iMac stuck on white screen - solved but....

Question

iMac stuck on white screen - solved but....

So yesterday my iMac wouldn't get past a solid white screen on startup. I tried all the usual tricks (SMC, PRAM etc.) without success, and it wouldn't boot in safe or recovery mode.

I left it overnight and tried again today, this time with everything disconnected (as I'd read somewhere might help) and it started up just fine (a little slower than usual, stayed on grey screen with apple logo and spinning wheel for long enough to make me think it was still broken but then came on).

So my question is whether I should just be grateful it seems to be working again and hope I never have to turn it off, or whether there are any diagnostics (that don't involve turning the computer off!) I can run to see what the problem might have been. If it's the hard drive failing, I'll just wait it out, I have multiple backups on externals and online and after 9 years I can hardly complain. I just hate not knowing...

Thanks

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Jan 3, 2020 5:24 PM

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Answer 1

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Jan 3, 2020 6:54 PM in response to Peter Roussak

Hello, the long boot & spinning radeon was repairing the Hard Drive(s), could be a failing drive, this free app should tell you...

EtreCheck is a simple little app to display the important details of your system configuration and allow you to copy that information to the Clipboard. It is meant to be used with Apple Support Communities to help people help you with your Mac.

http://www.etresoft.com/etrecheck

Pastebin is a good place to paste the whole report...

https://pastebin.com/

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Answer 2

Jan 26, 2020 2:10 PM in response to Peter Roussak

FWIW it happened again yesterday - I had just updated to Yosemite when screen went black. Wouldn’t reboot then I remembered to unplug all cords from the back and it came back (don’t know what that does but it seems to make a difference). But now Etrecheck report calls out failing hard drive - no surprise.

So I suppose the lesson for anyone who comes across this because they can’t get past white screen is try unplugging all cords!

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Answer 3

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Jan 5, 2020 12:39 PM in response to Peter Roussak

Selete this fake plugin...

o1dbrowserplugin

Delete these files & restart...

/Library/LaunchAgents/com.bomgar.bomgar-scc-sdcust-login-drone-5D1A61B5.plist

/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.bomgar.bomgar-scc-5D164DCF.plist

/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.caleido.portmap.plist

/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.bomgar.bomgar-scc-5D1A61B5.plist

/Library/LaunchAgents/com.bomgar.bomgar-scc-sdcust-login-drone-5D164DCF.plist

~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.adobe.ARM.***.plist

~/Library/LaunchAgents/ws.agile.1PasswordAgent.plist

~ tilde indicates hidden Home Library.

Apple hid the Users' Library folders...

Method 1:

1 From the Finder, select the Go menu at top of the screen, and choose Go to Folder.

2 In the window that opens, enter ~/Library, and click Go.

Method 2:

1 Go to the Finder (or desktop).

2 Hold the Option key on your keyboard, and click the Go menu at the top of the screen.

3 With the Go menu open, you'll notice that pressing and releasing Option will display or hide the Library choice in this menu.

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Answer 4

Jan 4, 2020 1:25 PM in response to BDAqua

Thanks, I ran EtreCheck and the only "major" issue it identified was that I'm running a very old OS (Mavericks - I was afraid what would happen if I try upgrading even before this latest issue, even more so now), nothing about the hard drive, so that's a relief. I can post the whole thing if you think you might spot something in the " minor" issues but I'm grateful for your response already.

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Answer 5

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Jan 4, 2020 1:46 PM in response to Peter Roussak

Yeah, lets have a look Peter.

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Answer 6

Jan 5, 2020 12:17 PM in response to BDAqua

OK, here it is..

EtreCheck report

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Answer 7

Jan 5, 2020 1:22 PM in response to BDAqua

Thanks, I deleted those after running EtreCheck, but I'm concerned about restarting now that the machine seems to be running OK. Or do you think those files were responsible for the problem?

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