How can I boot OpenSolaris x86 into single-user mode?

Question

Modern OpenSolaris is configured to disallow root logins during normal boots. It is only possible in single-user mode. However, many instructions online simply say to add "-s" to the end of the default grub boot arguments, which leaves a graphical boot progress display in an endless loop and never enters the single-user mode console.

Answer 1

The key point left out of many OpenSolaris single-user boot instructions is that you must modify a text boot grub entry, and not the default graphical entry. Booting in graphical mode with the single-user switch leaves the boot progress graphic overlayed atop the console forever, never allowing the maintenance console to be visible.

• Reboot.
• At the grub prompt, highlight the most recent text boot entry and press 'e'.
• Highlight the line beginning with kernel$ and press 'e'.
• Add ' -s' to the end of the line.

e.g. change:

kernel$ /platform/i86pc/kernel/$ISADIR/unix -Bv$ZFS-BOOTFS

to

kernel$ /platform/i86pc/kernel/$ISADIR/unix -Bv$ZFS-BOOTFS -s

• Press 'enter'.
• Press 'b' to boot.

The system should boot without a graphical overlay, and should promptly arrive at the system maintenance console.