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TICKET ARCHIVE -> HELP! URGENT! MAC IS FREEZING AT STARTUP!
dave-dave - Jun 10, 2006 - 2:34 pm
I'm running a iMac version 10.2.8
The software updater told me that there was an iPod update. It was about 28 mb. Once the update finished I beleive we shut down the computer (or restarted it - one of those two). Now when we click the startup button on the iMac we get the gray apple logo for about 15 seconds then a black bar about half an inch or so tall and about an 1.5-2 in. wide. It doesn't completely startup now and freezes once the black bar appears. In the black bar the is covering the stem of the apple logo (not the apple itself). In the black bar there is two small blue lines, and several colored pixels on the top of the black bar. I do have access to the mac, just not any programs as the comnputer freezes at the start up. The blue screen doesn't even show up. PLEASE HELP!
The software updater told me that there was an iPod update. It was about 28 mb. Once the update finished I beleive we shut down the computer (or restarted it - one of those two). Now when we click the startup button on the iMac we get the gray apple logo for about 15 seconds then a black bar about half an inch or so tall and about an 1.5-2 in. wide. It doesn't completely startup now and freezes once the black bar appears. In the black bar the is covering the stem of the apple logo (not the apple itself). In the black bar there is two small blue lines, and several colored pixels on the top of the black bar. I do have access to the mac, just not any programs as the comnputer freezes at the start up. The blue screen doesn't even show up. PLEASE HELP!
frozendice - Jun 10, 2006 - 3:28 pm
First of all, how long have you let the system sit after pressing the power button? I've seen these things take upwards of an hour before after an update, just depends on the system. Try turning it on, and leaving for lunch, see if that does the trick.
dave-dave - Jun 10, 2006 - 4:33 pm
I've left it for 2 hours now. No changes.
Also: the version 10.2.8 was installed from CDW and I don't have the installation CD for 10.2.8 - I do have an older version of OSX, and a version of OS 9. No others though.
I also have an old OSX Installation CD stuck in the computer that I can't get out. Someone on the forums told me to try to repair permissions, but all options on the installation CD are dimmed out.
Please Help,
Thanks,
Dave
Also: the version 10.2.8 was installed from CDW and I don't have the installation CD for 10.2.8 - I do have an older version of OSX, and a version of OS 9. No others though.
I also have an old OSX Installation CD stuck in the computer that I can't get out. Someone on the forums told me to try to repair permissions, but all options on the installation CD are dimmed out.
Please Help,
Thanks,
Dave
Thunderthud - Jun 10, 2006 - 9:35 pm
If the installation CD is for a version of OS X that is not the same as the installed version or, more likely in this case, it can not recognize any OS X version it will not let you repair permissions.
Since you don't have an install CD for whatever version is on your hard drive you will most likely have to revert to whatever version of OS X you do have or buy a Tiger DVD.
Whichever you choose to do put the install disk in the drive and restart while holding down the "C" key on your keyboard. This should boot you into the installer.
Choose Disk Utility from the Utilities menu and see if it lists your hard drive in the left part of the dialog. If it does, select it and have Disk Utility repair your hard drive. Do this as many times as is necessary until no errors are reported.
If Disk Utility will not let you repair the drive you will have to reformat (erase) it (choose Mac HFS journaled) and reinstall whichever version of OS X is on the install disk.
After repairing the disk or reinstalling OS X have Disk Utility repair permissions on your hard drive. Then boot from your hard drive and have Disk Utility ON YOUR HARD DRIVE repair permissions on itself. This step is important so that the permissions will match the installed version of OS X.
In future you should follow this procedure of repairing any disk errors, then repair permissions from the install disk and then repair permissions using the installed version of Disk Utility BEFORE AND AFTER ANY UPDATE OR INSTALLATION. It is also a good idea to do this as preventive maintenance every 4-6 weeks in order to maintain a healthy hard drive.
Also, if you ever buy another Mac make sure you get an install disk for the system with it or buy one at the same time and install it over the top of whatever version is shipped already installed. It is foolhardy to have ANY computer, PCs included, without some means of booting into a known good environment. This can also be accomplished by making yourself a backup bootable system disk or by using a utility such as Disk Warrior, Data Rescue II, Norton, Drive 10, Tech Tool, etc. which comes on a bootable CD.
Since you don't have an install CD for whatever version is on your hard drive you will most likely have to revert to whatever version of OS X you do have or buy a Tiger DVD.
Whichever you choose to do put the install disk in the drive and restart while holding down the "C" key on your keyboard. This should boot you into the installer.
Choose Disk Utility from the Utilities menu and see if it lists your hard drive in the left part of the dialog. If it does, select it and have Disk Utility repair your hard drive. Do this as many times as is necessary until no errors are reported.
If Disk Utility will not let you repair the drive you will have to reformat (erase) it (choose Mac HFS journaled) and reinstall whichever version of OS X is on the install disk.
After repairing the disk or reinstalling OS X have Disk Utility repair permissions on your hard drive. Then boot from your hard drive and have Disk Utility ON YOUR HARD DRIVE repair permissions on itself. This step is important so that the permissions will match the installed version of OS X.
In future you should follow this procedure of repairing any disk errors, then repair permissions from the install disk and then repair permissions using the installed version of Disk Utility BEFORE AND AFTER ANY UPDATE OR INSTALLATION. It is also a good idea to do this as preventive maintenance every 4-6 weeks in order to maintain a healthy hard drive.
Also, if you ever buy another Mac make sure you get an install disk for the system with it or buy one at the same time and install it over the top of whatever version is shipped already installed. It is foolhardy to have ANY computer, PCs included, without some means of booting into a known good environment. This can also be accomplished by making yourself a backup bootable system disk or by using a utility such as Disk Warrior, Data Rescue II, Norton, Drive 10, Tech Tool, etc. which comes on a bootable CD.
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