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Unable to start Mac past spinning wheel

I am unable to start an iMac past the grey screen Apple logo and spinning wheel. It will sit there indefinitely until a power cycle.

What are my options?

Dual 2GHz PowerMac G5 (plus 15" G4 PowerBook), Mac OS X (10.5.2), 2.5 GB DDR SDRAM, 2x160GB SATA, 23" Cinema HD Display

Posted on Mar 25, 2008 2:31 AM

Reply
17 replies

Mar 25, 2008 1:09 PM in response to NCPhotoguy

I was a bit sketchy earlier as it wasn't my machine. I've since had a hands on and brought it back to base.

As it stands its not responding to any start up keys. I did get it to eject the disk that was in it once by holding F12 on start up but since then I can't do anything. I have the system disk in but it fails to respond to me holding C on start up. I suspect this may be to do with the wireless keyboard so I just need to stick one of my wired keyboards on it (hence bring it back to base).

I won't have chance to do any more on it now until the morning.

For the record its an early 2006 20" Intel iMac.

Mar 26, 2008 9:01 AM in response to NCPhotoguy

I've already pulled the modules yesterday. I do however have an update.

I have taken off my shiny aluminum keyboard and stuck on an old white one. I can now use:

T and have taken a look at the drives contents from my PowerBook
Alt and then selected the Leopard install DVD from which Disk Utility says every thing is ok
Cmd-Alt-P-R again just for giggles and to confirm it took ok the first time

It still won't boot as normal or by holding Shift

Mar 27, 2008 4:31 AM in response to Redsmartie

Because I didn't trust the Leopard core. I would have COMPLETELY erased Leopard simply because I would want to start with a clean slate.
Something went nuts, and I would have taken everything out and started over completely.
How-ever, if everything is working correctly now, then obviously you made the right choice.
I just don't like not knowing what caused the problem in the first place and without knowing that, then the problem can return.

Or it may not.

Sorry that I was not very much help.

Pete

Mar 27, 2008 11:09 AM in response to Redsmartie

I have the same problem since a couple of weeks. it´s exacztly the same situation. it sits at the spinning wheel, the apple logo and the grey screen. Sometimes it popped through after holding the power button for some seconds and restart. After a long time wheeling it came through and started. Let say 15 Minutes or even longer.
But then even programs like Mail or iCal shut down for no reason. Then sometimes the "curtain" falls and the system crashs. That never ever happened to me since I switched to the Macs.

What I tried so far:
remove alle peripherical equipment
remove RAMS and change them to the original ones
Alt CMD+PR
repairing volumes and rights
Checked if there where updates and new program installations (only latest MAC OS x 1.5.2 )


has anybody some more ideas?
Would be great.

Unable to start Mac past spinning wheel

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