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User profile for user: Terba
Terba Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

mac pro starts only in safe mode

My Mac Pro 1st gen suddenly refuse to start in regular mode. I can start it in safe mode.

I have tried everything from all of the tips I have found including putting in only a blank harddisk trying to install Snow Leopard from DVD.

I have diognosed it with the last version of Tech Tool Pro without finding any problem.

When it starts up it seems to come clear to the log-in pane but it always stops with a grey display and the multicoloured ball spinning.


Any suggestion anyone?

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on Mar 1, 2013 3:09 AM

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21 replies
User profile for user: Linc Davis
Linc Davis
User level: Level 10
209,547 points

Mar 1, 2013 8:51 AM in response to Terba

Please read this whole message before doing anything.

This procedure is a diagnostic test. It won’t solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.

Third-party system modifications are a common cause of usability problems. By a “system modification,” I mean software that affects the operation of other software — potentially for the worse. The following procedure will help identify which such modifications you've installed. Don’t be alarmed by the complexity of these instructions — they’re easy to carry out and won’t change anything on your Mac.


These steps are to be taken while booted in “normal” mode, not in safe mode. If you’re now running in safe mode, reboot as usual before continuing.


Below are instructions to enter some UNIX shell commands. The commands are harmless, but they must be entered exactly as given in order to work. If you have doubts about the safety of the procedure suggested here, search this site for other discussions in which it’s been followed without any report of ill effects.


Some of the commands will line-wrap or scroll in your browser, but each one is really just a single line, all of which must be selected. You can accomplish this easily by triple-clicking anywhere in the line. The whole line will highlight, and you can then copy it. The headings “Step 1” and so on are not part of the commands.


Note: If you have more than one user account, Step 2 must be taken as an administrator. Ordinarily that would be the user created automatically when you booted the system for the first time. The other steps should be taken as the user who has the problem, if different. Most personal Macs have only one user, and in that case this paragraph doesn’t apply.


Launch the Terminal 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 Terminal in the icon grid.


When you launch Terminal, a text window will open with a line already in it, ending either in a dollar sign (“$”) or a percent sign (“%”). If you get the percent sign, enter “sh” and press return. You should then get a new line ending in a dollar sign.


Step 1


Triple-click the line of text below to select it:

kextstat -kl | awk '!/com\.apple/{printf "%s %s\n", $6, $7}'

Copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C. Then click anywhere in the Terminal window and paste (command-V). Post the lines of output (if any) that appear below what you just entered. You can do that by copying and pasting as well. Omit the final line ending in “$”. No typing is involved in this step.

Step 2


Repeat with this line:

sudo launchctl list | sed 1d | awk '!/0x|com\.(apple|openssh|vix)|edu\.mit|org\.(amavis|apache|cups|isc|ntp|postfix|x)/{print $3}'

This time you'll be prompted for your login password, which you do have to type. It won't be displayed when you type it. Type it carefully and then press return. You may get a one-time warning to be careful. Heed that warning, but don't post it. If you see a message that your username "is not in the sudoers file," then you're not logged in as an administrator.


Note: If you don’t have a login password, you’ll need to set one before taking this step. If that’s not possible, skip to the next step.


Step 3

launchctl list | sed 1d | awk '!/0x|com\.apple|edu\.mit|org\.(x|openbsd)/{print $3}'

Step 4

ls -1A /e*/mach* {,/}L*/{Ad,Compon,Ex,Fram,In,Keyb,La,Mail/Bu,P*P,Priv,Qu,Scripti,Servi,Spo,Sta}* L*/Fonts 2> /dev/null

Important: If you formerly synchronized with a MobileMe account, your me.com email address may appear in the output of the above command. If so, anonymize it before posting.


Step 5

osascript -e 'tell application "System Events" to get name of every login item' 2> /dev/null

Remember, steps 1-5 are all copy-and-paste — no typing, except your password. Also remember to post the output.


You can then quit Terminal.

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User profile for user: Linc Davis
Linc Davis
User level: Level 10
209,547 points

Mar 1, 2013 9:29 AM in response to Linc Davis

My last message was posted in error. Please do the following instead.


These steps are to be taken while booted in safe mode.


Below are instructions to enter some UNIX shell commands. The commands are harmless, but they must be entered exactly as given in order to work. If you have doubts about the safety of the procedure suggested here, search this site for other discussions in which it’s been followed without any report of ill effects.


The commands may line-wrap or scroll in your browser, but each one is really just a single line, all of which must be selected. You can accomplish this easily by triple-clicking anywhere in the line. The whole line will highlight, and you can then either copy or drag it. The headings “Step 1” and so on are not part of the commands.


Launch the Terminal 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 Terminal in the icon grid.


