext

 

 

 

 

Run those two commands, EXACTLY AS WRITTEN. Any typo will cause this to fail. You can verify you've deleted the file with the following commands:

 

cd /Extra/Extensions
ls
*Look at the list of files, verify that SleepEnabler.kext is not one of them

 

Some systems or configurations have SleepEnabler.kext in /S/L/E so we are now going to delete it there to and verify it's gone

 

cd /System/Library/Extensions
rm -r SleepEnabler.kext OR if that gives an error use rm -r -f SleepEnabler.kext
ls
*Verify in the list of files that appears that SleepEnabler.kext is not one of them - A bit of unix knowledge you could also use ls S* to show only files that start with S or "ls Sleep*" to show files that start with Sleep or even full file names to search for the file

 

Once you've verified the file is gone - type reboot.

 

Good luck.

[ZoroLives]

OK, thanks all. I will take this feedback and see what I can do. Of course, this is NOT a good hack. I am indebted to the kindness of strangers to have built this hackintosh and have had it running for a couple of years now - built it just after they came out with the first i7 chips. I am a smart enough guy, but there are some rather LARGE gaps in my knowledge. I wonder if anyone can point me to a clear, visual guide to what should be where? Extras or system/library/Extensions/Extras/? From the hackinstaller scripts I have run it seems there is more than one way to do this and, as my current dilemma points out, I need to know where to go to fix what I need to fix. I am not afraid of using Terminal or single user mode. The more clear instructions I am getting from this thread, the more I can test (Thank You).

 

No I do not have windows installed. What I can do is take the Seagate External drive with 10.6.6 (boots SATA on my i7 machine) and use it with this old PPC 12” PowerMac. I can’t run modern scripts that way, but once I know what I am looking for, I can make sure everything is where it is supposed to be.

 

What I did after my last questions was go back and try it again. With the suggested commands from this last follow up I will learn more about what I have and what I do not have. IT is looking like I am having problems loading too many drivers for audio and possibly “IOAdioFamily and the IOPCIFamily Dependencies”.

 

Current Sit:

 

Last time I was logged in (GUI) I ran the most recent hackinstaller script (Jan 2011) on drive: Seagate with 10.6.6. I selected option 3 (Chimera). There used to me more options with the hackinstaller script and the top choices (there are just two now) did not always work, same as now.

 

I ran the tonymac [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] on Drive: Gold with 10.6.8 as it would not allow me to set it on a drive it was not booted to.

 

I can get into -s mode on both drives. I can run the following on both drives when in -s mode:

 

/sbin/mount -uw /

rm -R /Extra/Extensions/SleepEnabler.kext

 

I get no results, or I get no file found.

 

I can also run Applejack which has always been a trusted tool that runs the fsck, repairs permissions, checks cache files validates preferences and clears virtual memory.

 

It appears that the problem I am having, aside from the sleepenabler as it will not go even to the single user mode without “ -s pmVersion=0 “, Is the IOAdioFamily and the IOPCIFamily Dependencies. Also it appears that the HDAAudio Taruga audo drivers are being loaded multiple times. The last time I booted semi-successfully was after exiting single user mode and I had a channel missing in my audio (not normal in my setup).

 

I am currently not able to boot past single user into full GUI mode. Posting a recent screenshot.

 

Ongoing thanks.

 

ADDED:

 

I have just added an attached PDF of what I have now in the Seagate drive and where it is. I hope this can help someone to help me with this? I am having some trouble now getting into single user mode. THe best and perhaps the only solution at this point is to get the right files in the right places and where duplicates or wrong versions have piled up, delete them, rebuild permissions, and I should be back on track.

 

And BTW, I do search for MAN pages and do the best I Can to understand how to use terminal commands. I hope I didnt leave the impression that I am not willing to get my hands dirty here. Much thanks again.

 

(From the attached file...)

 

What it looks like now:

 

Please note, as you can see below, there is no SleepEnabler.kext.

Yet as the KP screenshot shows, it is there - is it the <key>GraphicsEnabler</key>"

in the org.chameleon.Boot.plist that I should erase ?

Stored Extensions.pdf

[PookyMacMan]

Boy, you really messed up your installation. Looks like something I'd do.

 

There are some kexts that are not loading properly, including your HDD controller.

 

The thing I'm confused by is your bootable drives. If you look at post number 6, you uploaded 3 verbose shots. The first two were kernel panics that, if you look at the "Kexts in backtrace" section, is SleepEnabler.kext. Shot 4 was of a different drive altogether; that one was not SleepEnabler related. Can you please specify 1) what drives you have, 2) which one you've been working with, and 3) which one is most important?

