Cathy Broderick
Level 1 (5 points)

Q: Target mode-never get the firewire icon?

I have a 2005ish iMac that will not fully start up. It gets hung up at the end of the blue status bar during start up. I suspect the hard drive is completely overloaded, and when it started acting wonky I checked the hard drive and all was fine, so I dont think its hard drive failure. I am attempting to use Target mode to retrieve files then erase and reinstall. I attached the cable, which is 9 pin to 6 pin, to iMac and MacbookPro, and started the imac while holding down T key, but I never get the firewire icon. It jsut continues in its never ending "starting Mac OS X..." state. ANy help greatly appreciated!!

iMac (20-inch Early 2006)

Posted on Jul 12, 2012 10:04 AM

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Cathy Broderick

Q: Target mode-never get the firewire icon?

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  • by rccharles,

    rccharles rccharles Jul 12, 2012 11:37 AM in response to Cathy Broderick
    Level 6 (8,496 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Jul 12, 2012 11:37 AM in response to Cathy Broderick

    On the problem machine try these diagnostics.

     

    Try a safe boot.

        Shutdown your machine.  Hold down the shift key.  Poweron.  Wait awhile Wait awhile while you harddrive

          is being checked.

        http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1455

     

     

    verify & repair your startup drive

    To verify & repair you file system on the startup drive, you will need to run disk utility from you installation DVD.

     

    This article  will tell you how to get to disk utility.  Once in a disk utility, you can go and attempt to recover the disk.

    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1417


    To repair your startup drive, you will need to run disk utility from your startup DVD.
    Mac OS X 10.4: About the utilities available on the Mac OS X 10.4 Install DVD

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2055

     

    How to run disk utility from your startup DVD.

    1. Insert your  startup DVD  into your reader.  Power down your machine.  Hold down to the c key.  Power on your machine.  This will bootup your startup DVD.
    2. This will bring you to a panel asking you for your language.  Pick your language.

      3.          /___sbsstatic___/migration-images/188/18899233-1.jpg
    3. You you come to the Install Mac OS panel.  Do not install.
    4. Click on Utilities menu item.  This will give you a pulldown list of utilities. /___sbsstatic___/migration-images/188/18899233-2.jpg
    5. Click on the disk utility.
    6. You are now in disk utility.  Pick your disk.  Click on repair it should be on the lower right of the panel. /___sbsstatic___/migration-images/188/18899233-3.jpg
    7. Once the repair completes successfully, you should update your permissions.

     

    --------------------------------------------------------

     

    Verify a disk

    As an alternative, you can verify that the filesystem on the disk is correct. You will not be able to repair the file system.

    I suggest that you use disk utility to verify that your startup disk is OK. 
    Macintosh-HD -> Applications -> Utilities -> Disk Utility 
    Start up disk utility.  On the left pane view, you will see a list of all your disks.  
    Click on your startup disk.
    Click on the First Aid  Tab.
    Click on verify.  

     

    Hopefully your disk will verify.  If not, you have to boot from your installation DVD and run Disk Utility from there to attempt to repair your file-system.

  • by Cathy Broderick,

    Cathy Broderick Cathy Broderick Jul 12, 2012 7:36 PM in response to rccharles
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jul 12, 2012 7:36 PM in response to rccharles

    Thanks rccharles for your detailed reply. Unfortunately this didnt solve my problem. I had already tried safe boot, it wont actually boot all the way, it hangs on the blue status bar for hours. When it was still working I checked the hard drive via disc utility and repaired permissions. Now I cant even boot from a disc to get to that point.

     

    I made an apt for tomrorow at Apple. But thanks for your help