Macbook Pro won't boot past grey screen with Apple logo and then shuts off

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Macbook Pro won't boot past grey screen with Apple logo and then shuts off

This is a long story...

This morning, I would turn it on and it'd go to the grey screen with the Apple logo for a few seconds and then go to the icon that is a circle with a line through it. After reading online, I was able to boot it up in Safe Mode. I messed around a little bit in system preferences thinking I could fix it on my own, not really knowing what I was doing (I'm a *******). I went to Startup Disk in Preferences. I chose the MAC OS X, xxxx and then clicked the lock to prevent further changes and then clicked restart.

Now when I turn on the macbook, it goes to the grey screen with the Apple logo for at least two-three minutes and then just shuts off. Won't boot into Safe Mode now. Please help. I already tried the Command-Option-P-R keys trick like five times.

MacBook Pro

Posted on May 29, 2012 10:26 AM

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Answer 1

May 29, 2012 12:22 PM in response to colin125

Colin,

Have you been through all of the steps and troubleshooting in this knowldege base article?

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Answer 2

colin125 Author

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May 29, 2012 8:44 PM in response to Ralph Landry1

I tried the first two steps, but I haven't tried the method starting with the install disc. This is very confusing to me as I updated my software to Leopard in the Fall of 2007 right after that new software was released and I can't remember if that came with an install disc (and if it did, I highly doubt I have it anymore). So basically, I'm super confused.

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Answer 3

colin125 Author

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May 29, 2012 9:42 PM in response to colin125

Nevermind, I figured out that I have leopard software on it and I need the 10.5 disc, which I don't have anymore. Possible to use any other, as I have a 10.6 from my sister available? If not, I'll be taking this to a guy that works on Macs and I'll be losing a lot of money.

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Answer 4

May 30, 2012 3:23 AM in response to colin125

If you have a full retail DVD for 10.6 you can boot from that by holding the C key during startup...but you will then be in install mode if that is what you want to do. At least go ahead and see if it will boot ok from the 10.6 disk and then you can decide what you want to do further.

Apple does not have 10.5 for sale anymore from what some other users have said on here so if you want to go that route you will have to find a copy for sale such as from eBay or one of the Mac resellers.

Before taking the machine to someone, try booting from 10.6 and see if that works...that way you can narrow down problems the machine may be having.

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