tsch93

Q: Mac Mini - Flashing Folder Icon / No boot / Loud fans

I recently got my Mac Mini back after 8 months of it being 'elsewhere' (someone had it, tried to gain access, failed because I have filevault).

When I first got it back yesterday I turned it on, booted and then logged in, noticed no sound, and system was saying there was no sound card. The computer wasn't lagging or freezing whatsoever, so I reset it and still no sound.

I open it up and what do you know, someones opened it (I assume to get to the HDD) and had unclipped the sound card ribbon. Reseated that and put it back together, turn it on and finally a chime, but then nothing, White screen, and fans turn on full blast. I reset it, same thing. Reset it about 10 times, only thing I noticed was half the time my mouse cursor would show and let me move the cursor around.

So I take it apart again, check all connections, restart, same symptoms.

Pull it apart again and try installing 1 RAM chip at a time, same symptoms.

I tried booting it with resetting PRAM, NVRAM, I tried starting holding option, pressing c, everything, and nothing happens! Same symptoms. I tried holding down power for 10 seconds, hear a long beep, then chime, same symptoms!

So I take it apart again, take out hard drive, check connections (all ok), put it back in, same symptoms.

Anyway I got angry so i turned it on and left it doing it's White screen business. Come back 45 minutes later, flashing folder icon with '?'

I reboot, wait 15 again, same folder icon, loud fan, nothing else.

 

This doesn't make sense, HDD was fine 5 minutes before, no noises at all, no lag, no errors. I didn't touch the hard drive previously to the problem, and now nothing is helping. I've had the hard drive replaced 2 years ago due to near failure, but saved all data by cloning the disk, the HDD isn't old!

 

I just bought an external HDD enclosure, should arrive soon, and a new HDD, issue is this disk is filevaulted, I'm scared my data is going to be lost for good.

 

What can I do? I've lost my OS X disc, but judging by the computer being unresponsive to other commands at boot I doubt it would boot a CD anyway.

 

Please help.

Thanks

Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.5.6), 2.5GB RAM 320GB HDD

Posted on Mar 7, 2012 5:54 PM

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Q: Mac Mini - Flashing Folder Icon / No boot / Loud fans

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  • by BDAqua,

    BDAqua BDAqua Mar 8, 2012 11:19 AM in response to tsch93
    Level 10 (123,765 points)
    Mar 8, 2012 11:19 AM in response to tsch93

    Whew, what a bad ride.

     

    Does it also have Firmware password protection in Mac OS X ...

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1352

     

    It would block usage of all the startup keys, like C, N, T, D, CMD+s, CMD+Option+p+r, CMD +v, Option, and Shift, as well as booting from anything but the Hard Drive.

     

    Force Removing Password Protection

     

    1) Add or remove DIMMs to change the total amount of RAM in the computer.

     

    2) Then, the PRAM must be reset 3 times. (Command + Option + P + R).

     

    http://www.securemac.com/openfirmwarepasswordprotection.php

     

    Does it boot to Single User Mode, CMD+s keys at bootup, if so try...

     

    /sbin/fsck -fy

     

    Repeat until it shows no errors fixed.

     

    (Space between fsck AND -fy important).

     

    Resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance with Disk Utility and fsck...

     

    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214

     


  • by tsch93,

    tsch93 tsch93 Mar 8, 2012 12:41 PM in response to BDAqua
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 8, 2012 12:41 PM in response to BDAqua

    I've never set that up and I've never seen any of those password screens so I'd assume no firmware protection

    I've removed the hard drive now just incase and as soon as my enclosures come I'll try to boot this hard drive on my sisters MacBook and see if that does anything, fingers crossed, I don't care about the mini it's the data I want

     

    I tried starting the computer without the hard drive and it was just as irresponsivre as with it in, same symptoms, so maybe the logic board's given up the ghost?

  • by BDAqua,

    BDAqua BDAqua Mar 8, 2012 2:26 PM in response to tsch93
    Level 10 (123,765 points)
    Mar 8, 2012 2:26 PM in response to tsch93

    Let's hope it's the Mini & not the HDD!

     

    Keep us posted please.

  • by tsch93,

    tsch93 tsch93 Mar 8, 2012 3:09 PM in response to BDAqua
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 8, 2012 3:09 PM in response to BDAqua

    Will do, should have the enclosures next week around Monday/Tuesday.

    If it is the mac mini as I suspect, and I buy a new iMac, I want to port all my applications and files to the iMac, is this possible if I use the MacBook as a conduit, booting my HDD off the MacBook and migrating it to the new mac?

    My 2 issues are the Mac mini was running 10.5, and the hard drive is filevaulted (then again can just decrypt it on boot).

    The other issues are I want to port over Logic Pro 8, with all my presets and files, and plug

    Ins, and my Adobe CS with all my presets and plug ins, I can't afford to lose those projects!

     

    Thanks

  • by BDAqua,

    BDAqua BDAqua Mar 8, 2012 3:29 PM in response to tsch93
    Level 10 (123,765 points)
    Mar 8, 2012 3:29 PM in response to tsch93

    It's doubtful the new Mac will boot 10.5.8, so that may be a problem, but you may still be able to unlock & Mount that FileVaulted Home folder with the Password.

     

    Normally, to import/migrate everything you just have that drive connected on first boot o the new Mac, after putting your info in you'll have a choice of using Setup Assistant or Migration Assistant to Migrate everything over.

  • by tsch93,

    tsch93 tsch93 Mar 8, 2012 5:12 PM in response to BDAqua
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 8, 2012 5:12 PM in response to BDAqua

    What I have is an 09 MacBook   Runs 10.5 natively. If I use my mini's HDD and boot it from the MacBook, then use the new iMacs migration assistant, connected to the MacBook, can I not migrate my old mac like this?

  • by BDAqua,

    BDAqua BDAqua Mar 8, 2012 5:29 PM in response to tsch93
    Level 10 (123,765 points)
    Mar 8, 2012 5:29 PM in response to tsch93

    Well, why couldn't you connect the drive to the iMac & then use MA on that drive after mounting the home folder?

  • by tsch93,

    tsch93 tsch93 Mar 8, 2012 8:07 PM in response to BDAqua
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 8, 2012 8:07 PM in response to BDAqua

    I didn't know you could use MA between drives on the same machine, also didn't know you could mount a failevaulted drive without the login screen appearing (to decrypt), and also aren't my logic plug ins and app settings in /System/Application Data  ? Not the home folder?

  • by BDAqua,

    BDAqua BDAqua Mar 9, 2012 12:00 PM in response to tsch93
    Level 10 (123,765 points)
    Mar 9, 2012 12:00 PM in response to tsch93

    I'm not 100% positive about the Mounting part, but yes MA can use connected drives.

     

    I Think much of it may be in folders other than the Home folder, but I think to get everything you might need the Home folder also.

  • by tsch93,

    tsch93 tsch93 Mar 14, 2012 4:05 AM in response to tsch93
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 14, 2012 4:05 AM in response to tsch93

    Got my enclosure today, won't recognise it as a bootable when pressing option on the MacBook,

    Diskutility sees it (won't mount) but can't verify it or repair it, sees the volume though.

    I tried using terminal to mount and repair it, no help.   What can I do? I feel like filevault is at fault