Machine won't shutdwn via os x
 

I have had this problem recently.

The only way I can shut my compter down is by holding the power button in for a few seconds. If I try to shut down via the apple menu or login screen, it just restarts instead.

Has anyone else had this problem? And if so, should I be worried or is it just an annoying os bug?

Thanks.

-sourpixel

Try booting up your system while holding the Shift key. Then try shutting down. If the probelm persists, you should reinsatll the OS or proceed to upgrade your OS.

This is not one of those annoying 'bugs', it's a problem with your computer. Using the power button to turn your computer off is not how your system should work, and you should do some basic troubleshooting to discover which app (or device) on your system is not allowing your system to shutdown.
restart in single user mode holding the Apple-S keys down, after a few seconds some test will appear, release the key combo. After the text appears, you'll see a prompt (probably like 205a something: )
Type /sbin/fsck -y then press enter, watch if any problems are found and repaired. If yes, then type the same command again (Do this until no problems are found) If problems are continually found and repaired, or cannot repair, then other disk utils need to be run. If you are succesfful with no problems found, then type reboot at the prompt, and your system will reboot (duh!) when your dekstop reappears, open your disk utility (in the Utilities folder), click on the First Aid tab, click on your hard drive volume to select it, and click on repair permissions. Let this complete (probably about 20 minutes), then try a shutdown. Let us know if this succeeds (it may work) If not, more will need to be done

I tried it...
 

Thanks for the quick replies.

I tried both suggestions.

1) with the /sbin/fsck -y command, I got the following messages:
____

Singleuser boot -- fsck not done
Root device is mounted read-only
If you want to make modifications to files, run ' /sbin/fsck -y first and then (which I didn't do because I was unsure what it meant) '/sbin/mount-um /' sh-2.05a# /sbin/fsck -y

(after "checking catalog file")
Missing thread record (id=1092099)

(after "checking catalog file")
Invalid volume file count
(it should be 312370 instead of 312371)

(after "checking catalog heirarchy")
Invalid volume file count
(it should be 312371 instead of 312370)
(the opposite of the first?!)

____
I repeat and it does the same thing. Is there an easy command line solution to follow up with, given the info above? If not, what utils should work?


2) I tried the restart-shift idea and it started in safemode (which took forever to boot). After booting and restarting twice more without holding down shift, it was stuck in safemode still, so I manually shut it down. It boots faster now (and not in safemode), but it's still screwed up.

Any ideas? Thanks for your time.

-sourpixels

I had an error similar to this one time. I 'fixed' it with fsck, but it returned with the next boot. I 'fixed' it by starting up from the OS X installation disk and using Disk Utility, and it returned with the next boot.

Finally, I fixed it with DiskWarrior and this time it was really fixed.

Utility Suggestions?
 

I think I am going to pick up a repair utility package.

I have done a little research and Tech Toll Pro and Drive 10 seem to be the best overall tools. Is that the case for this particular problem?

One weird thing I noticed is that I called a couple of mac shops (including apple store soho) and no one carried either of them, just Disk Warrior and Norton. Seems weird when the "experts" are using them.

Also, I have heard conflicting info about versions of disk repair software paired w/ the os'es that they were released for. it's probably specific to each pair, so, in this case...If I buy a repair utility tomorrow, will it be useless for Panther when it comes out? I have used older versions of Norton on OS 9 before, but the os x updates "seem" more substantial?10.1/jaguar/panther...

thanks again, you guys rock!

there's an even easier and surefire thing to try when you can't shut down:

log out first.

shutdown from the login window.

works every time.

sourpixels, I also would recommend the latest version of Disk Warrior, but macmath beat me to it :) This seems to be the most consistent of the repair utilities for fixing a lot of problems (but does not always fix everything - many people have several different utilities to try if needed) - DiskWarrior is a good choice.
some people have the opinion that Norton is some evil entity - but other people have good reports (Don't use an older version) Major upgrades to operating systems (MacOS is not alone here) often breaks repair utilities, but not always. You'll find that Software publishers release updates when the operating system is updated, it's not a coincidence!

lerkfish - 'Works every time' doesn't always work!

disk warrior
 

Thanks Deltamac
If you think it is as good or better than TTP and Drive 10 (for this situation anyway) than that works for me, because it's in stock! Warrior didn't fix something for me (os 9) years ago, and since then I haven't taken it seriously.

