Level 1

9 points

Mac Won't Boot From Installation Disk

After doing a software update, my Mac Pro got stuck on the gray screen after restart (seems like a very common problem recently). I am able to boot into safe mode by holding shift (only works like 10% of the time) and verified permissions. It says I need to repair my disk, but i can only do this by booting from my install disk.

However, I can not boot from my install disk. It gets stuck at the gray screen every single time.

I have done everything recommended in this post with no success: https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3353

Am I screwed here? So irritated that this all happened because of Mac's own software update. I have wasted HOURS troubleshooting and it looks like my only option is to pay to have it serviced.

Any help is appreciated.

Posted on Sep 13, 2012 3:11 PM

23 replies

roam

Level 6

13,637 points

Sep 17, 2012 5:58 PM in response to tysteel

one more clarification:

The exact thing happens on the new hard drive. It will not boot. So, there must be something written somewhere preventing startup that got transfered, no?

That is because you have put a a copy of your old system made when in safemode back onto your new HD. This was a mistake.

The safe mode suggestion was a rescue measure nothing more.

You need to install a copy of 10.6 from your Install DVD.

roam

Level 6

13,637 points

Sep 17, 2012 10:03 PM in response to tysteel

I don't know if it is related, but I was doing some reading and came across this topic about Mac Pros that only boot to safe mode. In these cases it seems the video card was the problem.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2801529?start=0&tstart=0

Another thing to consider perhaps.

tysteel Author

Level 1

9 points

Sep 18, 2012 6:29 PM in response to tysteel

I still can not boot from install DVD. I did install a fresh copy onto the new drive.

Just to make sure, I reformatted the drive (Mac OS Extended (Journalled)) and set it up to have one partition using a GUID partition table. I then did the clone over again using SuperDuper.

Still does not boot.

tysteel Author

Level 1

9 points

Sep 18, 2012 6:37 PM in response to tysteel

Video card huh? Sounds like a promising solution after reading the thread you provided. Guess I will try that out next. Thanks!

tysteel Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 1, 2012 5:11 PM in response to tysteel

$270 later....

Thanks for everybody's help. Nice to have my computer back.

baltwo

Level 9

62,386 points

Oct 1, 2012 5:34 PM in response to tysteel

What did the $270 buy? New video card? The curious want to be satisfied and others will be enlightened. 😀

tysteel Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 2, 2012 8:35 PM in response to tysteel

ATI Radeon 5770

baltwo

Level 9

62,386 points

Oct 2, 2012 10:12 PM in response to tysteel

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Mac Won't Boot From Installation Disk