How to access underlying Unix operating system

Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
From reading a book, I remember I need to enable something before I can access a terminal for the underlying Unix operating system. Can somebody jog my memory for the steps to achieve it?
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 34
    mr. memr. me Posts: 3,221member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by healer

    From reading a book, I remember I need to enable something before I can access a terminal for the underlying Unix operating system. Can somebody jog my memory for the steps to achieve it?



    If you installed the BSD Subsystem, you should not have a problem.
  • Reply 2 of 34
    gongon Posts: 2,437member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by healer

    From reading a book, I remember I need to enable something before I can access a terminal for the underlying Unix operating system. Can somebody jog my memory for the steps to achieve it?



    Applications->Utilities->Terminal.app, nothing to install.
  • Reply 3 of 34
    You might have read that you need to enable root access to have full BSD functionality.
  • Reply 4 of 34
    healerhealer Posts: 19member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Gon

    Applications->Utilities->Terminal.app, nothing to install.



    I didn't install the operating system. I got the computer second-handed. Would the BSD subsystem not have been installed by default? I have always thought the Mac is actually run by the unix system in the back-end and Windows is the front-end. It is something like dosshell with Windows systems years ago. Excuse me if I am wrong, I'm still learning about Mac though I have been in computer works for some time.
  • Reply 5 of 34
    healerhealer Posts: 19member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by rminkler

    You might have read that you need to enable root access to have full BSD functionality.



    I borrowed the book from the library and I have returned it since. I remember something like enabling access through Network something or something Information. However I have so far been unable to find it. I can't find the information from the help on the operating system either. I must have not got the right key words to search for. Would you be kindly enough to tell me exactly where in the system I should look into?
  • Reply 6 of 34
    tednditedndi Posts: 1,921member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by healer

    I didn't install the operating system. I got the computer second-handed. Would the BSD subsystem not have been installed by default? I have always thought the Mac is actually run by the unix system in the back-end and Windows is the front-end. It is something like dosshell with Windows systems years ago. Excuse me if I am wrong, I'm still learning about Mac though I have been in computer works for some time.





    Windows has nothing to do with it.
  • Reply 7 of 34
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by healer

    I didn't install the operating system. I got the computer second-handed. Would the BSD subsystem not have been installed by default? I have always thought the Mac is actually run by the unix system in the back-end and Windows is the front-end. It is something like dosshell with Windows systems years ago. Excuse me if I am wrong, I'm still learning about Mac though I have been in computer works for some time.



    Did you do what Gon suggested? Go to the Applications directory, then inside that is the Utilities directory, and inside that is Terminal.app. That's the terminal you said you were looking for.
  • Reply 8 of 34
    healerhealer Posts: 19member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by BRussell

    Did you do what Gon suggested? Go to the Applications directory, then inside that is the Utilities directory, and inside that is Terminal.app. That's the terminal you said you were looking for.



    Oh sorry, I didn't mean Bill Gate's Windows. I meant the Mac's "Windows".
  • Reply 9 of 34
    healerhealer Posts: 19member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Gon

    Applications->Utilities->Terminal.app, nothing to install.



    Thanks! I missed this post when I last came around.



    I have tried that just now and I did get to use "su" though I didn't go further. I wonder why I read somewhere I need to enable the root access from somewhere before I can do that because root access is disabled by default.



    Thanks a lot again.
  • Reply 10 of 34
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Okay, first things first. There is no such thing as "Mac's Windows". Quickest way to get people ticked at you. Kinda like calling a BMW 780i "BMW's Cadillac". The term I think you're looking for is 'GUI': Graphical User Interface. And the Mac pioneered it, Windows copied it. Badly. Hence the ire over "Mac's Windows".



    Now, as to the root access... you don't need it. You can use the Terminal right now, and do everything (and more) you can do in the Finder, for instance. You don't need root, and in fact, it's a generally accepted bad thing to do. That is indeed what you thought you needed to enable in NetInfo Manager, but really, don't bother.



    Why do you think you need to enable root??
  • Reply 11 of 34
    healerhealer Posts: 19member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by BRussell

    Did you do what Gon suggested? Go to the Applications directory, then inside that is the Utilities directory, and inside that is Terminal.app. That's the terminal you said you were looking for.



    Thanks to everyone. I did get to use the terminal eventually though I didn't go past using "su". I have also found that I can change the root password through NetInfo Manager -> users -> root.



