OS 10.5 - Terminal - Missing command prompt

AR3Y35 · AR3Y35 #1 (**permalink**)

02-08-2009, 12:38 PM

I'm not getting a command prompt in the Terminal app (Applications/Utilities). When I launch Terminal all I get is one line...

Last login: Sun Feb 8 08:22:27 on ttys003.

Right below that line is a solid cursor. When I press ENTER the only thing that happens is that the cursor skips to the next line. How do I get my command prompt back?

The last thing I did on Terminal was execute the following lines...
cd /private/etc
sudo cp php.ini.default php.ini

Please help. Thanks

mystic_fm · mystic_fm #2 (**permalink**)

02-08-2009, 02:30 PM

When you type a command into this "no command prompt" Terminal, is the command executed? I.e., does "ls<ENTER>" give you a list of directory contents (with no command prompt afterwards)?

AR3Y35 · AR3Y35 #3 (**permalink**)

02-08-2009, 04:19 PM

No, when I type "ls" and press ENTER in the "no command prompt" Terminal the cursor just skips to the next line and nothing else seems to happen.

Commands to work via Shell -> New Command

Dysfunction · Dysfunction #4 (**permalink**)

02-08-2009, 04:33 PM

it sounds like somehow your account doesn't have a valid shell. If you do a Shell -> new command -> dscl . -read /Users/<username> shell

what does it say?

btw it should come back with something like...

mikeMbp:etc mike$ dscl . -read /Users/mike shell
dsAttrTypeNative:shell: /bin/bash

AR3Y35 · AR3Y35 #5 (**permalink**)

02-08-2009, 05:57 PM

dsAttrTypeNative:shell: /bin/bash

That's all the command returned. Nothing like "mikeMbp:etc mike$ dscl . -read /Users/mike shell" was displayed.

Dysfunction · Dysfunction #6 (**permalink**)

02-08-2009, 06:00 PM

Wow, so it just gives you a usage statement. Hmm.. Do you have any other users on the system?

AR3Y35 · AR3Y35 #7 (**permalink**)

02-08-2009, 06:40 PM

Yes, in addition to the Admin account that I'm using, I have a Guest and Standard as well. All accounts have the same problem. I've even created a 2nd Admin account only to find the same problem there. The 2nd Admin account has been deleted.

Terminal has worked with my Admin, Guest and Standard account.

I first notice the problem when I activated PHP on Apache.

Dysfunction · Dysfunction #8 (**permalink**)

02-08-2009, 06:49 PM

Ok, so it does return /bin/bash... you have a defined shell, great!

what does an ls -l /bin/bash show?

AR3Y35 · AR3Y35 #9 (**permalink**)

02-08-2009, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dysfunction

Ok, so it does return /bin/bash... you have a defined shell, great!

what does an ls -l /bin/bash show?

-rwxr-xr-x 1 root wheel 1244928 May 31 2008 /bin/bash

Dysfunction · Dysfunction #10 (**permalink**)

02-08-2009, 07:00 PM

well, looks like that's all there. I can not think of any reason that changing the php.ini would prevent you from logging in and gaining a shell. You could try removing the php.ini

mv /private/etc/php.ini /private/etc/php.foo

AR3Y35 · AR3Y35 #11 (**permalink**)

02-08-2009, 07:22 PM

Removing the php.ini made not difference

Dysfunction · Dysfunction #12 (**permalink**)

02-08-2009, 07:25 PM

Has this been persistent through a reboot?

AR3Y35 · AR3Y35 #13 (**permalink**)

02-08-2009, 08:11 PM

sorry for being a noob.

What do you mean by persistent through a reboot? How can I tell?

Dysfunction · Dysfunction #14 (**permalink**)

02-08-2009, 08:11 PM

Have you rebooted your computer?

AR3Y35 · AR3Y35 #15 (**permalink**)

02-08-2009, 09:45 PM

Yes I have.

