Getting grey screen and when I do a Safe Boot get an arrow with translucent menu scrolling behind it! Anybody know how to fix?

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C.J Author

Level 1

63 points

Getting grey screen and when I do a Safe Boot get an arrow with translucent menu scrolling behind it! Anybody know how to fix?

Getting grey screen on startup and when I do a Safe Boot get an arrow

with translucent menu scrolling behind it!

Anybody know how to fix?

Lion, MacBook Pro, have reset pram etc,etc.,,tried and indeed exhausted

ALL Apple recommended boot options.

Safe Boot gets me in OK and everything checks out including

Disk Utility,repair permissions and even fsck boot up was fine!

Any suggestions?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.4), Nothing connected to netbook.

Posted on Sep 19, 2012 9:40 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

ds store

Level 7

30,725 points

Sep 19, 2012 2:15 PM in response to C.J

Run through these steps, if that doesn't fix it, then a erase and install of the Machintosh HD partition is in order.

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3353

How to reinstall just OS X or erase/install OS X

DO backup your data off the machine as soon as possible.

Most commonly used backup methods

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Answer 2

C.J Author

Level 1

63 points

Sep 20, 2012 3:12 AM in response to ds store

BIG thanks "ds store."

Looks like i'll have to try firewire target disc route as i cannot get pass the grey screen

in starting up with command R, subsequently i cannot get into Lion recovery.

WIll i then, if succssful, have to start again with snow leopaprd 10.6 and work

my way up to Lion as previously? I guess reading your links the answer is a resounding yes?

{And i did try booting from the 10.6 install discs also.} 😉

I've backed up everything...here goes.

CJ

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Answer 3

ds store

Level 7

30,725 points

Sep 20, 2012 6:28 AM in response to C.J

C.J wrote:

Looks like i'll have to try firewire target disc route as i cannot get pass the grey screen

in starting up with command R, subsequently i cannot get into Lion recovery.

Did you at any time enable a firmware password? This disables the at boot key commands, however you should be able to hold option key and boot, to get Startup Manager or off the 10.6 disks to disable the firmware password.

Disable the firmware password and then the other at boot command keys should function again hopefully.

WIll i then, if succssful, have to start again with snow leopaprd 10.6 and work

my way up to Lion as previously?

If your Lion Recovery is toast and you didn't make a Recovery USB in advance, then yes you can go that route.

How to erase and install Snow Leopard 10.6

How to revert your Mac to Snow Leopard

Howeve this method can be used to copy another 10.7's Recovery to install OS X on a external drive to boot from.

http://osxdaily.com/2011/08/08/lion-recovery-disk-assistant-tool-makes-external- lion-boot-recovery-drives/

https://support.apple.com/kb/dl1433

You can install 10.7 or 10.6 on a blank external drive, hold option key boot from it and recover files from the boot drive.

Create a data recovery/undelete external boot drive

more infor here

https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_pro?view=documents

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Answer 4

C.J Author

Level 1

63 points

Sep 21, 2012 1:44 AM in response to ds store

MORNING DS STORE.

No firmware password was enabled.

I fixed and repaired permssions via target disc mode and then as I was unable to

get into recovery mode ( i do have an external recovery disc image set up - but it was unrecognised)

or boot into 10.6 ...curiouser and curiouser.

So,I started right back at 10.6 having completley erased and 0'ed the HD,

using my snow lepoard dvd discs,I then worked my way gingerly up to Lion.

This and only this solved my problems out right. The stange arrow with the translucent

arrow behind it has dissapeaered...any idea what that was?

Felt lke I was back in the days of OS 8!

1.5 days later I now have a fully working MacBook Pro again without the need to

venture into the Apple Store and pay excess amounts of cash for a problem that,

well to be honest started at the core...if you take my gentle gibe!

I appreciate your feedback and assitance.

C.J

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