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User profile for user: atgrazi
atgrazi Author
User level: Level 1
49 points

Why does my iMac not boot properly after installing Lion?

I had another thread going about all the glitches I have been encoutering in Lion. But either way, my startup issues have not been addressed. I had a lot of problems with the upgrade, so I wiped the drive and did a fresh install. Most of my bugs have been worked out except this one.


If my iMac (Mid 2011 i5 model) has been shut down more than 2 hours, when I start the machine, I can see a grey progress bar under the spinning wheel and Apple logo (acts like it is installing something or updating the firmware). Then it takes me to a login screen asking for my password (but I have the machine set for automatic login and also not to ask for password from wakup). If I put in my password and proceed, Lion will load, but the menu bar is no longer clear and the airport is not functional. The only way to remedy this is to either A) Restart the iMac after it has logged on, or B) Don't type my password and tell it to restart from the login screen.


If I restart, all is normal again (no progress bar and it automatically logs in as normal). This happens to me every morning when I boot my Mac. I am getting pretty sick of it. Lion has been fresh installed twice and I have no error messages in the console and no other crashes. For the first week it took 2-10 minutes for Lion to shut down also, no matter I select "reopen windows or not" when shutting down. Now it seems to shut down normally and boot almost normally. But if it has been off more than 2 hours or overnight, it will always act like it is waking from hibernation or installed new firmware, and requiring me to restart.


I have 0 issues with Snow Leopard. Anyone else have this problem or have a solution? I am giving my iMac about 5 more days before I revert to 10.6.8.


Thanks!


😢

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7), Mid 2011 Base Model 2.5GHz 4GB RAM

Posted on Aug 2, 2011 8:58 PM

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User profile for user: J.C
J.C
User level: Level 4
1,601 points

Posted on Aug 2, 2011 9:08 PM

Hi there


This does seem quite weird, I would suggest doing a PRAM reset and if that fails an SMC reset

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379 - PRAM Reset instructions

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3964 - SMC Reset instructions


SMC Resets should only be attempted when all other methods of troubleshooting have been exhausted.


Hope this helps

J.C

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User profile for user: J.C
J.C
User level: Level 4
1,601 points

Aug 2, 2011 9:08 PM in response to atgrazi

Hi there


This does seem quite weird, I would suggest doing a PRAM reset and if that fails an SMC reset

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379 - PRAM Reset instructions

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3964 - SMC Reset instructions


SMC Resets should only be attempted when all other methods of troubleshooting have been exhausted.


Hope this helps

J.C

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User profile for user: atgrazi
atgrazi Author
User level: Level 1
49 points

Aug 2, 2011 9:12 PM in response to J.C

Already did. Even left the machine unplugged for 2 days. Still didn't help. I have another thread with my overall Lion glitches and it seems people with 2011 iMacs and some Macbook pros have this issue. Apple Care didn't address it and told me it is some normal chaching behavior and will only last a day or 2. But it has lasted 10 days.

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User profile for user: atgrazi
atgrazi Author
User level: Level 1
49 points

Aug 3, 2011 3:56 AM in response to J.C

I think I found a solution. But perform these steps at your own risk. And thanks again to J.C above!


First download the latest beta version of Onyx for Mac. Verify your disk, SMART status, etc. Then go to the cleaning tab and check off everything. Clean out all the caches. Now you can use Onyx or Disk Utility to verify and repair permissions.


If you have and iMac, you should reset the SMC by shutting it down, then disconnecting the Power Cable. It also doesn't hurt to hold the Power button down for 15 seconds. Then wait a minute, reconnect the power cord. Then reset the PRAM. For my Mac, I had to switch on my keyboard, turn on the Mac, then quickly hold Command, Option, P and R while booting. Hold them down until you hear the Apple sound twice.


After that, my Mac booted like lightning. Everything is fast and my fans are working properly. The OS is no longer glitchy and Wonky, but still had a startup issue.


Now for all you iMac users out there who get stuck booting into safe mode (which is my startup issue it seems), where airport (wifi) doesn't work and the graphics are messed up. The solution is kinda weird. Make sure when you boot your Mac, the keyboard and mouse are turned off, or any other BT device. Then the system will boot normally and quickly.


I don't like the solution for the safe boot, so I hope Apple comes up with a bluetooth or bootloader fix soon. As for all the Macbook Pros out there, I suggest like some others about resetting the PRAM and SMC may help you out, but bluetooth would not be the cause for your booting into safe mode with no wifi. You just have to reboot a few times and cross your fingers or go back to Snow Leopard until 10.7.1 comes around.


Hope this helps everybody! 😁

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User profile for user: T.Hasan
T.Hasan
User level: Level 1
0 points

Apr 14, 2012 5:17 AM in response to atgrazi

Last night the electricity went out and my power surge protector was not working so my iMac just force shut downed.

So, when the electricity came back i turned on my Mac but it is *Stuck in the Startup/Boot Screen with a Grey Apple Logo,a Empty Progress Bar with stays for 1 or 2 minutes and a small Spinning Wheel which would Spin Forver! I Have tried the SMC and Pram reset but no use, i have also tried to insert my OS X Lion 10.7 Installation disk and it would not load if i hold the C Key in the Startup, I Have Managed to go to Disk Utility Through "Recovery HD" but the Volume "Macintosh HD" is Greyed out and Unmounted and i cannot repair it. There are some files that i'd like to Recover if there is a way to fix it without deleting files.
**PLEASE HELP ME FIX THIS!**


Details about the iMac:

iMac 21.5 Inch i think from Mid 2010,

OS X Lion installed maybe 10.7.2 or 10.7.3 (im not sure)

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User profile for user: Radiation Mac
Radiation Mac
User level: Level 5
4,701 points

Apr 14, 2012 5:34 AM in response to T.Hasan

T. Hasan:

By posting Your Problem in another person's Forum posting, you are "Threadjacking." Please repost your problem in its OWN Forum fresh posting in the future. Thank you kindly.


Note: when the power went out, with a possible power company surge also occuring at the time, and your surge protector not working, it is likely that your iMac suffered an internal electrical overload resulting in a hardware failure that will need to be diagnosed and repaired by an Apple Store.


Hope this helps 🙂


Message was edited by: Radiation Mac

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Why does my iMac not boot properly after installing Lion?

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