I've also turned Web Sharing off, rebooted, and launched Terminal again...no luck

Dysfunction #4 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 17, 2008 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 6,588 Mac Specs: 2008 and 2011 15" mbps, late 11 iMac, iPhone 4s, and too many ipods and other stuff	02-08-2009, 04:33 PM it sounds like somehow your account doesn't have a valid shell. If you do a Shell -> new command -> dscl . -read /Users/<username> shell what does it say? btw it should come back with something like... mikeMbp:etc mike$ dscl . -read /Users/mike shell dsAttrTypeNative:shell: /bin/bash mike This machine kills fascists Got # ? phear the command line!
	QUOTE Thanks

Dysfunction #6 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 17, 2008 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 6,588 Mac Specs: 2008 and 2011 15" mbps, late 11 iMac, iPhone 4s, and too many ipods and other stuff	02-08-2009, 06:00 PM Wow, so it just gives you a usage statement. Hmm.. Do you have any other users on the system? mike This machine kills fascists Got # ? phear the command line!
	QUOTE Thanks

Dysfunction #8 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 17, 2008 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 6,588 Mac Specs: 2008 and 2011 15" mbps, late 11 iMac, iPhone 4s, and too many ipods and other stuff	02-08-2009, 06:49 PM Ok, so it does return /bin/bash... you have a defined shell, great! what does an ls -l /bin/bash show? mike This machine kills fascists Got # ? phear the command line!
	QUOTE Thanks

Dysfunction #10 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 17, 2008 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 6,588 Mac Specs: 2008 and 2011 15" mbps, late 11 iMac, iPhone 4s, and too many ipods and other stuff	02-08-2009, 07:00 PM well, looks like that's all there. I can not think of any reason that changing the php.ini would prevent you from logging in and gaining a shell. You could try removing the php.ini mv /private/etc/php.ini /private/etc/php.foo mike This machine kills fascists Got # ? phear the command line!
	QUOTE Thanks

Dysfunction #12 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 17, 2008 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 6,588 Mac Specs: 2008 and 2011 15" mbps, late 11 iMac, iPhone 4s, and too many ipods and other stuff	02-08-2009, 07:25 PM Has this been persistent through a reboot? mike This machine kills fascists Got # ? phear the command line!
	QUOTE Thanks

OS 10.5 - Terminal - Missing command prompt

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AR3Y35 #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Feb 08, 2009 Posts: 8	02-08-2009, 12:38 PM I'm not getting a command prompt in the Terminal app (Applications/Utilities). When I launch Terminal all I get is one line... Last login: Sun Feb 8 08:22:27 on ttys003. Right below that line is a solid cursor. When I press ENTER the only thing that happens is that the cursor skips to the next line. How do I get my command prompt back? The last thing I did on Terminal was execute the following lines... cd /private/etc sudo cp php.ini.default php.ini Please help. Thanks
	QUOTE Thanks

mystic_fm #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 15, 2007 Posts: 161 Mac Specs: 17" MacBook Pro, 2.33GHz C2D, 2GB RAM	02-08-2009, 02:30 PM When you type a command into this "no command prompt" Terminal, is the command executed? I.e., does "ls<ENTER>" give you a list of directory contents (with no command prompt afterwards)?
	QUOTE Thanks

AR3Y35 #5 (permalink)
Member Since: Feb 08, 2009 Posts: 8	02-08-2009, 05:57 PM dsAttrTypeNative:shell: /bin/bash That's all the command returned. Nothing like "mikeMbp:etc mike$ dscl . -read /Users/mike shell" was displayed.
	QUOTE Thanks

AR3Y35 #7 (permalink)
Member Since: Feb 08, 2009 Posts: 8	02-08-2009, 06:40 PM Yes, in addition to the Admin account that I'm using, I have a Guest and Standard as well. All accounts have the same problem. I've even created a 2nd Admin account only to find the same problem there. The 2nd Admin account has been deleted. Terminal has worked with my Admin, Guest and Standard account. I first notice the problem when I activated PHP on Apache.
	QUOTE Thanks

AR3Y35 #11 (permalink)
Member Since: Feb 08, 2009 Posts: 8	02-08-2009, 07:22 PM Removing the php.ini made not difference
	QUOTE Thanks

AR3Y35 #13 (permalink)
Member Since: Feb 08, 2009 Posts: 8	02-08-2009, 08:11 PM sorry for being a noob. What do you mean by persistent through a reboot? How can I tell?
	QUOTE Thanks

Dysfunction #14 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 17, 2008 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 6,588 Mac Specs: 2008 and 2011 15" mbps, late 11 iMac, iPhone 4s, and too many ipods and other stuff	02-08-2009, 08:11 PM Have you rebooted your computer? mike This machine kills fascists Got # ? phear the command line!
	QUOTE Thanks

AR3Y35 #15 (permalink)
Member Since: Feb 08, 2009 Posts: 8	02-08-2009, 09:45 PM Yes I have. I've also turned Web Sharing off, rebooted, and launched Terminal again...no luck
	QUOTE Thanks

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