Panther Server: Boots into Darwin?!? Whaaaa? HEEEEEEELP!!!

Troutmagnet · 03-24-2004, 11:37 PM

Okay I'm a total newb OSX Server Administrator - totally used to Appleshare IP 6.3 until three days ago when our RAID array went belly up...

SO! I salvage the drive contents to a local machine and express ordered in a new set of 3 x 160GB drives (2 drives in a RAID level 1 array with a daily scheduled backup drive via Silverkeeper) I thought this was the perfect opportunity to migrate up to OSX Server, so our local Apple dealer sent a driver over with a burned copy of OSX Server (Panther Server) to tide us over between our server going down and the legit software arriving on our doorstep (which I've already paid for, but is currently on back-order - expecting delivery tomorrow)

Okay, so I created my RAID, added the old data, loaded the server software on a dual 867DP MDD with 1GB RAM and created my shares, tested them, created my accounts and groups and everything was dandy...

Here's the problem:

I stripped everything back down and took the assembly downstairs from my test area to the server room and attached the whole thing to our isolated electrical service.

Added the drives, connected everything and fired it up...

Now I was expecting it to just boot to the desktop, but instead it boots into DARWIN!?! The Terminal?

I mean the blue screen comes up with the usual rotating 20 pronged pin-wheel and then the black Terminal screen fills the screen and it asks me for my login...

Okay, so I logged in as 'Administrator' with my administrator password... and the terminal allows me beyond the login and 'welcomes me to Darwin' and shows the directory as:

mac file server: ~administrator:

So not knowing too much about Terminal or Unix at this point (I assume I'll get a manual tomorrow that will help me), I just tried the "reboot" command, since I've run 'fsck' a few times on client stations in the past in single-user mode - permission denied. "Logout" and "exit" exits from Darwin and seems to begin loading the Finder, but nope, it just cycles back to the Terminal Login screen again!!!

So I wondered if, like NT Servers (which I'm more used to (Sadly)) the AFP services were actually active and I was just not accessing the Finder - and LO! When I access the Chooser from an OS9 machine in our department, all of the Mac File Server volumes are there waiting to be mounted!

So the service IS running, and I'm SURE the server software hasn't crapped out, so I obviously do not know the Unix command to load up the OSX 10.3.3 Finder from the Terminal screen...

This is so frustrating!!! Anyone??? Put me out of my misery!!

Troutmagnet · 03-25-2004, 09:08 AM

OOOkay... thanks guys...

hayne · 03-25-2004, 10:29 AM

Quote:


	Originally posted by Troutmagnet OOOkay... thanks guys...

I'm not sure what the above comment is supposed to mean. It could mean:
I have now realized my mistake and everything is now working fine.
Or it could mean:
I'm frustrated that no one has answered my request for assistance.

If the former, you should explain what the problem turned out to be, so that others can benefit from your experience.

If the latter, you should learn more patience if you are going to be a system administrator. You posted a little before midnight last night and it is now early morning for many of us.

Anyway, it you are still having a problem, it seems to me that something in your setup is causing the standard GUI (desktop) startup to crash. It may be the loginwindow process that is crashing or it may be the Finder, or something else.
In any case, you should see error messages in the file /var/log/system.log
You can read this file in single-user mode (which it sounds like what you are getting to when you boot up) via any of several command-line tools. For example:
tail /var/log/system.log
(to see the last part of the log file)
or
more /var/log/system.log
(to page through the log file)

rusto · 03-25-2004, 10:37 AM

I think he meant, "Sorry, I cross posted...I still need help!" (the other thread has already been deleted I think)

Troutmagnet · 03-25-2004, 10:46 AM

Egads you guys... lighten up a little... I'm just joking...

Thankfully some of my buddies on another board offered assistance (at 2 a.m. EST - yes, they're THAT good) and the problem was fixed this mornign when I got into work.

It was (as I was thinking myself actually) just a file permissions problem with the Admin user account.

I just ran the following from the prompt after Administration login to terminal:

% diskutil repairPermissions /

I ran it a few times to make sure everything was fixed and then:

% sudo reboot

...and provided my Admin password as per usual...

The system rebooted, the standard finder login appeared and OSX Server lovin' is mine once more.

I actually didn't think it would be so easy to be honest with you...

