Blue screen login on startup

Question

Level 1

0 points

Blue screen login on startup

My friend's iMac is having some strange problems. My friend was browsing the internet when suddenly, it just went off without any warning. He tried to start up but it was struck in the blue screen and then a minute or two, to login screen.

Optical drive can not take in CD, I can put in disc but it doesn't take in as if the drive is not powered on.

No 'C', Shift or Command+S combination keys and PRAM reset works. I mean it just doesn't respond to the keys upon starting up. No matter what, it just goes to blue screen and then login screen. When entered the password, it goes to blue screen then comes back to login.

For reasons above, I cannot do any hardware test or boot up from DVD.

I was thinking that because it doesn't respond to combinations of keys on startup and dead optical drive, could it be a logic board?

This is 2007 model - 2.4 Ghz, not sure what OS it is running.

Regards

iMac

Posted on Aug 2, 2011 7:46 AM

Reply

Answer 1

barnettgs Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 2, 2011 10:59 AM in response to barnettgs

Anyone? It seems that I have not much luck with forums!

Reply

Answer 2

dwb

Level 7

32,920 points

Aug 2, 2011 11:25 AM in response to barnettgs

It may be that you aren't getting the 'C' key pressed soon enough - as soon as the computer restarts and you hear the 'bong', that's when you want to do it. If that's not the problem, what I'm about to suggest probably won't work but...

Try restarting while holding the shift key to begin a startup in safe mode. Booting into safe mode, if you can force it to do so, will clean out various caches and perform a disk directory scan. It is my usual recommendation for starting up to the blue screen.

Reply

Answer 3

barnettgs Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 2, 2011 11:49 AM in response to barnettgs

I already have tried what you have said. Also I used on other macs with no problem but not this one. Safe mode doesn't come up either too.

No matter which combination of keys I used, it just goes straight to the login screen...

However, I just noticed that when I pressed shut down button at the login screen, there is repeated 'bong' sound in long succession!

Reply

Answer 4

dwb

Level 7

32,920 points

Aug 2, 2011 12:09 PM in response to barnettgs

From your description that you are able to enter a password, that the keyboard is working? What about the mouse? And are they both plugged directly into the computer and not a hub? I'm scrambling for clues here :)

Reply

Answer 5

barnettgs Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 2, 2011 12:26 PM in response to barnettgs

So am I, using orginal keyboard and mouse connected directly into iMac. No other connections.

Keyboard is working but when the login screen comes up, I entered the password...then....it goes back to the login screen!

If keyboard works, surely keys pressed at the startup should work too? Notice that DVD drive is 'dead'.

Reply

Answer 6

barnettgs Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 2, 2011 12:36 PM in response to barnettgs

Turned out the keyboard is bonked! Will let you know if its fixed.

Reply

Answer 7

dwb

Level 7

32,920 points

Aug 2, 2011 12:46 PM in response to barnettgs

My next message was about to be "plug keyboard in another computer"....

Reply

Answer 8

barnettgs Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 3, 2011 3:58 AM in response to barnettgs

All is well now apart from the optical device is being not found in 'About this Mac' panel.

Did a PRAM reset, no difference. Could it be software related?

Gary

Reply

Answer 9

dwb

Level 7

32,920 points

Aug 3, 2011 5:11 AM in response to barnettgs

I can't think of any instance where a drive failed to appear in the hardware gestalt that was software related. Even with a hosed driver the device should be able to report 'I'm here'

Reply

Answer 10

barnettgs Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 3, 2011 6:20 AM in response to barnettgs

Ok thanks for all your help. I have googled for this issue, it could be internal cable or drive problem.

Reply

Answer 11

dwb

Level 7

32,920 points

Aug 3, 2011 7:14 AM in response to barnettgs

You said originally "My friend was browsing the internet when suddenly, it just went off without any warning." so you might want to revisit that. As a former tech I'd want to know a bit more about that. When was the last time he knew the drive worked? IOW, is this all tied together or is it two separate issues that coincidentally become known when the keyboard croaked? For an iMac I'd lean more toward a dead drive than loose cable, though odder things have happened. (As about the cat who decided her master's Compaq tower might be a great place for nesting)

Reply