leonardolellis

Q: Grey screen & key combinations that doesn't work

Hello, guys. I've got an iMac Early 2008 (8,1) and I'm experiencing the infamous "grey screen of death". I read and tried all the things that are on the following threads, but nothing solved my problem .

 

grey screen of death?  Did it die?  Any suggestions?  Help I'm ready to jump!

Grey screen of death

MacBook Pro won't go past grey screen with loading bar and wheel

grey screen, what now?

..Step by Step to fix your Mac


The things gone bad (grey screen and boot issues) when I was running Snow Leopard and, after a frustrating tryings to solve it, I made a clean install of El Capitan. Worked fine for a couple weeks, but the problem is back, sometimes with the "Question Mark" blinking. Since then, I tried everything (reset the NVRAM, Disk Repair, performed the command on the Single User Mode, start  etc).

 

I tried to restart from OSX Recovery (Cmd+R) and I experienced two things: 1. absolutely nothing happen; 2. when I used the command with the Flash Drive (El Capitan) I got the OSX Install screen (and this after 15 minutes holding Cmd+R). Again, I repaired the disk, but the problem persisted after reboot.

 

The Apple Hardware Test or Apple Diagnostics are a mythology for me. I never got to use. If i try with nothing plugged or inserted on, nothing is the answer. If I try with the Flash Drive, I got nothing or, again, the OSX Install screen. If I try with the factory CD, nothing happens OR the computer starts normaly. It's completely aleatory behavior. On this very moment, I'm writing this with the computer working. But I don't know if after I shut it down it will be back or not.

 

So, here I'm asking for your help.

 

1. Does anyone have one idea what is happening?

2. Why the startup key combinations are not working as described?

3. How do I know if it's a hardware or software problem? Solution?

 

Thanks,

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8), Early 2008; Core 2 Duo 2,4GHz; 4 GB

Posted on Mar 6, 2016 12:24 AM

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Q: Grey screen & key combinations that doesn't work

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  • by Mike Sombrio,Apple recommended

    Mike Sombrio Mike Sombrio Mar 6, 2016 6:51 AM in response to leonardolellis
    Level 6 (17,233 points)
    Apple Watch
    Mar 6, 2016 6:51 AM in response to leonardolellis

    First, the Apple Hardware Test for that computer is located on disc two of the original gray factory install disc set. Do you have the correct gray install set? You should be able to run AHT by inserting disc 2 and restarting while holding the D key. Be aware that AHT isn't always reliable when it reports no errors.

    Have you checked this OS X Yosemite: If you see a gray screen at startup

    Or this About the screens you see when your Mac starts up - Apple Support

    Have you considered that your startup drive may be failing? You could install OS X on an external drive and test to see if startup is normal with that.

  • by notcloudy,

    notcloudy notcloudy Mar 6, 2016 7:04 AM in response to leonardolellis
    Level 4 (1,190 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 6, 2016 7:04 AM in response to leonardolellis

    leonardolellis wrote:

     

    Hello, guys. I've got an iMac Early 2008 (8,1) and I'm experiencing the infamous "grey screen of death". I read and tried all the things that are on the following threads, but nothing solved my problem .

     


    The things gone bad (grey screen and boot issues) when I was running Snow Leopard and, after a frustrating tryings to solve it, I made a clean install of El Capitan. Worked fine for a couple weeks, but the problem is back, sometimes with the "Question Mark" blinking. Since then, I tried everything (reset the NVRAM, Disk Repair, performed the command on the Single User Mode, start  etc).

     

     

     

     

     

    Thanks,

    I am still running snow leopard and only experienced the long startups after I was doing a very heavy housekeeping on my drive - deleting small pdf files and adding text to all of my photographs outside of IPHOTO -- also deleted one of my test IPHOTO libraries as I no longer needed it.

     

    Since then changed the battery as the Apple manual suggested - and after resetting pram bazillions of time - decided to just wait until the desktop comes up - my Mac powers up fine -- but also has long startups where the screen is grey for awhile and then blue for awhile.   Once the desk top comes up best thing for me to do and will do from now on - is immediately restart the system - otherwise the finder will freeze.     One can get the force quit using the keyboard Option/command/ESC to bring up force quit if the Finder freezes but it does not relaunch -- Restart is quick and clean.

     

    How filled is your drive?   In my case its always been around 50% but - November period was the first time I was going back through many saved to PDF articles & actually reading them then deleting them - along with the picture thing.