And 'hayne' man, maybe if everyone was a little easier going, newbie unix issues wouldn't be quite the trial that it is. I'm a first time user of this forum and you're not the epitome of friendliness. I believe I used 'smilies' to tinge my 'suspect' post with the appropriate emotion... the comment was 'throw-away' and intended in a jovial manner. We're not all androids y'know...

Craig R. Arko · 03-25-2004, 10:52 AM

It sounds like it's getting past single-user mode, running SystemStarter but LoginWindow is failing.

If it was me, I'd boot from the install CD and run Disk Utility. If repairing the filesystem and repairing permissions didn't help, I'd re-check the hardware that was moved to see all the stuff is seated properly.

I assume from what was said that a software only RAID is being used; if not it would be wise to verify that the controller has 10.3.3 compatible firmware.

And if that all failed, I'd wait for the real CD's to turn up and do a clean reinstall, while spending my time reading the Panther Server documentation, because there's a lot of differences from ASIP.

About all I can think of...

Craig R. Arko · 03-25-2004, 10:58 AM

Quote:


	Originally posted by Troutmagnet I actually didn't think it would be so easy to be honest with you...

Glad it's working, but you lost me there.

Troutmagnet · 03-25-2004, 11:00 AM

Quote:


	Originally posted by Craig R. Arko Glad it's working, but you lost me there.

How did I lose you?

hayne · 03-25-2004, 11:02 AM

Quote:


	Originally posted by Troutmagnet I'm a first time user of this forum and you're not the epitome of friendliness. I believe I used 'smilies' to tinge my 'suspect' post with the appropriate emotion... the comment was 'throw-away' and intended in a jovial manner.

What we've got here is failure to communicate. Nothing wrong with off-hand comments or jokes, etc. But it seems obvious that your comment did not effectively communicate what you wanted it to. Thanks for the update giving us the info on what your problem turned out to be.

And I'm trying to help, I'm not trying to be friendly. Ineffective communication is not helpful.

Craig R. Arko · 03-25-2004, 11:03 AM

Well, generally being upfront is the best and fastest way to get a straight answer. At least around here.

Troutmagnet · 03-25-2004, 11:48 AM

Quote:


	Originally posted by hayne And I'm trying to help, I'm not trying to be friendly. Ineffective communication is not helpful.

Hahaaaaaa... I think you meant "I'm not trying to be unfriendly" there - or at least I HOPE that's what you meant! LOL!

hayne · 03-25-2004, 01:48 PM

Quote:


	Originally posted by Troutmagnet Hahaaaaaa... I think you meant "I'm not trying to be unfriendly" there - or at least I HOPE that's what you meant!

No. I said what I meant and I meant what I said.
I was talking about my intent.
I don't respond to requests for help because I am trying to be friendly. I respond because I want to help.
Trying to be friendly often gets in the way of the primary purpose - finding out what the problem is and fixing it.

Troutmagnet · 03-25-2004, 02:41 PM

I'm sure behind all the razor wire and vats of corrosive acid lies a little bunny just waiting to be cuddled...

Bbrrrrrr... is it cold in here? Or is it me?

Craig R. Arko · 03-25-2004, 02:50 PM

Okay kids, it's time to move on.

Troutmagnet · 03-25-2004, 02:58 PM

I agree.

