spinning wheel but not switching on

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tribird Author

Level 1

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spinning wheel but not switching on

when i switch on iMac I get white screen with Apple logo and spinning wheel but it doesn't go any further

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jul 18, 2011 10:44 AM

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Answer 1

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baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Jul 18, 2011 10:58 AM in response to tribird

Force quit your machine by pushing in the startup button on the back, Insert your install disc, and restart the machine, holding down the C key. Select your language and click Continue or OK. On the next screen, select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu, select your internal disk, and repair the disk. If it passes, quit Disk Utility, select Startup Disk, select your internal disk, and click Restart and hold down the mouse button to eject the install disc. If that doesn't do the trick, then repeat, but this time use the disc with the Apple Hardware Test on it, restarting holding down the D key.

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Answer 2

tribird Author

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Jul 18, 2011 1:10 PM in response to tribird

Hi,

Thanks for reply. I have done the disk utility thing and I couldn't repair (invalid sibling link). Tried to connect to my old iMac that just has a broken screen and use migration assistant to back up files so I could do a full restore but when restarting holding down T the FW symbol appeared on screen but didn't appear in Migration Assistant on other iMac. Don't have a disc called Apple Hardware test (only installation and applications).

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Answer 3

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Jul 18, 2011 5:58 PM in response to tribird

The Applications install disc should have AHT on it. Check it over. BTW, to fix the sibling link error, you'll need something stronger, such as DiskWarrior. If you bought AppleCare, TechTools might be able to fix it. If the old iMac shows a FW symbol on its broken screen, then I surmise that the screen really isn't broken. Anyway, since you can't boot the newer iMac, I don't know of anyway to copy stuff from the newer machine to the older one.

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Answer 4

tribird Author

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Jul 20, 2011 5:58 AM in response to tribird

Hi,

thanks again. (FYI old mac has broken corner of screen which obscures top menu bar as a results of my son throwing a TV remote across room and hitting it, this was its replacement less than 18 months ago).

have disk warrior but wont boot up from disc. wants to start in windows mode, windows partition works fine ... typical!

maybe wont boot from DW as have to alt on boot up to get OS option before i can hold down C. tried alt and C at same time but ignores alt and tries to boot up in windows still, but fails as windows cant boot from DW disc.

Major frustrations!!!!!

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Answer 5

tribird Author

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Jul 20, 2011 6:11 AM in response to tribird

Hardware test was all fine BTW

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Answer 6

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Jul 20, 2011 6:08 PM in response to tribird

Then, it might be time to take it into an Apple repair station.

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Answer 7

tribird Author

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Jul 21, 2011 12:57 AM in response to baltwo

Hi,

I'm going to write all of this in case it may be of use to someone else!!!

IT'S WORKING, hurray.

This is what I did. I used two Macs, a laptop, portable HD and memory stick, various websites and forums and all afternoon!

As I could boot up in Windows I downloaded a copy of Mac Drive (had to do this on a laptop/memory stick as my copy of Vista is 32 bit and so have no internet through Windows). Installed this on my Windows partition and after trying various ways of getting in and a few complaints from computer I managed to see my Mac HD (think I had to double click on it, right click wouldn't do it and got various warnings) and extract all of the important files (photos and music mainly). Put these on a portable HD that I have.

Then rebooted from OSX install DVD, erased Mac partition and reinstalled Mac OS.

Thanks baltwo for your suggestions, it all helped narrow things down.

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