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Is there a way to detect single-user mode in OSX (Lion, specifically) from the command line?

I've tried who -r, which returns 3 in either standard or single-user mode.

I've also tried nvram boot-args, which does not work either.

Google isn't helping much with this...

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3 Answers 3

Reset to default
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$ sysctl -n kern.singleuser
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It's 1 when booted in single-user mode, 0 when not.

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  • Confirmed - thanks, Ingmar, just what I needed.
    – Scot
    Commented Apr 12, 2012 at 17:34
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Hmm. We don't have runlevel in OS X*, which would be the easy way. How about identifying something in the output of launchctl list which is not present in single user mode but is present otherwise - com.apple.Finder might be a candidate.

*man who includes: -r Print the current runlevel. This is meaningless on Mac OS X.

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  • Thanks, Adam - thought I'd try who anyway to confirm. As for launchctl list, it returns a Socket is not connected error when in Single User Mode...I wonder if that is enough of a hook?
    – Scot
    Commented Apr 12, 2012 at 0:49
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    Finder isn't always running even in 'normal mode'. It can be quit or replaced with another launcher.
    – user588
    Commented Apr 12, 2012 at 0:51
  • If that's consistent Scot, it might be very convenient!
    – user3117
    Commented Apr 12, 2012 at 0:53
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In single user mode open directory is not available except by jumping through hoops. You can test the return value of dscl in that case.

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