How to get passed the stuck gray loading screen with Apple logo and spinning wheel?

If you have Apple Care, call them and get a case number. Otherwise, read the information in these links - Troubleshoot the spinning beach ball

benarymann97 wrote:

It says, "BootCacheControl: Unable to open /var/db/BootCache.playlist: 2 No such file or directory".

Ew, that's ugly.

This is the the second incident I've seen of this and the first time the person who had it tried to install OS X from RecoveryHD to overwrite OS X with a new copy and it didn't work.

I had to advise data recovery and then a erase of the MacintoshHD partition and fresh install of OS X in order to rebuild that system cache file.

Create a data recovery/undelete external boot drive

If you work on the data recovery aspectv if you need to do it, I'll put out a notice to see if one of our more top guys can find a solution for you that doesn't involve a erase and install.

Take each of these steps that you haven't already tried. Stop when the problem is resolved.

b. If you have access to a working Mac, and both it and the non-working Mac have FireWire or Thunderbolt ports, boot the non-working Mac in target disk mode. Use the working Mac to copy the data to another drive. This technique won't work with USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth.

c. If the internal drive of the non-working Mac is user-replaceable, remove it and mount it in an external enclosure or drive dock. Use another Mac to copy the data.

Step 2

Press and hold the power button until the power shuts off. Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed to boot, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. Use a different keyboard and/or mouse, if those devices are wired. If you can boot now, one of the devices you disconnected, or a combination of them, is causing the problem. Finding out which one is a process of elimination.

If you've booted from an external storage device, make sure that your internal boot volume is selected in the Startup Disk pane of System Preferences.

Step 3

Boot in safe mode. Note: If FileVault is enabled, or if a firmware password is set, or if the boot volume is a software RAID, you can’t do this. Post for further instructions.

Safe mode is much slower to boot and run than normal, and some things won’t work at all, including wireless networking on certain Macs.

The login screen appears even if you usually 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.

When you boot in safe mode, it's normal to see a dark gray progress bar on a light gray background. If the progress bar gets stuck for more than a few minutes, or if the system shuts down automatically while the progress bar is displayed, your boot volume is damaged and the drive is probably malfunctioning. In that case, go to step 5.

If you can boot and log in now, empty the Trash, and then open the Finder Info window on your boot volume ("Macintosh HD," unless you gave it a different name.) Check that you have at least 9 GB of available space, as shown in the window. If you don't, copy as many files as necessary to another volume (not another folder on the same volume) and delete the originals. Deletion isn't complete until you empty the Trash again. Do this until the available space is more than 9 GB. Then reboot as usual (i.e., not in safe mode.)

If the boot process hangs again, the problem is likely caused by a third-party system modification that you installed. Post for further instructions.

Step 4

Sometimes a boot failure can be resolved by resetting the NVRAM.

Step 5

Launch Disk Utility in Recovery mode (see Step 1.) Select your startup volume, then run Repair Disk. If any problems are found, repeat until clear. If Disk Utility reports that the volume can't be repaired, the drive has malfunctioned and should be replaced. You might choose to tolerate one such malfunction in the life of the drive. In that case, erase the volume and restore from a backup. If the same thing ever happens again, replace the drive immediately.

This is one of the rare situations in which you should also run Repair Permissions, ignoring the false warnings it may produce. Look for the line "Permissions repair complete" at the end of the output. Then reboot as usual.

Step 6

Reinstall the OS. If your Mac was upgraded from an older version of OS X, you’ll need the Apple ID and password you used to upgrade.

Step 7

Repeat step 6, but this time erase the boot volume in Disk Utility before installing. The system should automatically reboot into the Setup Assistant. Follow the prompts to transfer your data from a Time Machine or other backup.

Step 8

This step applies only to a Mac Pro tower, not to any other model. A dead logic-board battery can cause a gray screen at boot. Typically the boot failure will be preceded by loss of the startup disk and system clock settings. See the user manual for replacement instructions.

Step 9

If you get this far, you're probably dealing with a hardware fault. Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store to have the machine tested.

I'm also with this problem!! Any solution? Please!

In the final two lines it's says:

Launchctl : Dubious ownership on file ( skipping ) : / Library / LaunchDaemons

Launchctl : Dubious ownership on file ( skipping ) : / System / Library / LaunchDaemons

Thanks

same here!!!

In the safe mode it keeps saying "Disk02: I/O error"

and at the end it says "Launch_msg(): socket is not connected"

then the screen stops. Press Return just jumps to next line.

HELP!!!

The same thing has happened to me... TWICE. On two different iMacs, as it happens.

Why, in the name of all that's holy, didn't they design the script to ABORT if it can't create that (obviously essential) file?

/var/db/BootCache.playlist

What is the big deal with that one, eh? If it doesn't exist the Mac is left in an unbootable state. So if the upgrade script can't create it, it should stop right there.

LOL! I just realized that I've come across as an idiot through no one's fault but my own. Since the file is clearly essential for a normal boot, the upgrade script (almost) can't have tried to create it. Not unless it's unique to Mavericks, anyway. It seems for more likely that the script has to modify the file. That leaves us with three options:

1) The script can't access the file for whatever reason and so can't make the required changes

2) The script accesses the file but something happens when it tries to store its changes

3) The script deletes the file under certain circumstances

In case 1, the script should abort and roll back everything it's done. In case 2, the script should have been designed to check the file after completion and, if there's a problem, roll back everything it's done. In case 3, the people who created the upgrade script whould be dipped in boiling sesame oil (briefly), the script should check for its existence and, if it doesn't exist, roll back all of its changes.

Well, I just tried the internet rcovery method and have ended up right back where I started: Mavericks install but will not boot. Grey screen, Apple logo, spinning whirlygig of death... forever, apparently.

I conclude that Mavericks *****.

disk I/O errors usually indicate a failing hard drive. Back it up and get it to an Apple repair shop if it's still under warranty.

Is there any simple way to access some files on the HD starting a Mac in boot recovery mode? Is there ANY WAY for a user to gain access to some files on the HD which are not on the latest TM backup.

Is there any way for user to copy some files on USB stick for example? Without using the Terminal widow if possible.