How to start up in single-user or verbose mode INSIDE a virtual machine?

[VirtualMac2009]

Is it possible to start up in single-user or verbose mode...

How to start up in single-user or verbose mode

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1492

...INSIDE a VMware Fusion Virtual Machine of Mac OS X Server 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard Server) in VMWare Fusion 5.0.3 on OS X 10.8.3 (Mountain Lion)?

Thanks.

[changhai]

VIrutalMac2009,

you might refer to this articlet to access single mode for Mac OS X VM:

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1004018

Best Regards,

changhai

[changhai]

VirtualMac2009,

for one startuped  Mac OS X, you might issue the following command :

# sudo nvram boot-args="-s"

while rebooting your Mac OS X next time, Mac OS X will boot into single user mode.

Best Regards,

changhai

[VirtualMac2009]

changhai,

Thanks. In relation to

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1004018

I have done as indicated and when the virtual machine enters into single-user mode (Option Command S), it gets stuck there. The keys are not active, even if I click Control Command to show the mouse pointer. But if then I click or try to type into the console, it types nothing and the mouse pointer disapears. No way to type anything in the command-text console.

I am enclosing a screen capture as "StuckAtTextCommandConsole.pdf".

I have to select "Virtual Machine - Restart" to get out of it.

Any idea to fix it? Thanks.

[VirtualMac2009]

In relation to

# sudo nvram boot-args="-s"

I guess that is for the Terminal to start the main Mac (host) in single-user mode, not the virtual Mac (guest). Right?

But you can also start the main Mac (OS X 10.8.3 in my case) in single-user mode with Command S at rebooting or cold booting. So, what is the purpose of the Terminal command?

[VirtualMac2009]

On the other hand, is it possible to access verbose mode for Mac OS X VM?

I cannot find "Switching Mac OS to Verbose Mode" in the VMware Knowledge Base.

Thanks.

[WoodyZ]

VirtualMac2009 wrote:

In relation to

# sudo nvram boot-args="-s"

I guess that is for the Terminal to start the main Mac (host) in single-user mode, not the virtual Mac (guest). Right?

Yes, that is done in a Terminal.

But you can also start the main Mac (OS X 10.8.3 in my case) in single-user mode with Command S at rebooting or cold booting. So, what is the purpose of the Terminal command?

Well, sometimes it hard to use the Keyboard when booting a Virtual Machine, timing can be an issue.  So if one can still boot to a normal Desktop and they what to boot to Safe Mode or Single User Mode then using the Terminal can actually be easier and faster then trying to set focus to the VM Display and press the appropriate key sequence at the appropriate time to invoke the required action.

[VirtualMac2009]

WoodyZ,

Thanks. Yet, if I open Terminal in the VM and type

# sudo nvram boot-args="-s"

and press the carriage return, nothing happens.

If I type instead

sudo nvram boot-args="-s"

then I get:

WARNING: Improper use of the sudo command could lead to data loss

or the deletion of important system files. Please double-check your

typing when using sudo. Type "man sudo" for more information.

To proceed, enter your password, or type Ctrl-C to abort.

I enter the password at the prompt and get:

Mac-OS-X-Server-10-6-x:~ memce_markernbsp;

And there it stays. And if I do it again, it does nothing, even if I quit Terminal and do it again.

Besides that, the single-user mode screen gets stuck as indicated above. See the StuckAtTextCommandConsole.pdf above.

[WoodyZ]

Yet, if I open Terminal in the VM and type

# sudo nvram boot-args="-s"

and press the carriage return, nothing happens.

Yes, something happened and at this point you now reboot so as to utilize the mode the command set!

[VirtualMac2009]

Well, I see nothing happening. The Terminal window remains on as the Desktop does. This is from the Terminal:

Mac-OS-X-Server-10-6-x:~ me$ # sudo nvram boot-args="-s"

Mac-OS-X-Server-10-6-x:~ me$ sudo nvram boot-args="-s"

Password:

Mac-OS-X-Server-10-6-x:~ memce_markernbsp;

And there it stays forever... No reboot at all. No single-user mode.

[WoodyZ]

VirtualMac2009 wrote:

Well, I see nothing happening. The Terminal window remains on as the Desktop does. This is from the Terminal:

Mac-OS-X-Server-10-6-x:~ me$ # sudo nvram boot-args="-s"

Mac-OS-X-Server-10-6-x:~ me$ sudo nvram boot-args="-s"

Password:

Mac-OS-X-Server-10-6-x:~ memce_markernbsp;

And there it stays forever... No reboot at all. No single-user mode.

After running that command, you have to manually invoke a reboot either from the Apple Menu or from the Terminal using the following command!

sudo shutdown -r now

[VirtualMac2009]

With that it reboots into the command-line interface, but then it gets stuck there and I cannot type anything as explained above, including the screen capture "StuckAtTextCommandConsole.pdf" (above).

BTW, this is the Terminal text:

Mac-OS-X-Server-10-6-x:~ me$ sudo nvram boot-args="-s"

Password:

Mac-OS-X-Server-10-6-x:~ me$ sudo shutdown -r now

And then I pressed the carriage return.

Sorry for my ignorance and thanks for your help!

WELL, it is even worse. Now, every time that I reboot or shut down and boot the VM, it gets stuck on such command-line screen, and I cannot get out of it. What to do? Please, help! Thanks!

UPDATE. This is amazing. If in the stuck command-line console I type exit (I see nothing written there) and press the carriage return, it boots after a few seconds into the VM Desktop. But every time that I reboot, the same happens. How to avoid booting into such command-line console each time? Thanks.

[WoodyZ]

Do you have a proper backup of this Virtual Machine?  If not, why not!?

Is there User Data that needs to be recovered from this Virtual Machine?

[WoodyZ]

UPDATE. This is amazing. If in the stuck command-line console I type exit (I see nothing written there) and press the carriage return, it boots after a few seconds into the VM Desktop. But every time that I reboot, the same happens. How to avoid booting into such command-line console each time? Thanks.

I posted the backup question before refreshing the screen as I was away from my desk for a bit.

Have you in a Terminal or from the Command Line issued the following commands and then reboot?

sudo nvram boot-args=""
sudo shutdown -r now

[VirtualMac2009]

Thanks.

Typing in Terminal

sudo nvram boot-args=""

and the password when prompted afterwads, and then carriage return reboots automatically.

But it gets stuck again in the command-line console.

Typing exit and pressing the carriage return there (all blind, since I see no feedback on the screen) goes to the VM Desktop after a few seconds, but if I reboot or shut down and boot, the issue persists (shows again the command-line console).

[WoodyZ]

but if I reboot or shut down and boot, the issue persists (shows again the command-line console).

In a Terminal, what it the output of the following command?  I'm mainly interested to see the line that shows "boot=args" shows nothing but that on that line.

sudo nvram -p

[VirtualMac2009]

Shows this:

boot-args     -s

[WoodyZ]

Okay, In a Terminal issue the following commands.  Is boot-args still showing -s?

sudo nvram boot-args=""
sudo nvram -p

[VirtualMac2009]

After running both commands, it shows:

boot-args

[WoodyZ]

Good, now reboot and see if all is back to normal.