Is progress bar on startup normal?

Absolutely right but I have graphics problems too when I don't do that. The display shutters as it loads each page. I've been to the Apple store with this one and they suggested a new graphics card! The machine is ten months old. I called them and mentioned the bluetooth workaround and they said they had never heard of it. Real experts.

It just started happening on my mid-2010 iMac running 10.7.2 - for some strange reason. I've never seen that before.

Starting from scratch takes a very long time, with the slow moving gray progress bar at the bottom of the screen. After the desktop appears, I have no menu bar, no Wi-Fi and very choppy graphics performance. A restart, after another long pause, temporarily solves the issue.

I started noticing the same issue with my brand new 2011 MacBook Pro.

It's been only by following benjikan's workaround that I've been able to prevent this from happening.

I've tested this several times, at it's definetely some kind of issue in SO startup process, probably related to the discovery of bluetooth devices (keyboard/trackpad/mouse) during boot.

As long as I start my bluetooth keyboard and trackpad AFTER the SO has completely booted up (and by completely I mean when it shows the login screen) I don't see neither the anoying (and worrying) gray progress bar nor any of the other issues described in this thread.

Message was edited by: acitasan

Same here. Power on -> progress bar -> jerky wallpaper -> no sound (and probably other funny stuff) -> restart (NOT shut down+power on, but a RESTART) -> business as usual.

ODD, to say the least! Apple, where are you? Upgrade+fix please!

--JP

Same here. I turned off my MacBook Pro cuz it had low battery 20% and then I get this. Problem is it is the first time I have seen it since I reset my SMC back in OS X 10.6 at the beginning of last year. And I don't have an bluetooth stuff on over even owned. So idk. And I have the most recent updates for my computer.

It still happens on a 27" iMac 12,2 with OS X Lion 10.7.3 with Startup-ROM-version IM121.0047.B1F and SMC-version 1.72f2. Turn on Bluetooth-keyboard and Magic Mouse, then startup iMac gives you the mentioned issues: grey startup progress bar, login-screen, sloppy graphics, unable to adjust sound. Restarting fixes all of this. Starting up iMac first, let it boot completely and then turning on Bluetooth keyboard and mouse does not evoke these problems. Also noticed that, even after a "good" boot, usb and firewire 400 external drives sometimes don't seem to mount, at least not visible on Desktop though in Preferences they are explicitely marked to be shown. No harddrive issues says Disk Utility. Reinstalled 10.7.3 from an external harddrive -> same problem persists. It's annoying because startup time is really long: if you have to startup twice it's long, or if you have to startup and then wait for your Bluetooth devices to connect it also prolonges the time before you can start to use your Mac. Always been a Mac user, never had real problems, but this disappoints me strongly, even after at least two Lion upgrades not fixed yet.

I really don't see a solution in sight. This is a basic computing problem. Apple seem more interested in their market share than their customers. They are bringing out an update for everything every six months now, seriously depleting the value of every customer purchase by at least, 35% on the day of purchase. Yet. it would appear they can't address a simple issue that make them look amateurish in the extreme. After all, this is a software company who makes hardware - isn't it?

This is a workaround that works for me: boot iMac first, as soon as you see the dark grey apple logo on the light grey background switch on your bluetooth keyboard and mouse. This results in a clean startup, and most of the time by the time you see your login screen keyboard and mouse are coupled with the iMac, so no delay to start using your iMac.

Running on a few days ago bought MacBook Pro 15" ( High End model ) with Lion 10.7.3 and the same problem with the progress bar after each reboot occurs. I do not have a keyboard or any additional device connected ( even turned Bluetooth off ).

I had the same problem which I bypassed by leaving the keyboard & mouse off prior to starting the iMac, This was after reading the replays on this forum, however I was not satisfied with this, so after a number of telephone discussions with the Apple help line I was advised that a repairman would call to come and replace the bluetooth board.When the repairer called we had a talk on the phone and he advised me the problem was in the sofware and suggested I download the latest upgrade OSX Lion 10.7.3, save it to a usb stick and then install it from the memory stick to the Mac because apparently it does not install correctly when done on line (which I had already done).

The end story is that after doing as told my iMac is back to it's normal self, the keyboard and mouse do not get turned on and it is back to normal speed.

I would like to thank the other members that started me on the right track.

I believe the issue is solved in Mountain Lion.

The workaround in Lion was to first power on the iMac, and then switch on the keyboard/mouse when the grey apple logo appears.

Now after the upgrade to Mountain Lion, I tried to first switch on the keyboard/mouse and then startup the iMac, and I've not encountered the issue anymore.

Perhaps it's too soon for conclusions, but it looks like it's no longer an issue in OS X 10.8