Difference between revisions of "Mac tricks"

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(When your Mac won't start)
Line 4: Line 4:
 
* hold down Command-S for single-user mode. (Hold down Command-V for verbose mode)
 
* hold down Command-S for single-user mode. (Hold down Command-V for verbose mode)
 
* /sbin/fsck -fy
 
* /sbin/fsck -fy
 +
* reboot
 +
===Set the volume from the command line===
 +
<pre>
 +
osascript -e "set Volume 5"
 +
</pre>
  
 
===To clean up the right-click context menu===
 
===To clean up the right-click context menu===

Revision as of 23:40, 7 October 2016

When your Mac won't start

Startup in single user mode and fsck Briefly:

  • hold down Command-S for single-user mode. (Hold down Command-V for verbose mode)
  • /sbin/fsck -fy
  • reboot

Set the volume from the command line

osascript -e "set Volume 5"

To clean up the right-click context menu

/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Support/lsregister -kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user

Some Terminal tricks

macs.about.com/od/usingyourmac/tp/terminaltricks.htm

List known disks

diskutil list

Create a bootable OSX Mavericks on a USB stick / thumb drive

This way worked for me...

  • Download the Installer from the App Store. You end up with a file called "Install OS X Mavericks.app" (5.34Gb) in your Applications folder (and the Install OSX application open)
  • Format a USB drive. Use Disk Utility. Partition tab, 1 partition, options... GUID. Call it "Untitled". Here's the bit... Check the mount point at the bottom of the screen! (Does it say /Volumes/Untitled?)
  • Don't eject / unmount it.
  • Open Terminal. Run the following command...
sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Untitled --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app --nointeraction

If the mount point was /Volumes/Untitled then this command will work. If it was anything else, you will get an error. Change the name of the "--volume" attribute to what you saw as the mount point.
It all goes well, be prepared to make a cup of tea and take your time drinking it...

Password:
Erasing Disk: 0%... 10%... 20%... 30%...100%...
Copying installer files to disk...
Copy complete.
Making disk bootable...
Copying boot files...
Copy complete.
Done.

or

Show (or set) Power Management Settings

sudo pmset -g

Turn Sudden Motion Sensor off

sudo pmset -a sms 0 

Show hidden files

defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE;\killall Finder;\say Files Revealed

and on Mavericks

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -boolean true; killall Finder