When you launch Terminal, a text window will open with a line already in it, ending either in a dollar sign (“$”) or a percent sign (“%”). If you get the percent sign, enter “sh” and press return. You should then get a new line ending in a dollar sign.


Step 1


Triple-click the line of text below to select it. Copy the selected text to the Clipboard (command-C). Then click anywhere in the Terminal window and paste (command-V).


find /Sy*/L*/Ex* -type f -name Info.plist -exec sh -c '/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Print :CFBundleIdentifier" "$1" 2> /dev/null | egrep -qv "apple|Accusys|ArcMSR|ATTO|CalDigit|HighPoint|hp-fax|JMicron|print|SoftRAID|stex" && echo ${1%*.kext/*}.kext' {} {} \;


Post the lines of output (if any) that appear below what you just entered (the text, please, not a screenshot.) You can omit the final line ending in “$”.


Step 2


Repeat with this line:


ls -1A /e*/mach* {,/}L*/{Ad,Compon,Ex,Fram,In,Keyb,La,Mail/Bu,P*P,Priv,Qu,Scripti,Servi,Spo,Sta}* L*/Fonts 2> /dev/null


Important: If you formerly synchronized with a MobileMe account, your me.com email address may appear in the output of the above command. If so, anonymize it before posting.


Step 3


osascript -e 'tell application "System Events" to get name of every login item' 2> /dev/null


Remember, these steps are all copy-and-paste — no typing. Also remember to post the output.


You can then quit Terminal.

Reply
User profile for user: Terba
Terba Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Mar 1, 2013 2:07 PM in response to Linc Davis

Then I have done these 3 steps.

Here is the outputs:


Step1


/System/Library/Extensions/Family Protector Safe Boot.kext

/System/Library/Extensions/FirefaceAudioDriver.kext

/System/Library/Extensions/FirefaceAudioDriver.kext

/System/Library/Extensions/PACESupportFamily.kext

/System/Library/Extensions/PACESupportFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/PACESupportLe opard.kext

/System/Library/Extensions/PACESupportFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/PACESupportPa nther.kext

/System/Library/Extensions/PACESupportFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/PACESupportSn owLeopard.kext

/System/Library/Extensions/PACESupportFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/PACESupportTi ger.kext

/System/Library/Extensions/UsbEthernetGadget.kext


Step2


/Library/Address Book Plug-Ins:

SkypeABDialer.bundle

SkypeABSMS.bundle



/Library/Components:



/Library/Extensions:



/Library/Frameworks:

AECore.framework

AEProfiling.framework

AERegistration.framework

Adobe AIR.framework

AudioMixEngine.framework

Compressor.framework

DSPPublishing.framework

DivX Toolkit.framework

EDWOCommon.framework

EDWOInternet.framework

FxPlug.framework

HPDeviceModel.framework

HPPml.framework

HPServicesInterface.framework

HPSmartPrint.framework

HPSmartX.framework

IntegoiCalFramework.framework

MediaServerAPI.framework

NetUpdateShared.framework

NyxAudioAnalysis.framework

PluginManager.framework

ProFX.framework

ProMetadataSupport.framework

Qmaster.framework

SGCS110.framework

StuffIt.framework

TSLicense.framework

XSKey.framework

iTunesLibrary.framework



/Library/Input Methods:



/Library/Intego:

.isb5_info

.isb6_info

.virusbarrier_info

IM_ObjectiveMetrics.framework

IMailSenderTool

IntegoStatusItem.bundle

IntegoiCalServer

MIME.plist

RMCClient

TaskManager

im_helper_tool

im_ks_tool

integod

netupdated.bundle

personalantispamd.bundle

personalbackupd.bundle

virusbarrier.bundle



/Library/Internet Plug-Ins:

AdobePDFViewer.plugin

AdobePDFViewerNPAPI.plugin

CANONiMAGEGATEWAYDL.plugin

CANONiMAGEGATEWAYLI.plugin

DRM Plugin.bundle

DirectorShockwave.plugin

Disabled Plug-Ins

DivXBrowserPlugin.plugin

EPPEX Plugin.plugin

Flash Player.plugin

Flip4Mac WMV Plugin.plugin

Flip4Mac WMV Plugin.webplugin

Google Earth Web Plug-in.plugin

JavaAppletPlugin.plugin

Musicnotes.plugin

OVSHelper.plugin

Quartz Composer.webplugin

QuickTime Plugin.plugin

Scorch.plugin

Silverlight.plugin

Unity Web Player.plugin

Unused

flashplayer.xpt

iLok Client Helper Plugin

iLokClientHelper.plugin

iPhotoPhotocast.plugin

nsIQTScriptablePlugin.xpt



/Library/Keyboard Layouts:



