Q&A for How to Get to the Command Line on a Mac

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What is the command for my ip address?

Community Answer

ipconfig getifaddr en0

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Question

How do I ping the gateway from terminal?

Community Answer

At the command prompt, type "ping " and press Return.

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How to find a list of all terminal commands?

Community Answer

Press the Escape key (on the keyboard) twice, then press "y" when you're asked if you want to see all commands.

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Question

How to delete a file with Terminal?

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You can use "rm -rf " to delete any file. Don't do this unless you know for sure that the file is no longer needed.

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Are any Windows commands similar to Mac terminal commands?

Community Answer

Most Windows commands will work in OSX by simply pressing 'command' instead of 'control'. For example, ctrl+v (paste) ctrl+c (copy), ctrl+z (undo) and ctrl+a (select all) still all work on a Mac, just replacing the control key with the command key.

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How can I cancel the Open Office message to "Restore Windows"?

Community Answer

From the command prompt, type "cd /Users//Library/Saved Application State". Then, type "rm -rf org.openoffice.script.savedState"

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Can sharing files through a network be done between a mac and a windows machine?

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As long as file sharing is enabled on both computers, you can share files between a Windows PC and a Mac.

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How do you unlock the Terminal to put in a password?

Community Answer

If you want to enter the root password in a terminal window, type "sudo" and press return. You'll then be able to enter the password.

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Question

What do I do if I have a new MacBook that cannot be used because I keep getting messages asking for the keychain password? When I enter it I get a message asking for a new keychain password. Any password I enter is not accepted even the ones suggested by the "help" button.

Community Answer

You'll need to contact Apple Support for help.

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How do I reboot a Mac after a failed OS install?

Community Answer

Insert a drive or CD containing your preferred OS. When starting up your Mac, hold down the button that gives you boot options. This could either be the "C" key, "F12" or "F8". Boot the CD or USB Drive with the new OS install on it and continue from there.

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How do I change the command prompt on an IMAC terminal to access a USB drive?

Community Answer

Type cd /volumes, and then type "ls" to see a list of all drives. When you see the name of your thumbdrive, type "cd ".

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