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General discussion

error loading prefs - creating defaults one

Dec 1, 2007 9:56AM PST

I have a whole console log full of these messages and no clue as to what to do about it. Apple's support website doesn't have anything about this, neither does anybody else it seems. Can somebody help, please?

Macmini PPC running OS X 10.4.11

(The original problem was/is not being able to boot from a firewire drive which both shows as bootable and verifies fine in Disk Utility. The drive doesn't show on option-start on either the ppc or my (intel) MacBook. Btw, the MacBook console log does not have any "error loading prefs - creating defaults one" messages.
If you can offer help on the external drive problem as well, without my having to erase the drive, I'd appreciate that too. The mini *has* booted off that drive in the past...)

Discussion is locked

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Of logs and things
Dec 1, 2007 10:09PM PST

It would seem, at least to the system, that there is a problem with the version of OS X that is on that external.
If the drive does not show on an Option Start, then the firmware does not recognize the OS that is on the external as "valid"
Your best bet, to begin with, is to reinstall the OS onto the external using the Archive and Install option. This just replaces the system but leaves everything else intact.

Do that, reboot and let us know the outcome


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reinstalled
Dec 2, 2007 5:07PM PST

Thanks. Did that (reinstalled, using A&I) but the volume still doesn't show at Option Start. I've tried, both the other day and now, to use it in Startup Disk (it does show there, and selects) but to no avail. What puzzles me is that I've started the machine from it twice before, and done a Restore using Disk Utility each time.

As for the "error loading prefs - creating defaults one" messages in the console log, would perhaps an A&I on the internal drive be a remedy for that? The reason I ask before just going ahead and doing so experimentally is that it's somewhat of a Big Deal for me to remove the KVM switch and plug in a Mac kbd--and I already put it all back together before I thought of that <g>

Also, how does the Previous Systems folder tie in with the rest of the installation? Do I need to do something with/for/about it now that it's there?

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Reinstall
Dec 3, 2007 5:27AM PST

Yes, an A & I on the internal drive may help you here. Not sure of the significance of the KVM switch though.
Surely you can boot the machine from the DVD by holding down the "C" key on whatever keyboard is attached. Maybe you can't

The Previous Systems folders can be trashed once you are sure that the new system is performing as planned. The folders only take up space on the drive and do not perform any tasks whatsoever.

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