Bootlooping iMac (possibly permissions)

[Valheru]

Busy trying to copy some things off an old iMac (very old OS X) and got stuck where certain things refused to copy (yes I have the original login details).

Being a smartass, I done and fucked up (reset permissions on the entire disk), so now it bootloops and also refuses to go to the recovery console.

Things I have tried:
1. NONE of the recovery shortcuts work
2. CMD-V works and told me nothing I understood
3. CMD-S works:
a) Mounted
b) Tried sudo diskutil repairPermissions / (failed)
c) chown root:wheel /etc/sudoers followed by chmod 440 /etc/sudoers
d) Tried (b) again, failed again (timeout)

I need some help to unfuck this machine so I can clean it up. Comments about being an Apple n00b most welcome, but only if they are funny.

 

[Synaesthesia]

You can create an installer usb and boot from that, using a Mac.

 

[Valheru]

You can create an installer usb and boot from that, using a Mac.

Yeah I saw that. I have access to another one (much, much later OS) that I can use for that.

First want to remove some more of the old data before I clean it up (photos).

 

[Synaesthesia]

Ok what you can do is boot Mac OS from an external hard drive, if it is installed to that, copy things over, then reinstall from the usb installer which you make.

Maybe once you’ve done that you can repair permissions using disk utility amd that could fix things.

Or else you can use target disk mode to mount the broken Mac on another and copy over the files.

 

[Oops!!!]

c) chown root:wheel /etc/sudoers followed by chmod 440 /etc/sudoers

maybe try sudo chmod 777 and give full access to all users

 

[Valheru]

maybe try sudo chmod 777 and give full access to all users

Did not work unfortunately

 

[Valheru]

Ok what you can do is boot Mac OS from an external hard drive, if it is installed to that, copy things over, then reinstall from the usb installer which you make.

Maybe once you’ve done that you can repair permissions using disk utility amd that could fix things.

Or else you can use target disk mode to mount the broken Mac on another and copy over the files.

Will see if I can create a recovery disk using the macbook (not mine, might not be able to log in)

 

[cdmnuy]

If you have access to a newer Mac boot the old one in transfer mode (pressing T and keeping it pressed and press power button once) connect one to the other using FireWire 800, 400 or network and you should be able to see the data as if it was on an external drive

 

[Valheru]

If you have access to a newer Mac boot the old one in transfer mode (pressing T and keeping it pressed and press power button once) connect one to the other using FireWire 800, 400 or network and you should be able to see the data as if it was on an external drive

You can use a (cable) network? The apple KB doesn't list it:

Transfer files between two Mac computers using target disk mode

You can connect two Mac computers using a USB, USB-C or Thunderbolt cable, then transfer files.

support.apple.com

Kinda a last resort as I don't have any of those cables and not sure if the Lenovo USB-C cable I have access to will work.

 

[cdmnuy]

Transfer information from a Mac​

Before you begin, upgrade to the latest version of macOS on both Mac computers. Connect the two computers with a cable (such as Ethernet or Thunderbolt) or make sure they’re connected to the same wired or wireless network. See the Apple Support article Move your content to a new Mac.

 

[cdmnuy]

Maybe not in target disk mode but you can do a full migration to the other Max and then get the data from there.I don’t know how important the data is jejej

 

[Valheru]

Maybe not in target disk mode but you can do a full migration to the other Max and then get the data from there.I don’t know how important the data is jejej

I cannot get into the old Mac anymore, so migration assitant is out of the question (passcode verification on both machines).

I will try some of the suggestions above over the weekend. Also considering just pulling the drive and pulling everything from there.

 

[cdmnuy]

Migration assistant works if you start the old computer in transfer mode

 

[Valheru]

Migration assistant works if you start the old computer in transfer mode

Will feedback if it works, and dot down the OS versions for future reference. Will save me some effort on the disassembly.

 

[Valheru]

Update: migration assistant did not work over the network, spinner kept spinning and could not locate the old one in transfer mode.

Ended up taking it apart and mounting the drive in a Windows machine to copy off all the old data I wanted.

Created a Monterey install disk, will clean the old one and hope it installs.

 

[Josh33052]

Monterey has some new security features which sometimes cause it to not work correctly. If it doesnt work try high sierra because the installer is less complex and flash it with a tool called balena etcher

 

[Valheru]

Monterey has some new security features which sometimes cause it to not work correctly. If it doesnt work try high sierra because the installer is less complex and flash it with a tool called balena etcher

Monterey didn't work, I get the dreaded No Enrtry sign.

I have tried creating an image of El Capitan, but none of the methods I tried yielded a USB that could be seen / booted from. Found a VM of El Captian, but I don't have its password so cannot build new media from there.

 

[disipher]

I have done this in Windows, but long ago, assuming you tried?

 

[Josh33052]

Ag nee. Do you have someone who can physically help you? These Macs are tricky

 

[Valheru]

I have done this in Windows, but long ago, assuming you tried?

Yes, from Windows10 & Mac Monterey. Not sure if it could be utilities used or source DMG, but nothing I tried let it boot. Monterey picked up, but cannot boot (unsupported).

Ag nee. Do you have someone who can physically help you? These Macs are tricky

Nope, next step buying install disk from Amazon. But yes, quite tricky. This is where you really feel that Apple Magic forced obsolesnece.

 

[Josh33052]

Yes, from Windows10 & Mac Monterey. Not sure if it could be utilities used or source DMG, but nothing I tried let it boot. Monterey picked up, but cannot boot (unsupported).


Nope, next step buying install disk from Amazon. But yes, quite tricky. This is where you really feel that Apple Magic forced obsolesnece.

I don't know if you're a dabbler, but opencore allows you to run Monterey etc on older macs with a very vanilla experience. Its also rock solid stable. Making an install is also relativeIy easy. it just involves switching out the EFI

do you want to get the machine working again or do you just need the data at this point?

 

[Valheru]

don't know if you're a dabbler, but opencore allows you to run Monterey etc on older macs with a very vanilla experience. Its also rock solid stable. Making an install is also relativeIy easy. it just involves switching out the EFI

do you want to get the machine working again or do you just need the data at this point?

Just want to get it working so I can give it away to someone. Already took off the data.

 

[Josh33052]

Just want to get it working so I can give it away to someone. Already took off the data.

I know it might seem round about but I've used this method and its a fix all aside from of course, broken components
new bootloader = new life

 

[Valheru]

I know it might seem round about but I've used this method and its a fix all aside from of course, broken components
new bootloader = new life

Got it started, but the boot / patcher ends up with a garbled screen. Apparently I need one of these:

CPU Upgrades So 2007 iMacs Can Run High Sierra | Low End Mac

lowendmac.com

So the ballache continues.

 

[Josh33052]

Got it started, but the boot / patcher ends up with a garbled screen. Apparently I need one of these:

CPU Upgrades So 2007 iMacs Can Run High Sierra | Low End Mac

lowendmac.com

So the ballache continues.

There must be another way..

 

[Valheru]

Got a USB stick from @Steveo to use. Now waiting for some more RAM before I will install everything.