Mark Burr

Q: only boots in safe mode

Hi there,

 

Im currently sat in front of a Mac Pro 2 x2.66Ghz which crashed after coming out of sleep so it had to be powered down and then back on.

 

Since then it will not boot to the finder, just sits at a blu screen.

 

It will however boot ok in safe mode.

 

Created a new user and problem persists.

 

Run applejack, problem persists.

 

OK, lets do an archive and install. Plugged in my firewire drive with split partitions of 10.5/10.6 installers. Reboot, alt key, select my  boot drive and it still hangs before getting to the installer front end...

 

ok, lets boot again off a 10.6.6 boot hard disk. > same problem.

 

next i remove the internal hard disk and attempt to boot off the firewire external. Same problem....

 

OK, now I insert a USB stick with a 10.6 installer on it, still won't boot up completely.....

 

Now I try and boot from a 10.7 boot drive, get a desktop pattern but nothing else, just a spinning wheel.

 

Have now put the original hard disk back in and booted it back in safe mode to keep going for the time being...

 

Any suggestions please ???

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on May 4, 2011 4:46 AM

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Q: only boots in safe mode

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  • Helpful answers

  • by The hatter,

    The hatter The hatter May 4, 2011 5:21 AM in response to Mark Burr
    Level 9 (60,935 points)
    May 4, 2011 5:21 AM in response to Mark Burr

    First thing to do was run FSCK (is Applejack okay to use?)

     

    SuperDuper clone will NOT copy temp files and caches, things that a Safe Boot would delete and create, and let you try to repair on a new drive with Disk Warrior to repair drive which is your best best. Something else to look for corrupt files.

     

    Also, you should already have

     

    bootable backup clone or two

    emergency boot drive to use for repairs and maintenance to run Disk Utility AND 3rd party disk repair.

     

    I'd never do anything now other than clean install to another hard drive. You haven't repaired directory and other issues. Leave it as is and build a new OS boot drive foundation.

  • by Mark Burr,

    Mark Burr Mark Burr May 4, 2011 5:43 AM in response to Mark Burr
    Level 1 (4 points)
    May 4, 2011 5:43 AM in response to Mark Burr

    applejack does the same thing and more than just doing FSCK.

     

    What you seem to have missed is that I have removed the internal hard disk and am booting from a fresh brand new OS on an external and it has the same symptoms.

     

    Booting from a USB with a fresh installer on it doesn't work either.

     

    Boot drive and USB work fine on other machines with no problems.

  • by The hatter,

    The hatter The hatter May 4, 2011 5:58 AM in response to Mark Burr
    Level 9 (60,935 points)
    May 4, 2011 5:58 AM in response to Mark Burr

    I know and used AJ in the past to clean caches, but it only uses fsck and not what Disk Warrior would.

     

    Right, early AM and missed the rest.

     

    And this is began using developer release? don't answer but take it up with beta/seed forums. No idea what it might have done.

     

    I saw you wanted to add a new account BEFORE you had a stable system, then wanted to A&I (doesn't exist for 10.6, reinstalls only).

     

    In all such matters: a bootable SuperDuper clone and Disk Warrior  done regularly I see as MUST.

  • by Mark Burr,

    Mark Burr Mark Burr May 4, 2011 6:31 AM in response to The hatter
    Level 1 (4 points)
    May 4, 2011 6:31 AM in response to The hatter

    ok, fsck & diskwarrior etc etc aside.

     

    With the internal drive removed and only with an external boot drive (a fresh OS) the Mac Pro will still not fully boot and get to the desktop/finder.

     

    This makes me wonder whether there is a hardware issue that safe mode bypasses.

     

    I haven't tried the original DVD as the client has lost it.

     

    For the record, I've been an Apple technician since 1987 so I know my way around the system

     

    I've left it for now and will have another go later. Only thing I didn't try was to safe boot from the external or the usb stick.

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis May 4, 2011 6:43 AM in response to Mark Burr
    Level 10 (207,963 points)
    Applications
    May 4, 2011 6:43 AM in response to Mark Burr

    We have no way of knowing what's on these volumes you're trying to boot from. Usually if a volume boots only in safe mode, it's because there are incompatible third-party drivers on it. The only way you can be sure is to boot from a retail 10.6 DVD and reinstall. I'm assuming that the machine shipped with 10.5.

  • by Mark Burr,

    Mark Burr Mark Burr May 4, 2011 8:52 AM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (4 points)
    May 4, 2011 8:52 AM in response to Linc Davis

    The external drive contains the retail 10.5.6 installer and the 10.6.3 retail installer so no problems there.

     

    The usb stick contains the retail 10.6.3 installer.

     

    Yes the machine shipped with 10.5 originally.

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis May 4, 2011 9:43 AM in response to Mark Burr
    Level 10 (207,963 points)
    Applications
    May 4, 2011 9:43 AM in response to Mark Burr

    If you can't boot from a valid retail 10.6 installer volume, then there must be a hardware problem somewhere.

  • by Mark Burr,

    Mark Burr Mark Burr May 16, 2011 2:29 AM in response to Mark Burr
    Level 1 (4 points)
    May 16, 2011 2:29 AM in response to Mark Burr

    Am now convinced it's the video card.

     

    Any recommendations for a drop in card that has 2 DVI ports and full 10.5.8 and higher driver support. ?