Thanks for your input too lerkfish. but the logout/shutdown was one of the first things I tried...and did the same thing.

Would you guys consider this a "troubling" error? I am going to get the util ASAP. but I am still working on my machine today and keep wondering if I should make the fix priority #1.

-cheers
sourpixels

good point! I should have said: seems to work every time for me when I have trouble shutting down.
thanks for letting me clarify.

Obviously, I can't have run into every conceivable problem.

However, what I suggest is quick, easy and non-invasive to try.
In others...cain't hurt.

:D

Re: disk warrior
 

DOH! that'll teach me to read a thread before my morning coffee.
You clearly stated that in your first post and I missed it.

my apologies to the thread.

in carefulling re-reading it, though, I would ask if you have access to the OSX install disk and have run disk utility from the CD? you don't mention having done that (or I've missed it again).
Sometimes repairs have to be done from the CD.

Hey lerkfish, I got your earlier post right after posting, you were only a minute behind. That's still no excuse for not getting a coffee first :)


I do have the original 10.1 disks and I have a backup of the 2 jaguar installation disks. (My original disks are long gone--long story). Booting from Disk 1 initializes the installation process with no access to utils, and disk 2 isn't bootable (just a bunch of extras).

I know I can't use the 10.1 disks, and I'm waiting until Panther for my next purchase...

Are you saying there are things that only the Jaguar disks are able to fix?

No, you can't browse when booted to the install CD, but you'll find that in the first screen to begin the install process, click on the installer menu, and there is an item listed for disk utility. This will usually give you the choice to actually attempt a repair of the disk, and not just repair permissions, worth a try! (I'd go ahead and get the Disk Warrior even if your successful, good to have around) Personally, I've NEVER had the on-disk Jag Disk Utility actually fix something, just reports the same results as the in-system version, but others have had success, I guess. Try it, again - like lerkfish says 'cain't hurt'

Re: Utility Suggestions?
 

I don't know where you got this info, but Drive 10 plain sucks. That piece of $&*#@ has roached drives on 3 different machines before I swore never to use it again. Stick to DW3. It's much, much, much better.

I believe that the on-disk Disk Repair Utility runs fsck, same as if you were in Single User mode.

OK, Disk Warrior it is...
 

I booted from the Jaguar installer this weekend and ran repair disk. It does seem to be performing the same operations as fsck. I also am getting the same basic errors repeated (volume file count numbers changed slightly):

1) Missing thread record (id = 1092099) ?same

2) Invalid volume file count
(it should be 312251 instead of 312252) ?# were 312370, 312371

3) Invalid volume file count
(it should be 312252 instead of 312251) ?# were 312371, 312370

It seems to be doing and undoing itself. The same issue as before, except for the different numbers.

Good news is, somewhere between running fsck, disk repair and repairing the permissions the machine does shut down correctly now.

I'll pick up DW ASAP and hopefully get those other issues cleaned up.

thanks
-sourpixels

Re: Re: Utility Suggestions?
 

Hmmm, according to this thread Drive 10 just fixed a disk with the dreaded 'Overlapped extent allocation' error that Merv had previously declared toast ... so it can't be all bad, can it?

bad news for me
 

I'm not sure if I'm in trouble or not but Disk Warrior didn't fix the problem.

I tried the DW "rebuild" a couple times and it hangs up on "step 5: locating directory data". The first time I ran it, DW said that there was an issue with a "wrapper" (sorry I forget exactly what kind) that needed to be fixed before rebuilding. It fixed that and then moved on to step 5, where it stalled. I cancelled it, restarted it, and let it run again for over and hour and the progress bar didn't move. I'm going to read through the manual and see if there is another feature that could work...

Is my next option to do an archive-reinstall? I did this when going from 10.1 to 10.2 and I assume that the process is the same. I have a second internal drive so I guess I'll back up the sets of user preferences and my project data and give it a whirl.

Any words of advice before jumping in?

-sourpixels

how big is that drive? it can take a while for a large drive to get thru.

It's 34 GB.

Is it possible that it was still working after an hour and fiftteen minutes?