iMac cant get past startup screen

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Level 1

0 points

iMac cant get past startup screen

so here's what's happened:

-Boot iMac
-Grey background and apple logo comes up
-Loading bar appears at bottom part of screen. Loads about 10% and then it disappears.
-Another loading bar appears at the same spot. Same thing happens.
-Wheely thing starts turning.
-Stuck there.

I've tried:

1) Disk Utility: it couldn't verify my Mac HD.

2) /sbin/fsck -fy: the following text appears:
** /dev/rdisk0s2
** Root file system
Executing fsck_hfs (version diskdev_cmds-491~1)
** Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume
** Checking extents overflow file
** Checking catalog file.
Invalid key length
(4, 39104)
** The volume Macintosh HD could not be verified completely.
/dev/rdisk0s2 (hfs) EXITED WITH SIGNAL 8

3) I've tried switching my RAM around as well.. I upgraded from 2 to 4gb. Same problems with old and new RAM.

So there's something wrong with my HD...What can be done to fix it?

Please help

Thanks!

iMac (Early 2008), Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Feb 23, 2010 9:26 PM

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Answer 1

Simon-UK-

Level 4

3,599 points

Feb 24, 2010 5:04 AM in response to TXTX

Welcome to the Forum.

I hope you have a backup of your important data.

I would run a more robust Disk Utility like DiskWarrior. But you may just need to reinstall. As long as you have a back up it shouldn't be a problem.

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Answer 2

TXTX Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 24, 2010 1:21 AM in response to Simon-UK-

So can my Mac still be revived? The HD is not gone?

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Answer 3

Simon-UK-

Level 4

3,599 points

Feb 24, 2010 5:07 AM in response to TXTX

I don't know for sure but you can definitely try. There are a number of ways to go here depending on what kind of backup you have. You can start with just trying to reinstall the OS from your system discs. If there's a problem with the HD you'll soon find out.

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Answer 4

Rick Lang

Level 4

1,236 points

Feb 25, 2010 10:27 AM in response to TXTX

If Disk Utility cannot Repair your disk, as Simon says, you may need to reinstall your operating system, etc. on the hard disk from your backups.

I would recommend going the extra step and repartition the disk as well which will erase your disk in the sense that your volume/file directory will be reset. If you only have one partition on the disk, just temporarily set it to two and then back to one partition to get it to write a new partition map. Use GPT (GUID Partition Map) for the partition scheme on the hard disk, and on the volume (e.g. Macintosh HD), use Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for the volume format.

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