Blue screen at login - how to safe boot

Becka:

can someone tell me what 'safe booting' is
What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode? (Mac OS X)

Try this:
• Shut down the computer.
• Locate the following keys: Command, Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously later.
• Turn on the computer.
• Press and hold the Command + Option + P + R keys immediately after the startup chime.
• Hold keys down until you hear the startup chime for the third time.
• Release the keys and immediately hold down Shift key to start up in Safe Mode.
• Log in and empty Trash.
• Restart normally and log in.

Please do post back and let me know how it goes.

Cheers 🙂

cornelius

Hi Becka!

"Can you confirm that the option key is the key with alt on it?"
Yes that is the Option key.

"I have managed to do a target disk and can access all my files - I guess the thing to do is get all my stuff off and do an erase and install,..."
Yes you should create a backup, but it may not be necessary to perform an Erase & Install yet.

Exactly which model 12" PowerBook G4 is it?
What is the Processor speed?
What size is the Hard Drive, and how much space is available?
How much RAM is installed, and is it original or added?
Which version of OS X is installed?

What happened between the last time the PowerBook started successfully, and when it didn't?
Have you made any changes, like upgrading the system, updated or installed any applications or programs, etc?
Have you disabled, deleted, or added any Fonts?

Have there been any unusual occurences, like freezes, crashes, power outages, etc?

Run Repair Disk, and post the results.
If errors are found, that Disk Utility cannot repair, instead of an E & I, you could also choose to use a more robust Third-Party utility, like DiskWarrior, TechTool Pro, or Drive Genius, to save the drive.

THESE ARE THE STEPS FOR USING DISK UTILITY TO REPAIR YOUR HD
1.Insert the System Install disk, Mac OS X CD-ROM disk, or Restore DVD disk, then restart the computer while holding the C key. Use the System disk, of the OS, that is currently installed.
2.Once started up from CD or DVD, on the Menubar at the top of the screen, choose Disk Utility from the Installer contextual menu for Panther, or Utilities for Tiger.
Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from disc to access Disk Utility.
3.Click the First Aid tab.
4.Click the disclosure triangle to the left of the hard drive icon to display the names of your hard disk volumes and partitions.
5.Select your Mac OS X volume, if necessary.
6.Click Repair. If DU reports errors it has fixed, re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported.
7.Repeat steps 5 & 6, but select the Hard Drive this time. It's usually the first listed with the manufacturer's model number. Make note of the S.M.A.R.T. status.
8.When finished, select Quit Disk Utility from the Installer menu.
9.Select Quit Installer from the Installer menu.
10.In the resulting pop-up window, choose restart.
11.After the computer has restarted, you can eject the CD.

ali b

You're Welcome Becka!

Have you run Repair Disk yet?
If not, when you do, post what is displayed for Capacity, Available, and Used.

ali b

Becka,

What was the result, of the Repair Disk procedure?
Was the drive repaired, or were there any error messages?

ali b

I am having the same problem.

Becka,

Run Repair Disk, directly on the PowerBook, not TDM, using the procedure I Previously Posted.

ali b

HI, I have been having all sorts of freaky problems since I updated...what a waste!! I also have th blue screen dance on startup, and i was going to do another clean install but now i cannot even use my boot CD!!! nor start up in Safe Mode, OR SINGLE USER mode...this is very sad, I rely on my computer for everything because Im far from everyone I know, and now i cannot access my computer at all...however there is hope, because others are having the same problem, i dont know how to fix it since I cant even log on, i mean i cant use the 10.5 cd to log on or anything, and it seems to have done something to my CD drive...like it doesnt work, wont boot up...?? Has anyone solved this issue? If oyu are having this issue id suggest you do a clean reinstall of 10.5 and NOT update to 10.5.2, cause that's when i started having all these problems...Is it possible Macintosh is running DOD or DOJ spy bugs in their software? 🙂

It should not matter whether or not it's run directly off the CD, in TDM, or even in the operating system if you're running Tiger and above just to verify and see if their are issues.

HI, I think that Cornelius described resetting the PR ram, and not a safe boot...a safe boot is when you hold down, i think, im pretty sure, the shift key after rebooting...

IF you get any answers please let me know, i still cannot access my computer, since i cant get beyond the blue screen. I think that there is some bug in the system and it doesnt seem that Apple wants to acknowledge this, otherwise, we would have gotten an answer.

If you can reboot, with your original install CD. I would suggest you erase and reinstall, hopefully you have been using Time Machine and made backups...Ive backed up using Time Machine and its never taken care of the problems...at this point if i ever get back to my computer, I want to just go to 10.5 and wait for further fixes...I might even just like to go back to 10.4.11!! Best of luck, and again, please let me know if you resolve this. Rangdrol (konchokrangdrol@gmail.com)

Rangddrol:

Actually the procedure I outlined is a combination of Resetting PRAM and Safe Boot. You go directly from PRAM reset into Safe Boot.

Cheers 🙂

cornelius

Hi Cornelius,

Thanks for the quick response. I have tried all of those things...I cannot reset PRAM, i cannot get beyond the blue screen in ANY manner, not safe mode, not from CD install, not from any way....also, it seems that something has happened to my CD ROM drive...it doesnt make any noise any more...i.e, spin...AND when i do a PRAM reset, i cant hear any start up DOING!! that i usually get....in fact...I dont hear the reboot noise at all....