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Hi, I have an Imac and every time I log in, it gives me an error... the page becomes darker and a message invites me to turn it off with the start button and then to switch it on again...

Hi, I have an Imac and every time I log in, it gives me an error... the page becomes darker and a message invites me to turn it off with the start button and then to switch it on again...

Posted on Feb 5, 2013 10:30 AM

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2 replies

Feb 5, 2013 10:44 AM in response to Dora97

That is a kernel panic, usually hardware related, often due to faulty or badly seated RAM.


What is a Kernel Panic?


http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3742


and http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1892?viewlocale=en_US


http://developer.apple.com/mac/library/technotes/tn2002/tn2063.html


More details here:


http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/kernelpanics.html


Useful article on how to avoid and eliminate kernel panics here:


http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-10344626-263.html?tag=mfiredir

Feb 5, 2013 10:56 AM in response to Dora97

If you can't boot in the usual way, try a safe boot. The instructions provided by Apple are as follows:


  1. Shut down your computer, wait 30 seconds, and then hold down the shift key while pressing the power button.
  2. When you see the gray Apple logo, release the shift key.
  3. If you are prompted to log in, type your password, and then hold down the shift key again as you click Log in.


During startup, you’ll see a progress bar, and then the login screen, which appears even if you normally log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin. If you have more than one user account, you must be logged in as an administrator to carry out these instructions.


Safe mode is slower than normal, and some things won’t work at all.


Note: If FileVault is enabled under OS X 10.7 or later, or if a firmware password is set, or if the startup volume is on a software RAID, you can’t boot in safe mode.


If you're able to boot, launch the Console application in any of the following ways:


☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)


☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.


☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Console in the icon grid.


Select the most recent panic log under System Diagnostic Reports. Post the entire contents — the text, please, not a screenshot. In the interest of privacy, I suggest you edit out the “Anonymous UUID,” a long string of letters, numbers, and dashes in the header and body of the report, if it’s present (it may not be.) Please don't post shutdownStall, spin, or hang reports.

Hi, I have an Imac and every time I log in, it gives me an error... the page becomes darker and a message invites me to turn it off with the start button and then to switch it on again...

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