Using Terminal / Opening prompt?

none of the commands seem to work

My opening prompt is bash 3.2 and that's it.

Isn't it supposed to be somewhere else. All the things I've read seem to have something besides bash 3.2

The disk is not bad but its stuck on spinning wheel and if I can't fix it in terminal I'll have to wipe it out and lose all my pictures so please help?

I have applejack on my computer and I need to find it on terminal.

Examples of what's not working would be a good start

What does this have to do with "Running Windows......." ? Moved to proper forum. Please observe our forum descriptions prior to posting.

Why do you need to fix it with Terminal? Boot from your restore/install disk and run Disk Utility to repair the drive.
What exactly is wrong?

Dysfunction said:

Examples of what's not working would be a good start

Click to expand...

It began with messages that I was not being logged out because of a SCRIPT RUNNING. Eventually it became a permanent development and all I had was the spinning beach ball thing. The second i touch the mouse to do something the ball goes spinning - so I restarted in safe mode, unplugged all the peripherals and did a disk repair/restore twice and both the safe mode and the repair/restore reported nothing adverse - repairs were successful etc. I had just downloaded apple jack and onyx and managed to use onyx once to delete cache and ever since then it all it amounts to is spinning ball forever. So I am trying to use apple jack in terminal but I cannot even find out what my prompt should be.

I've spend tons of time watching the beach ball waiting for one second to actually do something but its beyond crazy now and I either need to fix it with apple jack in terminal or wipe it out and I really don't want to because of the pictures.

If I had to guess I'd say I think somehow Firefox is involved but that's just a guess. I have a 27 inch Imac that's not really that old about a year and a half and not over-used. It runs Snow-Leopard O.S.

I just saw your other post. I need to use Terminal because the computer is unusable due to the spinning ball so its Terminal or nothing i guess.

chscag said:

What does this have to do with "Running Windows......." ? Moved to proper forum. Please observe our forum descriptions prior to posting.

Click to expand...

I was unsure what forum to put it in - I looked and saw nothing specifically for Terminal so I took a guess. It said something about running other stuff and so I thought Terminal might work.

I considered the Unix forum but saw nothing in there either about Terminal. So I was trying to select the right forum - If there is one specifically on Terminal I'd be more than happy to use it since I gain nothing if I post somewhere that doesn't apply.

I guess it was moved to Apps and Games which doesn't seem to apply either so I did read the forum descriptions and nothing I saw fit.

chscag said:

What does this have to do with "Running Windows......." ? Moved to proper forum. Please observe our forum descriptions prior to posting.

Click to expand...

cradom said:

Why do you need to fix it with Terminal? Boot from your restore/install disk and run Disk Utility to repair the drive.
What exactly is wrong?

Click to expand...

I answered your question above along with another one because I saw your response and thought only one person had responded but now I see otherwise. Anyway I did use disk utility twice (explanation in my answer before this one) and both times it came back repaired although it took longer than I've ever known it to both times. Also ran in safe mode and got the same answer that the disk was in working order.

There is some script running somewhere because that was the message. I looked in Activity Mode and could find nothing but maybe I didn't recognize it.

I have a feeling, because some of the messages mentioned Firefox - that it is involved but that's just a hunch. I don't know how to get screen shots and my printer is out of ink so I have no way of copying computer specifications and info really.

If you can advise I was seriously appreciate your time.

Not sure if it will solve your problem but...
Start up in single user mode (cmd-s). Don't worry about the prompt.
When it finishes booting type "applejack AUTO" without the quotes. (notice the caps)
Let it run. There is minimal user interaction. This is what they call a deep clean of the system.
After it finishes, start up in safe mode (shift held down). Look and see what if anything is trying to run at startup )System Preferences, Accounts, Login Items.
Also check in /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons. Also in your home Liibrary - same places.

cradom said:

Not sure if it will solve your problem but...
Start up in single user mode (cmd-s). Don't worry about the prompt.
When it finishes booting type "applejack AUTO" without the quotes. (notice the caps)
Let it run. There is minimal user interaction. This is what they call a deep clean of the system.
After it finishes, start up in safe mode (shift held down). Look and see what if anything is trying to run at startup )System Preferences, Accounts, Login Items.
Also check in /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons. Also in your home Liibrary - same places.

Click to expand...

I will certainly give it a try and I thank you for your suggestions. I'll follow up here with the results after I've finished. I appreciate your suggestions.

cradom said:

Not sure if it will solve your problem but...
Start up in single user mode (cmd-s). Don't worry about the prompt.
When it finishes booting type "applejack AUTO" without the quotes. (notice the caps)
Let it run. There is minimal user interaction. This is what they call a deep clean of the system.
After it finishes, start up in safe mode (shift held down). Look and see what if anything is trying to run at startup )System Preferences, Accounts, Login Items.
Also check in /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons. Also in your home Liibrary - same places.

Click to expand...

Is this the Terminal I am starting in single user mode or just the computer itself? Had to set this aside awhile and just now getting to be able to work on it so if you could clarify please, thanks.

In single user mode all you get is a terminal. It will boot and when it finishes it will say something about applejack. That's when you type the command.