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I have an iMac comp that was given to me. I was messing with the settings and set it up to start as Mac OS mode... Now I have a gray bubble screen with no icons or anything that allows me to return it back to its normal mode.. How can I fix it???
iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.2)
What is "Mac OS mode"? Isn't that how all Macs start up normally? 🙂
Which iMac model is the one given to you? Your profile says Mac OS X 10.6.2. Is that the one you are asking about?
If it's a much older PowerPC iMac, maybe you are asking about setting it to start up into Mac OS 9, instead of Mac OS X?
That would be correct. I need to put it back to the OS 9. I'm not too savvy on the apple comps. It is an older model. I'm not sure what yr but the monitor is attached to the actual modem. It can't be older then somewhere in the 2000s. But yes I want to put it to start up as OS 9 rather then X.
Oh, your usual OS is Mac OS 9, and you switched it to boot into Mac OS X...
In Mac OS X, are you at the Desktop, with a menu bar across the top? If so, from the Apple menu, select System Preferences. Go to the Startup Disk pane. From the list of startup choices, select the one for Mac OS 9. Then click Restart.
If you are not at the Desktop, you may be at the login screen. If so, there should be a way to either restart or shut down on that screen. Either way, get the Mac to start up again. Immediately press and hold the 9 key on the keyboard. If I recall correctly, that should force a startup from the Mac OS 9 System Folder. When you get to the Desktop, go to the Startup control panel and select your Mac OS 9 System Folder as the startup disk.
I attempted this.. However it's not working for me. The comp actually starts up as Mac OS 9.2 but I have no icons on this screen after it loads up. When I turn on the comp, there are some icons that appear at the bottom of the screen but I can't click on them or do anything at all... I wish I could post pics of what it's doing...
Can you clarify a few points...
Originally, when it was working the way you want, what Mac OS version was starting up? That ended up at a fully functional Desktop?
When you made your first post (after you had a problem), how was it starting up?
When you made your last post, where it "starts up as Mac OS 9.2," is that different from how it started up when you made your first post, the "gray bubble screen with no icons"?
What model Mac is it? Is it an old iMac, an old PowerBook, an old Power Mac? G3, G4?
Do you have a Mac OS installation disc of any kind, that can start up the Mac from the optical drive?
You have another Mac that is Intel-based, more recent, correct?
For your 1st question, when it was working, I can't remember what that format was bc like I said I was just touching things w/o knowing what it was.. My mistake 100%...
When i made my original post, it was starting up the way it is now which is what prompted my question bc I can't do anything now. Mac OS 9.2.
When my last post was made, yes it is and has been from the beginning of my post been starting up in this format.
Model all I know from what I'm looking at, it's an old iMac. The monitor is attached to the modem, tower whatever it's called by a silver rod that also swivels and adjusts the screen.
I don't have any disc bc the comp was given to me w/o it. It was basically handed down twice.
It sounds like an iMac G4. Cool machine...
Try starting up with the Option key held down. This should give you the Startup Manager screen, where you can select from available startup choices. What choices do you see listed on that screen? If the internal drive has one volume, this may not help because it will only list the current startup choice (which does not work). However, if the internal drive is partitioned into more than one volume, each partition can have a bootable system of its own, and the one you originally used may be one of the choices.
You can also try starting up with the Shift key held down. This will do a safe mode startup, and it is possible that the current Mac OS 9.2 system will start up and get to the Desktop.
And the other Mac you have is an Intel Mac? Does it have a FireWire port, and do you have a FireWire cable?
I don't have any other comp... It's just this one. W the option key I am now at a screen that shows the internal drive saying Mac HD there's a arrow to the right and a return arrow to the left.
Now w the shift key I am in the screen w icons that I can click through. The systems folder has opened now what do I do?
Oh, your first post says "iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.2)" in your profile. What are you using to make these posts?
Seems like Startup Manager is only showing one volume on the Internal drive. If you select that one choice, it probably ends up with the same Mac OS 9.2 startup.
Try starting up with the X key held down. If that original startup was a version of Mac OS X, holding down the X key is supposed to force startup from the Mac OS X system (if present).
Hold on... I just saw your other post.
OK. The safe mode startup worked. Is there a menu bar at the top of the screen? If so, and assuming this is Mac OS 9.2, from the Apple menu select Control Panels. In Control Panels, select Startup. This window should list your available startup choices. The current 9.2 system should be one of them. Do you see any other choice or choices?
In startup I now have under:
Mac HD version Mac OS 9.2.2
Mac hd system version Mac OS X 10.2.8 (build 6R73)
Mac hd:system folder version Mac OS 9.2.2
Network disk
That's what's on the screen
I hit the Mac x version and it seems it worked!!!!! I'm back to where I needed to be at!!!
Thanks u were very helpful!!!
My guess is that Mac OS X 10.2.8 was your original choice that worked properly.
Now how can I delete the profiles that have been created in the comp??
Need to restore iMac comp back to original mode
