White circle with line through it during startup

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White circle with line through it during startup

I've had my iMac since late 2007. Since then, I've installed Leopard on it. It's always functioned perfectly until today. It was making a fanning noise, so I looked up a solution to that online and it said I should perform all software updates. So I did that, but it was taking forever, so I held down the power button until the computer shut down. Then I turned it on again, but during startup, the normal apple logo appeared with the spinning circle thing underneath it, like usual, but then suddenly the apple logo changed to a circle with a line through it. I tried all the stuff I could think of, like removing the keyboard and mouse and blah blah bloohey and all that stuff. I even put the power cord into a different outlet.
I really want my computer to work...please help.

iMac

Posted on May 3, 2009 8:45 AM

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Answer 1

May 3, 2009 10:50 AM in response to edivee

Hello ed:

Welcome to Apple discussions.

Try resetting the SMC:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1543

Barry

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Answer 2

May 3, 2009 11:39 AM in response to edivee

HI and Welcome to Apple Discussions ...

Besides resetting the SMC as Barry suggested, check the hard disk.

Insert Installer disk and Restart, holding down the "C" key until grey Apple appears.
Go to Installer menu (Panther and earlier) or Utilities menu (Tiger and later) and launch Disk Utility.
Select your HDD (manufacturer ID) in the left panel.
Select First Aid in the Main panel.
(Check S.M.A.R.T Status of HDD at the bottom of right panel. It should say: Verified)
Click Repair Disk on the bottom right.
If DU reports disk does not need repairs quit DU and restart.
If DU reports errors Repair again and again until DU reports disk is repaired.

Also, you could run the Apple Hardware Test, instructions here.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1509

And a list of Startup Key Combinations that might help. In particular, try booting while holding down the Option key. Starts into Startup Manager, where you can select a Mac OS X volume to start from.

Carolyn 🙂

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Answer 3

May 4, 2009 11:28 PM in response to edivee

my inlaws mini did this same thing to them. they said they ran the software update, but the last thing would never load so they just reset it. not it's stuck in the apple logo/ circle with line through it on boot up.

i have tried reseting ram, target disc mode, safe mode, inserting a disc to boot form disc. none of these work. only now i have a disc in the mini and can not get that out. (have tried c on boot, holding mouse button on boot and eject button on boot.)

all the machine does is chime, then grey screen with apple logo and ever now and then it will flash the "no circle". any other ideas?

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Answer 4

May 5, 2009 7:35 AM in response to edivee

Edivee,

While the suggestions made by others here have some merit, I would recommend following the steps in [this Apple knowledge base article|http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1892] to get things going again.

Best of luck.

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Answer 5

Jul 20, 2009 11:25 AM in response to laundry bleach

First of all, the prohibitory sign is a very scary new item to see for the first time. Second of all, your article was right on the money and I'm up and running again. Thank you.

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