Single user mode

Single user mode

Single user mode is a mode in which a multiuser computer operating system boots into a single superuser. It is mainly used for maintenance of multi-user environments such as network servers. Some tasks may require exclusive access to shared resources, for example running fsck on a network share. This mode may also be used for security purposes - network services are not run, eliminating the possibility of outside interference. On some systems a lost superuser password can be changed by switching to single user mode, but not asking for the password in such circumstances is viewed as a security vulnerability.

Mac OS X

Mac OS X users can accomplish this by holding down Apple key/Command (for users of Mac OS 10.4 or up)+S after powering the system. The user may be required to enter a password set in the firmware. Single User Mode is different from a Safe Mode boot in that the system goes directly to the console instead of starting up the core elements of Mac OS X (items in /System/Library/, ignoring /Library/, ~/Library/, et al.). From there users are encouraged by a prompt to run fsck or other command line utilities as needed (or installed).

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows provides Recovery Console. It is different from single user modes in other operating systems because it is independent of the maintained operating system.


=Unix family=
Unix-like operating systems provide single user mode functionality through runlevels. Runlevels are usually changed using the init command, runlevel 1 or S will boot into single user mode.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • User-mode Linux — (UML) allows multiple virtual Linux systems (known as guests) to run as an application within a normal Linux system (known as the host). As each guest is just a normal application running as a process in user space, this approach provides the… …   Wikipedia

  • Mode (computer interface) — This article is about a transient state in user interfaces. For modes in videogames, see Game mode. For other uses, see Mode (disambiguation). Not to be confused with Multimodal interaction or Modality (human computer interaction). In user… …   Wikipedia

  • Multi-user — Single user redirects here. For a product designed for cheapness and short term convenience rather than medium to long term durability, see Single use. Multi user is a term that defines an operating system or application software that allows… …   Wikipedia

  • User space — kernel space redirects here. For mathematical definition, see null space. A conventional operating system usually segregates virtual memory into kernel space and user space. Kernel space is strictly reserved for running the kernel, kernel… …   Wikipedia

  • Safe mode — usually refers to a diagnostic mode used by a computer operating system (OS). It can also refer to a mode of operation by application software. Operating System safe mode Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X are examples of contemporary operating… …   Wikipedia

  • Mode choice — analysis is the third step in the conventional four step transportation forecasting model, following trip generation and trip distribution but before route assignment. Trip distribution s zonal interchange analysis yields a set of origin… …   Wikipedia

  • Mode 13h — Default VGA 256 color palette Mode 13h is the IBM VGA BIOS mode number for a specific standard 256 color mode on IBM s VGA graphics hardware. It features a resolution of 320×200 pixels[1] and was used extensively in computer games and… …   Wikipedia

  • Single-lens reflex camera — The single lens reflex (SLR) camera uses an automatic moving mirror system which permits the photographer to see exactly what will be captured by the film or digital imaging system, as opposed to non SLR cameras where the view through the… …   Wikipedia

  • Addressing mode — Addressing modes are an aspect of the instruction set architecture in most central processing unit (CPU) designs. The various addressing modes that are defined in a given instruction set architecture define how machine language instructions in… …   Wikipedia

  • Roaming user profile — C:Documents and Settings{username}   Application Data   …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”