    So we don't need to enable the root access anyway, am I right?
  • Reply 12 of 34
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    Yes; no root access is ideal. I run my account at home as a standard user, root is disabled and an admin account was created for authentication purposes only, like to install software, and do other admin type stuff.
  • Reply 13 of 34
    healerhealer Posts: 19member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Kickaha

    Okay, first things first. There is no such thing as "Mac's Windows". Quickest way to get people ticked at you. Kinda like calling a BMW 780i "BMW's Cadillac". The term I think you're looking for is 'GUI': Graphical User Interface. And the Mac pioneered it, Windows copied it. Badly. Hence the ire over "Mac's Windows".



    Now, as to the root access... you don't need it. You can use the Terminal right now, and do everything (and more) you can do in the Finder, for instance. You don't need root, and in fact, it's a generally accepted bad thing to do. That is indeed what you thought you needed to enable in NetInfo Manager, but really, don't bother.



    Why do you think you need to enable root??




    GUI, that's right. I've just got a memory block. I have been using PCs and supporting systems that use PCs and Unixes for some time. This is almost the first time I use Mac. I don't need root access at this time. I suppose enabling root access is a feature of earlier version. Anyway, I would like to get familiar with every possible aspect of Mac systems from now onwards. I just love everything to do with computers, hardware and software.



    I do notice that Apple's products look very elegant and versatile. I have seen all graphics designers use only Mac's. I would like to know more about the forte of Macs as compared with Windows if there's a chance. I tend not to take what every commercial says but the views of actual users.



    Thanks again for your patience and tolerance.
  • Reply 14 of 34
    gene cleangene clean Posts: 3,481member
    Quote:

    And the Mac pioneered it, Windows copied it. Badly.



    You mean XEROX pioneered it, and Apple just came to the market first due to a smart "trick" they did; pay XEROX $1 mil. to "study" the GUI...



    ...and go home and copy it.







    But yes, to answer the question of OP: you can't get access to the Unix underpinning if you don't buy the Ultimate Edition.
  • Reply 15 of 34
    healerhealer Posts: 19member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Outsider

    Yes; no root access is ideal. I run my account at home as a standard user, root is disabled and an admin account was created for authentication purposes only, like to install software, and do other admin type stuff.



    How do you disable root access? What version of OS X are you using? Mine is 10.2.
  • Reply 16 of 34
    gene cleangene clean Posts: 3,481member
    It's disabled already.
  • Reply 17 of 34
    healerhealer Posts: 19member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Gene Clean

    You mean XEROX pioneered it, and Apple just came to the market first due to a smart "trick" they did; pay XEROX $1 mil. to "study" the GUI...



    ...and go home and copy it.







    But yes, to answer the question of OP: you can't get access to the Unix underpinning if you don't buy the Ultimate Edition.




    Hi guys, what is Ultimate Edition for Mac? Doesn't every Mac come with the Unix installed in the back-end? I have supposed Mac is run by Darwin which is a Unix operating system.



    By the way, how do we insert image in the post? Is it like what you did using hyperlinks? What about image I want to upload from my computer?
  • Reply 18 of 34
    healerhealer Posts: 19member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Gene Clean

    It's disabled already.



    I thought I would get in without enabling anything. When I tried I typed "su" and it asked for password. I didn't go further from there as I don't need the root access at this time but I would like to know for sure just in case I need it one day. As a matter of satisfying my curiosity, I might go in later to see how it works as compared with other Unix or Linux systems.
  • Reply 19 of 34
    areseearesee Posts: 776member
    healer you're scaring me with your insistence on using sudo. I recommend that you stay within the GUI until you get familiar with the Mac OS. Then go ahead and explore Unix and the terminal. Most everything you need to do can safely be done from the GUI. The only times I come across sudo commands is in instructions on how to hack the system. And from your responses your not ready for that.



    Three books that you might find useful are:

    Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Tiger http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/059...books&v=glance



    Mac OS X: The Missing Manual, Tiger http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/059...books&v=glance



    Mac OS X Tiger for Unix Geeks http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/059...lance&n=283155
  • Reply 20 of 34
    areseearesee Posts: 776member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by healer

    Hi guys, what is Ultimate Edition for Mac?



    A little fun there. There is only the one Mac client edition. I don't know about the BSD Subsystem mentioned earlier. But then I don't do Unix. And you also might want to load the Developer software. It will give you additional visibility into the OS and its support files.
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