     

    According to what I have read about unix cleanups and the file system taking care of some business --along with the Finder/Spotlight indexing I have the strange feeling I triggered something.  (Oh I also moved all my stuff to the Private section of Spotlight & set it to only search folders  as I know where my stuff is -- I included the caches folder in that listing)

     

    And I shut off daily Time Machine backups. 

  • by leonardolellis,

    leonardolellis leonardolellis Mar 6, 2016 6:57 PM in response to leonardolellis
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mar 6, 2016 6:57 PM in response to leonardolellis

    First, the Apple Hardware Test for that computer is located on disc two of the original gray factory install disc set. Do you have the correct gray install set? You should be able to run AHT by inserting disc 2 and restarting while holding the D key. Be aware that AHT isn't always reliable when it reports no errors.

    Have you checked this OS X Yosemite: If you see a gray screen at startup

    Or this About the screens you see when your Mac starts up - Apple Support

    Have you considered that your startup drive may be failing? You could install OS X on an external drive and test to see if startup is normal with that.

     

    Yes. I used both discs, but didn't work.
    Regarding the firmware update, I'm running El Capitan (clean install) with all updates. Worked 2 weeks ok before the problem is back. I would like to reinstall the firmware, but the machine is not turning on.

    Regarding the install on an external drive I didn't tried yet because I don't have one with enough space (I only have my backup drive).

     

    I am still running snow leopard and only experienced the long startups after I was doing a very heavy housekeeping on my drive - deleting small pdf files and adding text to all of my photographs outside of IPHOTO -- also deleted one of my test IPHOTO libraries as I no longer needed it.

     

    Since then changed the battery as the Apple manual suggested - and after resetting pram bazillions of time - decided to just wait until the desktop comes up - my Mac powers up fine -- but also has long startups where the screen is grey for awhile and then blue for awhile.   Once the desk top comes up best thing for me to do and will do from now on - is immediately restart the system - otherwise the finder will freeze.     One can get the force quit using the keyboard Option/command/ESC to bring up force quit if the Finder freezes but it does not relaunch -- Restart is quick and clean.

     

    How filled is your drive?   In my case its always been around 50% but - November period was the first time I was going back through many saved to PDF articles & actually reading them then deleting them - along with the picture thing.

     

    According to what I have read about unix cleanups and the file system taking care of some business --along with the Finder/Spotlight indexing I have the strange feeling I triggered something.  (Oh I also moved all my stuff to the Private section of Spotlight & set it to only search folders  as I know where my stuff is -- I included the caches folder in that listing)

     

    And I shut off daily Time Machine backups.

     

    I'm running El Capitan, installed on a very empty HD (clean install), and I was just using for the basics (Chrome, Firefox and MS Office). The drive is only ~10% full.

     

    -------

     

    I'm considering another fresh install, but I'm not sure if it is a placebo. I mean: I did this and the problem back after two weeks.

     

    The intriguing is why no command works on boot? If i try D or Cmd+R, the maximum I get is the OSX Install screen — only if the flash drive is connected. If not, these commands are useless.

     

    And before I spend my money, how do I know if its a physical problem or not (once I cannot run AHT)? If so, what kind (HD, cable, logical board)?

  • by notcloudy,

    notcloudy notcloudy Mar 7, 2016 9:36 AM in response to leonardolellis
    Level 4 (1,190 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 7, 2016 9:36 AM in response to leonardolellis

    I'm running El Capitan, installed on a very empty HD (clean install), and I was just using for the basics (Chrome, Firefox and MS Office). The drive is only ~10% full.


    Have you reviewed the Spotlight/Finder preferences?   Once booted look in Activity monitor to see if MDS MDworker jobs are running with Spotlight as the users (that is indexing your drive).

     

    Yesterday AM I simply waited my my Mac to start up - grey and blue screens took longer than normal - after desktop - restart all is fine no error message.

     

    As Mike Sombrio mentioned you have to use the second disk of the grey disks that came with your mac in order to do a hardware test.   And Yes I remember being able to do it without the disk in Snow Leopard -- but that was before Apple opened stores - so guessing one of the fixes wiped that out.

  • by leonardolellis,

    leonardolellis leonardolellis Mar 7, 2016 10:37 AM in response to notcloudy
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mar 7, 2016 10:37 AM in response to notcloudy

    I'm not able to review the Spotlight/Finder preferences because the computer is not booting — I turn it on and after a long wait, I got the folder with question mark.

     

    Regarding the discs, I used both, but didn't work.

