Q: iMac wont start, stuck on white screen. I have a wireless keyboard btw. It was fine for 2  years but apps started hanging recently, until this. Please advise, thanks

Your problem is the system has MacKeeper installed. This application is malware and needs to be removed immediately. Please very carefully read https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3021

If you cannot get the machien running after using all the tools in link provided then your next trip is a visit to the Apple Store or AASP. Let them know you installed MacKeeper and hopefully they will be able to assist  you.

Normally you hold down any keys to initiate start commands until you see the spinning wheel spokes then you release the keys, however, to enter safe mode I have to shutdown my computer (a restart won't do it) and hold down the shift key while I turn it back on simultaneously. 

Take each of these steps that you haven't already tried. Stop when the problem is resolved.

b. If you have access to a working Mac, and both it and the non-working Mac have FireWire or Thunderbolt ports, boot the non-working Mac in target disk mode. Use the working Mac to copy the data to another drive. This technique won't work with USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth.

c. If the internal drive of the non-working Mac is user-replaceable, remove it and mount it in an external enclosure or drive dock. Use another Mac to copy the data.

Step 2

Press and hold the power button until the power shuts off. Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed to boot, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. Use a different keyboard and/or mouse, if those devices are wired. If you can boot now, one of the devices you disconnected, or a combination of them, is causing the problem. Finding out which one is a process of elimination.

If you've booted from an external storage device, make sure that your internal boot volume is selected in the Startup Disk pane of System Preferences.

Step 3

Boot in safe mode. Note: If FileVault is enabled, or if a firmware password is set, or if the boot volume is a software RAID, you can’t do this. Post for further instructions.

Safe mode is much slower to boot and run than normal, and some things won’t work at all, including wireless networking on certain Macs.

The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.

When you boot in safe mode, it's normal to see a dark gray progress bar on a light gray background. If the progress bar gets stuck for more than a few minutes, or if the system shuts down automatically while the progress bar is displayed, your boot volume is damaged and the drive is probably malfunctioning. In that case, go to step 5.

If you can boot and log in now, empty the Trash, and then open the Finder Info window on your boot volume ("Macintosh HD," unless you gave it a different name.) Check that you have at least 9 GB of available space, as shown in the window. If you don't, copy as many files as necessary to another volume (not another folder on the same volume) and delete the originals. Deletion isn't complete until you empty the Trash again. Do this until the available space is more than 9 GB. Then reboot as usual (i.e., not in safe mode.)

If the boot process hangs again, the problem is likely caused by a third-party system modification that you installed. Post for further instructions.

Step 4

Sometimes a boot failure can be resolved by resetting the NVRAM.

Step 5

Launch Disk Utility in Recovery mode (see Step 1.) Select your startup volume, then run Repair Disk. If any problems are found, repeat until clear. If Disk Utility reports that the volume can't be repaired, the drive has malfunctioned and should be replaced. You might choose to tolerate one such malfunction in the life of the drive. In that case, erase the volume and restore from a backup. If the same thing ever happens again, replace the drive immediately.

This is one of the rare situations in which you should also run Repair Permissions, ignoring the false warnings it may produce. Look for the line "Permissions repair complete" at the end of the output. Then reboot as usual.

Step 6

Boot into Recovery again. When the OS X Utilities screen appears, follow the prompts to reinstall the OS. If your Mac was upgraded from an older version of OS X, you’ll need the Apple ID and password you used to upgrade.

Note: You need an always-on Ethernet or Wi-Fi connection to the Internet to use Recovery. It won’t work with USB or PPPoE modems, or with proxy servers, or with networks that require a certificate for authentication.

Step 7

Repeat step 6, but this time erase the boot volume in Disk Utility before installing. The system should automatically reboot into the Setup Assistant. Follow the prompts to transfer your data from a backup.

Step 8

A dead logic-board battery in a Mac Pro can cause a gray screen at boot. Typically the boot failure will be preceded by loss of the startup disk and system clock settings. See the user manual for replacement instructions.

Step 9

If you get this far, you're probably dealing with a hardware fault. Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store to have the machine tested.

Might help someone - I just had this problem (wont boot past white screen)- seem to have sorted it out , but not sure which part was the responsible part - just did all of this : Held down the power button until power off, then left it for 10 secs. Then unplugged the USB attachments. Then switched off my iphone in proximity. Then Turned mac  on. Booted up .Worked first time - hope it helps someone

I always found that when I unplug ALL of my USB peripherals, the computer boots right up after being stuck on the white screen for a long time.

Had the same thing today and scared the crap out of me. After trying and failing a few times on my own I unplugged all the USB ports and turned off my iphone and iPad and whatever was more to blame it ended up starting the next time.

worked first time...phew !!!!

Same here. Tried all the suggestion by Linc Davis (cheers) but non help. Unplugged all the USB devices and that did the trick.

Apparently the iMac (for some unknown reason) is trying to book via USB. Removing the attached USB cords forces it to look else, i.e. it's own HDD.

Thanks for the USB tip. My heart has started beating again.

I tried so many different things and this is the only thing that worked (I'm guessing it had something to do with iPhone).  Thank you so much, never would have thought of this!!

Also worked for me. iMac started acting up one day after installing El Capitan (no idea if there is any connection there). I tried a restart and got just a grey screen, no start-up sound. I waited a minute and tried shutting off with the power button, waiting 30 seconds, and then turning on with the power button. Tried this three times but always got only the grey screen.

After reading here, I unplugged all USBs, shut off my iPhone, and went through the power button routine again. Hallelujah! My iMac booted properly. I then replugged the USBs, and everything now seems to be working fine.

I have no clue whether the cure was unplugging the USBs, shutting off the iPhone, or a combination - but it WORKED.