/Library/LaunchAgents:

com.intego.VirusBarrier.alert.plist

com.intego.VirusBarrierX6.alert.plist

com.intego.VirusBarrierX6.statusitem.plist

com.intego.commonservices.statusitem.plist

com.intego.netupdate.agent.plist

com.intego.personalbackup.agent.plist

com.intego.task.manager.notifier.plist

com.micromat.TechToolProAgent.plist

com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist

de.rme-audio.firefaceAgent.plist



/Library/LaunchDaemons:

PACESupport.plist

com.adobe.fpsaud.plist

com.apple.aelwriter.plist

com.apple.qmaster.qmasterd.plist

com.apple.remotepairtool.plist

com.intego.PersonalBackup.daemon.plist

com.intego.VirusBarrier.daemon.plist

com.intego.VirusBarrier.logger.daemon.plist

com.intego.VirusBarrier.scanner.daemon.plist

com.intego.VirusBarrierX6.daemon.plist

com.intego.VirusBarrierX6.scanner.daemon.plist

com.intego.commonservices.daemon.plist

com.intego.commonservices.icalserver.plist

com.intego.commonservices.metrics.kschecker.plist

com.intego.netupdate.daemon.plist

com.intego.personalantispam.daemon.plist

com.intego.task.manager.daemon.plist

com.micromat.TechToolProDaemon.plist

com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist

com.paceap.eden.licensed.plist



/Library/PhonePlugins:

Nokia_E51_1v1.phoneplugin



/Library/PreferencePanes:

Apple Qmaster.prefPane

DivX.prefPane

Flash Player.prefPane

Flip4Mac WMV.prefPane

JavaControlPanel.prefPane

Microsoft Mouse.prefPane

NetUpdate.prefPane

TechTool Protection.prefPane

XSKey.prefPane



/Library/PrivateFrameworks:

SymAppKitAdditions.framework

SymBase.framework

SymNetworking.framework

SymScheduler.framework

SymSystem.framework



/Library/PrivilegedHelperTools:

NetUpdateAgent.app

com.intego.washingmachine

licenseDaemon.app



/Library/QuickLook:

Finale.qlgenerator

GBQLGenerator.qlgenerator

iWork.qlgenerator



/Library/QuickTime:

.DS_Store

AppleHDVCodec.component

AppleIntermediateCodec.component

AppleMPEG2Codec.component

AppleProResCodec.component

DVCPROHDCodec.component

DVCPROHDMuxer.component

DVCPROHDVideoDigitizer.component

DVCPROHDVideoOutput.component

DVCPROHDVideoOutputClock.component

DVCPROHDVideoOutputCodec.component

DesktopVideoOut.component

DivX Decoder.component

DivX Encoder.component

FCP Uncompressed 422.component

Flip4Mac WMV Advanced.component

Flip4Mac WMV Export.component

Flip4Mac WMV Import.component

IMXCodec.component

LiveType.component

macam.component



/Library/ScriptingAdditions:



/Library/Services:

VirusBarrier X5 Service.service



/Library/Spotlight:

GBSpotlightImporter.mdimporter

Microsoft Entourage.mdimporter

Microsoft Office.mdimporter

iMovie.mdimporter

iWeb.mdimporter

iWork.mdimporter



/Library/StartupItems:

HP IO

HP Trap Monitor

M-Audio Firmware Loader

NUMCompatibilityCheck

NortonMissedTasks

PACESupport

Personal Antispam

SymDCInit

TrackDelete

VolumeAssist



/etc/mach_init.d:



/etc/mach_init_per_login_session.d:



/etc/mach_init_per_user.d:



Library/Address Book Plug-Ins:



Library/Fonts:

Abadi MT Condensed Extra Bold

Abadi MT Condensed Light

Andale Mono

Arial

Arial Black

Arial Narrow

Arial Rounded Bold

Baskerville Old Face

Batang.ttf

Bauhaus 93

Bell MT

Bernard MT Condensed

Book Antiqua

Bookman Old Style

Braggadocio

Britannic Bold

Brush Script

Calisto MT

Century

Century Gothic

Century Schoolbook

Colonna

Comic Sans MS

Cooper Black

Copperplate Gothic Bold

Copperplate Gothic Light

Curlz MT

Desdemona

Edwardian Script ITC

Engravers MT

Eurostile

Footlight Light

Garamond

Georgia

Gill Sans Ultra Bold

Gloucester MT Extra Condensed

Goudy Old Style

Gulim.ttf

Haettenschweiler

Harrington

Impact

Imprint MT Shadow

Kino

Lucida Blackletter

Lucida Bright

Lucida Calligraphy

Lucida Fax

Lucida Handwriting

Lucida Sans

Lucida Sans Typewriter

MS Gothic.ttf

MS Mincho.ttf

MS PGothic.ttf

MS PMincho.ttf

MT Extra

Matura Script Capitals

Mistral

Modern No. 20

Monotype Corsiva

Monotype Sorts

News Gothic MT

Onyx

PMingLiU.ttf

Perpetua Titling MT

Playbill

QuickBooks Fonts

Rockwell

Rockwell Extra Bold

SimSun.ttf

Stencil

Tahoma

Times New Roman

Trebuchet MS

Verdana

Wide Latin

Wingdings

Wingdings 2

Wingdings 3

encodings.dir

fonts.dir

fonts.list

fonts.scale



Library/Installer Logs:



Library/Internet Plug-Ins:

Macromedia

Move-Media-Player.plugin

myVRnpOSX.plugin



Library/Keyboard Layouts:



Library/LaunchAgents:

com.adobe.ARM.202f4087f2bbde52e3ac2df389f53a4f123223c9cc56a8fd83a6f7ae.plist

com.apple.AddressBook.ScheduledSync.ABExchangeSource.9E211820-4292-4A4A-9539-47D 49015588C.plist

com.apple.AddressBook.ScheduledSync.PHXCardDAVSource.F292FA60-66DF-4D74-8AEC-534 84D173A11.plist

com.apple.SafariBookmarksSyncer.plist

com.google.keystone.agent.plist

com.spotify.webhelper.plist

jp.co.canon.Inkjet_Extended_Survey_Agent.plist



Library/PreferencePanes:

Growl.prefPane


Step 3


iTunesHelper, GrowlHelperApp, iTunesHelper, N067U_ButtonManager, N124U_ButtonManager, Antispam Engine, HOMERunner, TomTomHOMERunner, MyTomTomSA, Dropbox, Canon IJ Network Scanner Selector EX

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User profile for user: Linc Davis
Linc Davis
User level: Level 10
209,547 points

Mar 1, 2013 6:57 PM in response to Terba

Your system is so heavily modified that, instead of trying to remove the modifications piecemeal, you should erase your boot volume, reinstall OS X, and then go through the initial setup process, importing only your user data and settings from backup — not applications or other files.

Back up all data to at least two different storage devices, if you haven't already done so. The backups can be made with Time Machine or with a mirroring tool such as Carbon Copy Cloner. Preferably both. You must be certain that you can restore everything to the state it's in now.

Boot into Recovery (command-R at startup), launch Disk Utility, and erase the startup volume with the default options.This operation will destroy all data on the volume, so you had be better be sure of your backups. Quit Disk Utility and install OS X. When you reboot, you'll be prompted to go through the initial setup process. That’s when you import the data from one of your backups. For details, see here:

Setting up a new Mac from an old one

Import only "Users" and "Settings" – not "Applications" or "Other files." Don't import the Guest account, if it was enabled on the old system. After that, run Software Update. If you still have the problem, take the machine to an Apple Store or other authorized service provider for hardware testing.

If the problem is resolved after the clean installation, reinstall your third-party software selectively. I can only give general guidelines. Self-contained applications that install into the Applications folder by drag-and-drop or download from the App Store are usually safe. Anything that comes packaged as an installer or that prompts for an administrator password is suspect, and you must test thoroughly after reinstalling each such item to make sure you haven't restored the problem.

Before installing any software, ask yourself the question, "Am I sure I know how to uninstall it without having to start this process all over again?" If the answer is "no," stop.

Never install any third-party software unless you know how to uninstall it.

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User profile for user: Grant Bennet-Alder
Grant Bennet-Alder
User level: Level 10
127,177 points

Mar 2, 2013 7:36 AM in response to Terba

Of course it will not start up. You have way, way, way too much third-party junk installed.


Safe Mode loads only a minimal set of Apple extensions, and no third-party extensions. When it starts up in Safe Mode, but not regular, that is a strong indication you have loaded too much junk, or loaded something poisonous.


You need to get a different drive (or erase your current one after making multiple backups) and install a completely stock system with no add-ons, then test again.


You can also make an appointment at the genuis Bar for a free evaluation of the problem. They often have drives on hand and can help you install a new System. But their solution for debugging is the same -- work UP from a plain-vanilla System with no add-ons, not down from a complicated maze of third-party additions.

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User profile for user: Terba
Terba Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Mar 2, 2013 7:42 AM in response to Linc Davis

Sorry!

I have erased all data on one of the internal harddisks and tried to install OSX Snow Leopard (10.6) from a DVD several times in different ways. When I boot it in safe mode and tried your first tips I used the hardisk that I usualy use as startdisk.


I have tried to install Snow Leopard from a MacBook (with the Mac Pro in Target Mode) and I have removed most of the RAM, but always left 2GB RAM inside.


I have of cource unplugged all external hardware.

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mac pro starts only in safe mode

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