  • by leonardolellis,

    leonardolellis leonardolellis Mar 7, 2016 6:04 PM in response to leonardolellis
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mar 7, 2016 6:04 PM in response to leonardolellis

    >>>>Updating:

     

    I erased the HD and installed El Capitan again, so I could perform the Apple Hardware Test and the result is the error: 4MOT/1/40000003: HDD-1387 (only the last numbers changed to 1391 at second time).

     

    I read this error is related to a problem to the fan or the Hard Disk. How could I know?

    Is it possible to live with it or this code means my HDD is sentenced to death someday? (I have backups, so I'm calm about the data)

    Should I replace the Hard Disk OR the Fan? Or both?

  • by notcloudy,

    notcloudy notcloudy Mar 8, 2016 2:00 PM in response to leonardolellis
    Level 4 (1,190 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 8, 2016 2:00 PM in response to leonardolellis

    leonardolellis wrote:

     

    >>>>Updating:

     

    I erased the HD and installed El Capitan again, so I could perform the Apple Hardware Test and the result is the error: 4MOT/1/40000003: HDD-1387 (only the last numbers changed to 1391 at second time).

     

    I read this error is related to a problem to the fan or the Hard Disk. How could I know?

    Is it possible to live with it or this code means my HDD is sentenced to death someday? (I have backups, so I'm calm about the data)

    Should I replace the Hard Disk OR the Fan? Or both?

    Using ASK.COM I pasted your error into search and received many items and I copied this answer from a Sidebar.

     

    Aug 6, 2012 ... If it starts with''' 4MOT it's a motor (fan) error''' If it '''ends in HDD it relates to the HDDfan''', ''The number at the end is the actual rpm for the fan.

     

    Have you checked the interior for dust?

     

    Also - resetting the PRAM can cause a loss of preferences start up drive - so pressing the OPTION key after the chime lets  you select the start up drive - then go into preferences and reset it.

  • by leonardolellis,

    leonardolellis leonardolellis Mar 8, 2016 4:47 PM in response to notcloudy
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mar 8, 2016 4:47 PM in response to notcloudy

    Can't check the interior, but is a 7 years old and probably have dust.

    Reseted PRAM zillions of times and nothing works anymore.

     

    Regarding the error code (4MOT/1/40000003: HDD-1387) does anybody knows if I should replace the Hard Disk, the fan or both?

  • by Mike Sombrio,Helpful

    Mike Sombrio Mike Sombrio Mar 10, 2016 11:11 AM in response to leonardolellis
    Level 6 (17,233 points)
    Apple Watch
    Mar 10, 2016 11:11 AM in response to leonardolellis

    The AHT error points specifically to the HDD  fan. On iMacs beginning in 2009 the fan is controlled by circuitry in the HD itself, the 2008 has an external temp sensor so it's safe to assume the fan is problematic. Your symptoms, on the other hand, seem to indicate a failing hard drive. Opening an iMac isn't for the faint of heart and must be done carefully to avoid damaging any f the delicate connectors. If I'm opening a 7 year old iMac to replace the HDD fan I'm also going to replace the hard drive. All drives fail and a 7 year old drive is closer to the end of it's life than the beginning, if it isn't already there.

  • by leonardolellis,

    leonardolellis leonardolellis Mar 10, 2016 11:19 AM in response to Mike Sombrio
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mar 10, 2016 11:19 AM in response to Mike Sombrio

    Thank you.

    The last time I got a successful boot I installed iStats and the HDD was working at 49 Celsis and the fun at 1250~1300 RPM. These values are good or bad? I never heard unusual noises...

     

    Is a 2008 model. So do you recommend to change both, right? What kind of HDD works on the early 2008 models? I mean: which little specs should I beware to don't buy a wrong drive?

    I was thinking on a change to SSD. Which kind works? Needs a fan as well?

  • by Mike Sombrio,

    Mike Sombrio Mike Sombrio Mar 10, 2016 3:26 PM in response to leonardolellis
    Level 6 (17,233 points)
    Apple Watch
    Mar 10, 2016 3:26 PM in response to leonardolellis

    While those values seem fine something is clearly wrong. If it were mine I would change both. Finding the proper fan for a 2008 iMac might not be easy. As far as the drive most SATA drives will work fine, SSD could be a little trickier as some of the current 6Gb SSD's don't play well with the SATA controllers in older Macs. I always recommend OWC http://eshop.macsales.com/ or Crucial http://www.crucial.com/ for Mac upgrades. Your best bet might be to make an appointment and take your iMac to the nearest Apple Store or AASP for service. If you haven't done this type of work before it can be difficult, see this step by step guide for reference https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iMac+Intel+24-Inch+EMC+2134+and+2211+Hard+Drive+Rep lacement/8968