I use FileVault to encrypt my Home directory. Upgrading from Tiger to Leopard went without a hitch. I was really enjoying the OS until the first update to Leopard was installed. Long story short, something changed, I tried to boot and I couldn’t log in.
Basically Apple’s QA totally screwed me. A major bug that got pushed out and not fixed. There is a thread on the Apple discussion forum starting Oct 26th and they are still pushing this out. So first bit of advice:
If you are using File Vault in Tiger, either disable it before updating, or DO NOT INSTALL the Leopard update after upgrading.
Anyways if you did install it, and you can’t log in, this is basically the fix. It is damn, down right dirty but as I write this I’m recovering my old files.
Okay this is how you can get back into your account:
1. boot in single user mode (apple s) 2. enter the following lines followed by enter 3. /sbin/mount -uw 4. launchctl load /System/Lybrary/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.DirectoryServices.plist 5. dscl . -delete /Users/username HomeDirectory 6. chmod 655 /Users/username - my permissions were all screwed up 7. reboot 8. Log in
You will notice that all your preferences have been reset to default (UGH!). Okay next step:
1. Pray to whatever deity or higher power you believe in. 2. In your Home directory there is username.sparseimage 3. Double click on it to mount it, you might get an error message 4. If it mounted, you will see all your files. Copy Copy Copy!
Good luck!
*Edited on Aug 27, 2008*
Changed the instructions, Step 3 was stuck on Step 2′s line.
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Help!!
I tried following your steps, but get stuck on step 3.
I type in what you tell me to but it then says,
“For Single User mode you must run the following command to enable use of dscl.
launchctl load /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.DirectoryServicesLocal.plist”
So I try again with the line it tells me to, and that then brings up the error “launch_msg(): Socket is not connected”.
What Do I do? I need to fix this laptop urgently today!!
Please advise if you can
– Will
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=2007110800450816 check this website for some more info
actually.. i got that launch_msg() error, for step 2 try “mount -uw /” without the quotes and it should let you launch dscl
it sez, ‘permission denied’, when i typed
launchctl load /System/Lybrary/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.DirectoryServices.plist
how…?
You should be able to access that in single user mode. Unless you’re not in single user mode.
Users who migrate from 10.4.11 to Leopard and just start using File Vault in 10.5.2 also have data corruption problems with program exits when trying to access user files from within applications, system preferences being corrupted, completed System updates that show up on update logs but which the system insists on re-applying, Eudora settings, preferences and emails being corrupted, Safari preferences being corrupted and iCal (i.e. Spotlight) failing to locate data in iCal calendars and on other occasions coming up with spurious search results despite the calendars appearing normal.
DO NOT USE FILE VAULT and report the problems to Apple. Some tech support staff will try to brush you off but others will try to escalate your issues if you describe them carefully and be reasonable. Report problems if you have them.
I get enter in step 3 and I get the error “Socket not connected” as well. any other suggestions?
Did you use the mount command?