 

Also, what are "hackinstaller scripts"? I don't understand what you mean by that.

 

Personally, this last drive you've been working with looks like more trouble than it's worth. If I were you, I would pull any data off you needed, make the drive to your storage lot, and reinstall. It will save you a lot more time than trying to fix this particular installation.

[ZoroLives]

Man this is a headache and, thanks very much for your patience in sticking with me. I have two drives that are normally bootable.

 

1) is the "Gold" drive. It is internal and I cannot do much with it unless booted in single user mode. That "Gold" drive is running (was running) 10.6.8. I have been throwing all I could think of at the other drive, leaving the Gold drive as much as possable as it was.

 

2) is the Seagate External drive, referred to in this thread as my "Seagate" drive. That drive is external and normally boots when needed to my main system through it's eSATA connection. Since it also has firewire and USB I have been using that drive to go back and forth, seeing if I could figure out a solution in GUI mode using my PowerBook. The powerbook is a G4 Mac running 10.4.11. It will not run some of the more recent hack solutions so I cant for example download one of the MAJ (DigitalDreamer) hackintosh scripts from this forum and run it on the terminal on this powerbook.

 

And that also explains what I mean by hackinstaller scripts, I download the most recent ones from the Gigagyte install thread from one of Digital Dreamers updates. And, I thought it would be smart to try the TonyMac install script the last time on the "Gold" drive, which I now think was a mistake.

 

Why I started messing with this drive in the first place was after moving to 10.6.8 I started having intermittent problems getting my CD/DVD drive to run. I am not over that problem yet but now I have a whole lot more to deal with.

 

OK, I have to travel to get internet access so I tend to try different things before we get to this one per day exchange. I may have to try something completely different because I am totally stuck now. Yikes!!!

 

First, I noticed on the Seagate drive (as a firewire drive on this powerbook) that not all of the kexts were from the same period. From what was said earlier I figured that I should replace any kexts from this month (January 2012) (as long as they said they were the same version) with older versions that probably worked when 10.6.6 was out. And, that did not work any better.

 

Second, I dug out my SNL install disk and decided, heck, couldn't do much worse so I booted that install disk and used it's diskutility on Gold and on Seagate drives. rebuilt permissions, etc. Now I have installed SNL fresh on the seagate drive but now, it starts running boot code (scrolling faster than I can read it) and just shuts down my machine. Of course this depends on which preboot disk I am using. I will get a fresh screen shot of what it is doing now. Sigh. If I am going to get this up and running again (and I really need to get it going, badly) I am going to have to reassess, take more screen shots and .. WAIT. Maybe you or someone can suggest a way though this? I would sure appreciate it.

 

As far as backing up and starting over, I have no more disk space for that. Two drives wont boot, if I can get either of them to boot I have a RAID drive pair also onboard for deeper backups. But something has to get me back in first.

 

Thanks again

[Gringo Vermelho]

If you can't pinpoint the cause of a problem immediately, start by ruling out other stuff, even though it may seem unrelated.

 

The last message is about ATAPI - try unplugging your optical drive and see if it goes any further, also try disabling the JMicron controller in the BIOS.

 

Video drivers are a complete mess, either you have nvidia kexts from different driver versions mixed together, or you have deleted some nvidia driver files but left others, this is why there are error messages about dependencies.

 

Disable your on-board audio, this will prevent audio drivers from loading (also a complete mess) this is the fastest way to rule those out as a cause to your problems.

 

Booting with -x is similar to Windows safe mode, and disables loading of sound- and video drivers.

[PookyMacMan]

Often when it restarts like that is also because it runs into disk errors and repairs them, but it requires a restart.

 

Boot with -x. Not only does it disable audio and video drivers like Gringo said, but it will also repair the disk if it can. Do it a few times if it doesn't work the first time.

[ZoroLives]

Boot with -x. Not only does it disable audio and video drivers like Gringo said, but it will also repair the disk if it can. Do it a few times if it doesn't work the first time.

OK, back again (for a short time). Thanks, yes the video and audio drivers are a mess. My fault for throwing too much at the disks. In an earlier comment I said that I wished I could see a visual map or some such so I could actually understand what I have done as I go along. For example, in the digital dreamer install script, which I have been using for a few years now, it gives you the option of building cache files in system, in extras, or in system and in extras. For my brain it would be better to know how the system is reading files, where it goes to look for files to boot from and what files are going to be pointing to other files.