03-24-2004, 11:37 PM	#1
Troutmagnet Prospect Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 8	Panther Server: Boots into Darwin?!? Whaaaa? HEEEEEEELP!!! Okay I'm a total newb OSX Server Administrator - totally used to Appleshare IP 6.3 until three days ago when our RAID array went belly up... SO! I salvage the drive contents to a local machine and express ordered in a new set of 3 x 160GB drives (2 drives in a RAID level 1 array with a daily scheduled backup drive via Silverkeeper) I thought this was the perfect opportunity to migrate up to OSX Server, so our local Apple dealer sent a driver over with a burned copy of OSX Server (Panther Server) to tide us over between our server going down and the legit software arriving on our doorstep (which I've already paid for, but is currently on back-order - expecting delivery tomorrow) Okay, so I created my RAID, added the old data, loaded the server software on a dual 867DP MDD with 1GB RAM and created my shares, tested them, created my accounts and groups and everything was dandy... Here's the problem: I stripped everything back down and took the assembly downstairs from my test area to the server room and attached the whole thing to our isolated electrical service. Added the drives, connected everything and fired it up... Now I was expecting it to just boot to the desktop, but instead it boots into DARWIN!?! The Terminal? I mean the blue screen comes up with the usual rotating 20 pronged pin-wheel and then the black Terminal screen fills the screen and it asks me for my login... Okay, so I logged in as 'Administrator' with my administrator password... and the terminal allows me beyond the login and 'welcomes me to Darwin' and shows the directory as: mac file server: ~administrator: So not knowing too much about Terminal or Unix at this point (I assume I'll get a manual tomorrow that will help me), I just tried the "reboot" command, since I've run 'fsck' a few times on client stations in the past in single-user mode - permission denied. "Logout" and "exit" exits from Darwin and seems to begin loading the Finder, but nope, it just cycles back to the Terminal Login screen again!!! So I wondered if, like NT Servers (which I'm more used to (Sadly)) the AFP services were actually active and I was just not accessing the Finder - and LO! When I access the Chooser from an OS9 machine in our department, all of the Mac File Server volumes are there waiting to be mounted! So the service IS running, and I'm SURE the server software hasn't crapped out, so I obviously do not know the Unix command to load up the OSX 10.3.3 Finder from the Terminal screen... This is so frustrating!!! Anyone??? Put me out of my misery!! __________________ Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while...

03-25-2004, 09:08 AM	#2
Troutmagnet Prospect Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 8	OOOkay... thanks guys... __________________ Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while...

03-25-2004, 10:37 AM	#4
rusto MVP Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,489	I think he meant, "Sorry, I cross posted...I still need help!" (the other thread has already been deleted I think) __________________ :: 3.4GHz Core i7 iMac 4GB RAM :: Black MacBook SR :: 10.7.2 :: iPhone 4 / iOS 5 ::

03-25-2004, 10:46 AM	#5
Troutmagnet Prospect Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 8	Egads you guys... lighten up a little... I'm just joking... Thankfully some of my buddies on another board offered assistance (at 2 a.m. EST - yes, they're THAT good) and the problem was fixed this mornign when I got into work. It was (as I was thinking myself actually) just a file permissions problem with the Admin user account. I just ran the following from the prompt after Administration login to terminal: % diskutil repairPermissions / I ran it a few times to make sure everything was fixed and then: % sudo reboot ...and provided my Admin password as per usual... The system rebooted, the standard finder login appeared and OSX Server lovin' is mine once more. I actually didn't think it would be so easy to be honest with you... And 'hayne' man, maybe if everyone was a little easier going, newbie unix issues wouldn't be quite the trial that it is. I'm a first time user of this forum and you're not the epitome of friendliness. I believe I used 'smilies' to tinge my 'suspect' post with the appropriate emotion... the comment was 'throw-away' and intended in a jovial manner. We're not all androids y'know... __________________ Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while...

03-25-2004, 02:41 PM	#13
Troutmagnet Prospect Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 8	I'm sure behind all the razor wire and vats of corrosive acid lies a little bunny just waiting to be cuddled... Bbrrrrrr... is it cold in here? Or is it me? __________________ Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while...

03-25-2004, 10:52 AM	#6
Craig R. Arko Site Admin Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 3,988	It sounds like it's getting past single-user mode, running SystemStarter but LoginWindow is failing. If it was me, I'd boot from the install CD and run Disk Utility. If repairing the filesystem and repairing permissions didn't help, I'd re-check the hardware that was moved to see all the stuff is seated properly. I assume from what was said that a software only RAID is being used; if not it would be wise to verify that the controller has 10.3.3 compatible firmware. And if that all failed, I'd wait for the real CD's to turn up and do a clean reinstall, while spending my time reading the Panther Server documentation, because there's a lot of differences from ASIP. About all I can think of...

03-25-2004, 11:03 AM	#10
Craig R. Arko Site Admin Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 3,988	Well, generally being upfront is the best and fastest way to get a straight answer. At least around here.

03-25-2004, 02:50 PM	#14
Craig R. Arko Site Admin Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 3,988	Okay kids, it's time to move on.

03-25-2004, 02:58 PM	#15
Troutmagnet Prospect Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 8	I agree. __________________ Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while...