Flashing Folder/Finder icon but normal boot?

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Level 1

30 points

Flashing Folder/Finder icon but normal boot?

Recently, my eMac has been doing this when I turn it on:

1) Fan starts, screen buzzes but stays dark, and finally the boot chime sounds. Front Light comes on, CD drive and Hard Drive activate

2) Screen turns on to a gray screen.

3) Finder/Folder flashing icon shows for 2-15 seconds

4) Apple logo replaces flashing icon and boots normally.

Is this a sign that there is something wrong with the eMac? I tried finding ways to change the boot order and made sure that Macintosh HD was set as my startup disk to no avail.

eMac, 2004 1.0GHz-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Apr 6, 2013 11:57 AM

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Answer 1

Allan Jones

Level 9

78,704 points

Apr 6, 2013 12:47 PM in response to ShadowServer

If the PRAM battery is dead and that causes the computer to forget some settings, it could be casting about to find a bootable volume. As you've used Startup Disk to select your HD, it could be the battery.

Are you cutting power to this computer when not using it? That means unplugging from the wall or using a power strip or backup power supply to turn it off. If so, stop. When turned off normally but on an active wall circuit, the computer gets a small trickle current thay bypasses the power supply so the PRAM battery does not have to work to preserive normal settings.

The symptoms you describe suggest that the computer is having times every day when no power can get to it. In spite of insistence by environmental types that you must unplug your computer when not is use, doing so is hard on many Mac desktop models.

I order my PRAM batts from these guys:

3.6v Newer Technology Lithium 1/2 AA PRAM Computer Clock Battery

You replace the battery through the same door through which you change RAM.

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Answer 2

ShadowServer Author

Level 1

30 points

Apr 6, 2013 5:24 PM in response to Allan Jones

Sorry about my delay in response. Your suggestions were great, but these are not what's causing my issue. I checked my outlets. All good. My router is on the same strip as my eMac, and if there is a strip failure, my router beeps loudly. My router has not indicated a failure since January, and this has been happening since November of last year.

The PRAM battery is fine, I replaced it on February 25 this year.

Any other suggestions?

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Answer 3

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Apr 6, 2013 5:55 PM in response to ShadowServer

It may be a failing HDD or other component, but...

Have you done a PRAM reset, CMD+Option+p+r...

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379

In fact, do 3 in a row, takes a bit of time.

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Answer 4

ShadowServer Author

Level 1

30 points

Apr 6, 2013 6:38 PM in response to BDAqua

Tried that, nothing. New boot drive, cloned HDD, nothing.

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Answer 5

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Apr 6, 2013 8:04 PM in response to ShadowServer

Hmmm, do you have the original Install Discs with AHT, Apple Hardware test on them?

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Answer 6

ShadowServer Author

Level 1

30 points

Apr 9, 2013 12:58 PM in response to BDAqua

Don't worry, I know plenty about AHT, but unfortunately I don't have the disks. I fixed the machine up with a hard drive from another and there was already an image on it.

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Answer 7

ShadowServer Author

Level 1

30 points

Apr 9, 2013 12:59 PM in response to ShadowServer

I do however have access to ASD. Could this help me?

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Answer 8

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Apr 9, 2013 2:54 PM in response to ShadowServer

Worth a try at this point.

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Answer 9

ShadowServer Author

Level 1

30 points

Apr 17, 2013 2:00 PM in response to BDAqua

Well, ASD didn't come up with anything, but I did figure out the issue.

Seems like for some reason, if any sort of external drive is connected, it tries to boot from that, then from the internal hard drive. When all external drives are disconnected, the time taken to boot normally is greatly reduced, and when the CD drive is removed, it works flawlessly.

I left the CD drive in, because it's takes the least amount of time to go to the next boot device, but why does this happen?

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