 

I beleive the restart was from a part of the fresh SNL install. I remember reading somewhere long ago that after you did the install you did something else BEFORE rebooting. I just rebooted (having not found those earlier instructions) and it kept acting like there was a shutdown command in the boot process.

 

I worked at taking out every complaint I could find and finally, it worked.

 

Good news, I have gotten my Seagate drive to boot now. That was the one I had reinstalled SNL on. It ran well enough that I even ran the combo updater 10.6.6 on it and it took. I tried downloading the 10.6.8 last night from Apples site but the file got corrupted somehow and I have to try it again tonight.

 

I still cannot get my main system to boot nor am I 100% confident in the seagate, but close.

 

I will see if I can get the Gold drive working next and I will keep this thread posted.

 

Ongoing and sincere thanks to all for the help.

Edited February 3, 2012 by ZoroLives

[PookyMacMan]

You're welcome. I'll be watching.

[ZoroLives]

Often when it restarts like that is also because it runs into disk errors and repairs them, but it requires a restart.

 

Boot with -x. Not only does it disable audio and video drivers like Gringo said, but it will also repair the disk if it can. Do it a few times if it doesn't work the first time.

(Grumble Grumble ...) still here. I was hoping I would have had better news by now. I finally got a reliable internet hookup for the next two weeks and I am working this on my main machine now. Well, writting this post on the old laptop cause ... I am still havig trobles. ACCCKKK!!!

 

OK, First, I reasoned that worse case scenario, as I have the SNL install disk, I can boot any one of a few preboot DVDs, eject and put in the install disk. Then I can run disk utility and install. And I have done that now at least three times in the last wo days, about to try it again just now.

 

Since that worked on my external drive and I updated it to 10.6.6 (and it booted) I resoned that I would now make the main Gold drive 10.6.8 by doing a SNL install on it, then updating it (again. Eventually it did seem I had the two disks booting, each with 10.6.6. But success was fleeting. After I updated the Gold drive back to 10.6.8 I am only booting to it with a missing USB driver so once I see the login screen I cant do anything about it (so close yet so far).

 

Even stranger is that my other drive seems to be coming down with the same problem. Could I have a virus? I have clamx and the next time I boot I will run it. Or maybe it is just finicky in its old age. dunno.

 

I did try the "-x a few times (3) and it just went to a blank screen and stayed there. I am now about to reinstal SNL on Gold so that at least I Can get USB working and get back on-ine with it to look for updates. I will also take the external drive and see what I Can find to make it work better from this old powerbook.

 

I have to get a resume out (yesterday) so here's hoping I can get this figured out tonight. Also, and speaking of getting finicky in old age, it's my birthday today and by gosh I want this thing to work, c'mon ... consarn it!!!

 

Thanks as alwyas for al the patience out there.

[PookyMacMan]

It probably is not a virus, but simply a USB driver issue. Tonymac's [url=&quot;http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/&quot;]#####[/url] has a USB rollback option for those of us that have USB issues. I would try installing that (you can do that from the PowerBook if it has Leopard).

 

The other thing is I wouldn't try 10.6.8 as it is a bear to figure out. I myself have not gotten 10.6.8 working on my machine (for a different reason) and one thing I know is 10.6.8 is extremely awkward...I personally would stick w/ 10.6.7. Sorry this all had to happen to you...I feel your pain.

 

Oh, and

[ZoroLives]

I am still at it. I wish I had taken advice to get a boot ram disk configured from my Apple stock SNL install DVD. It takes about 35 minutes each time I have to wipe it and start again.

 

In the mean time my external drive fell off the top of my machine, not violently but it is no longer going to operate (as far as I can tell) So now, it's between me and the vegetable. (Little Shop of Horrors) ;-)

 

I can get fresh into SNL 10.6.0, but that gives me no internet access. I tried going from that straight into an update to 10.6.8 but that left me with screen problems, no good video drivers that way apparently. I am go into 10.6.6 and that has worked, but I cant remember how I got there at this point so I keep trying ways to recreate that.

 

Its frustrating but the other day I did get the (now defunct) drive booted on 10.6.8 and did some email on it. THen I started to get my main drive upgraded and it all came crashing down again. I think what happened this time was that I was told to restart after upgrading to 10.6.8 and instead of restarting I tried moving some files first. That hung the restart process and had to force a reboot. Now my efi partition seems to have been crossed and pointing at the wrong drive. At least with the one drive now instead of two that is not a problem.

 

After updating this thread I will try one more time to see if there is any way I can make this work. Then I will have to spend some time with this laptop to try and understand what should be in the extras folder and what should not be there. And sorry to say, the "-x" suggestion has not worked, I just get a lightened but blank screen.