automatic fsck on next boot

seqteq · 06-18-2008, 01:22 PM

Hi, I have a G4 running 10.4.11 that is headless - no keyboard/mouse or monitor, which I'm using as a DVR. I manage it with remote desktop/ssh

Occasionally the power goes out, or I have to hard boot it if it won't come out of sleep (wake for ethernet network administrator access)

I want to run fsck on occasion but I can't boot into single user mode with no keyboard or monitor. Can I schedule an fsck -fy on the next reboot somehow? Kind of like chkdsk /f (schedule chkdsk on next boot y/n) in windows.

Thanks

seqteq · 06-20-2008, 02:17 AM

No ideas? Anyone?

Sherman Homan · 06-20-2008, 05:25 AM

I think the problem is that by the time the OS boots far enough to run a script there are so many active, open files that fsck can only verify and not repair. How about a small UPS to protect against power problems? And unless the drive is about to completely fail, you shouldn't need to run fsck that often.

kaptagat · 06-30-2008, 09:34 AM

Try running the command as a cron task. The crontab is is the /etc/ folder.

@reboot root fsck -fy

tlarkin · 06-30-2008, 10:22 AM

Well the boot strap goes like this

Power > POST > Firmware > launchd > loginwindow > GUI

Posting a job in /etc will probably get parsed before the OS actually runs. I have never personally tried this. I would also research it since I think running fsck or a journaled HFS+ is not always recommended. You may need to run the fsck_hfs command instead.

kaptagat · 06-30-2008, 11:03 AM

I run the software update command as a cronjob from all our staff machines as root and @reboot and it works fine.

This is for 10.3 & 10.4 machines. For 10.5 I use launchd to call the command on a reboot.

yellow · 06-30-2008, 11:10 AM

IIRC, during the boot sequence there IS an fsck run automatically at boot, a quick and dirty one called a "preen"?
Happening during the spinning spoked wheel gray apple startup screen?

Maybe this was pre-leopard, where /etc/rc actually existed.

tlarkin · 06-30-2008, 12:28 PM

Yeah in 10.5 everything should technically be controlled by launchd

06-18-2008, 01:22 PM	#1
seqteq Prospect Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 4	automatic fsck on next boot Hi, I have a G4 running 10.4.11 that is headless - no keyboard/mouse or monitor, which I'm using as a DVR. I manage it with remote desktop/ssh Occasionally the power goes out, or I have to hard boot it if it won't come out of sleep (wake for ethernet network administrator access) I want to run fsck on occasion but I can't boot into single user mode with no keyboard or monitor. Can I schedule an fsck -fy on the next reboot somehow? Kind of like chkdsk /f (schedule chkdsk on next boot y/n) in windows. Thanks

06-20-2008, 05:25 AM	#3
Sherman Homan All Star Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Norwell, MA Posts: 546	I think the problem is that by the time the OS boots far enough to run a script there are so many active, open files that fsck can only verify and not repair. How about a small UPS to protect against power problems? And unless the drive is about to completely fail, you shouldn't need to run fsck that often. __________________ http://macintoshsolutions.com

06-30-2008, 11:03 AM	#6
kaptagat Major Leaguer Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 329	I run the software update command as a cronjob from all our staff machines as root and @reboot and it works fine. This is for 10.3 & 10.4 machines. For 10.5 I use launchd to call the command on a reboot. Last edited by kaptagat; 07-01-2008 at 03:04 AM.

06-30-2008, 11:10 AM	#7
yellow Moderator Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 10,677	IIRC, during the boot sequence there IS an fsck run automatically at boot, a quick and dirty one called a "preen"? Happening during the spinning spoked wheel gray apple startup screen? Maybe this was pre-leopard, where /etc/rc actually existed. Last edited by yellow; 06-30-2008 at 11:12 AM.

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06-20-2008, 02:17 AM	#2
seqteq Prospect Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 4	No ideas? Anyone?

06-30-2008, 09:34 AM	#4
kaptagat Major Leaguer Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 329	Try running the command as a cron task. The crontab is is the /etc/ folder. @reboot root fsck -fy

06-30-2008, 10:22 AM	#5
tlarkin League Commissioner Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kansas City Posts: 11,347	Well the boot strap goes like this Power > POST > Firmware > launchd > loginwindow > GUI Posting a job in /etc will probably get parsed before the OS actually runs. I have never personally tried this. I would also research it since I think running fsck or a journaled HFS+ is not always recommended. You may need to run the fsck_hfs command instead.

06-30-2008, 12:28 PM	#8
tlarkin League Commissioner Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kansas City Posts: 11,347	Yeah in 10.5 everything should technically be controlled by launchd