HELP Mac desktop stuck at start up

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HELP Mac desktop stuck at start up

its my fathers computer. desktop. i dont know much about Mac computers. i think its a Tiger. hes had it for many years. please use laymans terms and be very detailed, step by step.

the mac was working as of last night. this morning when he went to turn it on, the startup grey screen with apple logo and gear appeared for a long time (usually lasts no longer than 5 seconds) and after awhile a light blue screen appears and sometimes stays like that and sometimes the progress bar appears then it goes to a black screen with alot of white text about an inode i think. i started the computer pressing COMMAND and C, and the prompt came up and i got lost because i didnt know what to do. i typed in diskutil info/ and it took me to a page with alot of options like repairPermissions and VerifyPermissions but i wasnt sure what to do. i tried typing in...diskutil repairpermissions and it said ownership of affected file is required so i didnt know what that meant. he unplugged the printed and external hard drive and the modem so nothing else is really plugged in. its all hooked up through a serge protector if that matters. (has been since forever.) he tried putting in the installation disk then we turned the computer off with the disk inside the drive. we turned the computer on then pressed C after we heard the start up chime. it spit the disk out and the computer turned off. it came with another disk that was a version older and had hardware test on it i think. im not sure if that could do anything, ive searched all over the internet and everything i could understand ive tried to do but failed. if we cannot get it fixed ourselves well call apple in a few days or take it to the store to get it checked out soon. we want to get it fixed ourselves. can all the songs, pictures, things scanned, documents, etc can they be saved somehow? its very important.

any ideas anyone? please be specific on what to do.

Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.4)

Posted on Apr 13, 2014 11:46 AM

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Answer 1

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Apr 13, 2014 2:10 PM in response to saratalker93

Hi, do try the hardware test using c key or maybe d key, or even alt/option key.

Try a Safe Boot, holding SHIFT key at bootup, does that work?

Does it boot to Single User Mode, CMD+s keys at bootup, if so try...

/sbin/fsck -fy

Repeat until it shows no errors fixed.

(Space between fsck AND -fy important).

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Answer 2

K Shaffer

Level 8

36,058 points

Apr 13, 2014 2:50 PM in response to saratalker93

Although I wrote a lengthy reply with some details, took about 15 minutes including secondary research, I was unable to force myself to post it here.

You could attempt to recover user files from the Mini in Target Disk Mode, via FireWire cable, if the Mini would start that way, and if you had a correct FireWire cable with ends on it that match both the Mini (FW400) and any other Mac you may have with either FW ports or Thunderbolt ports.

However BD has a few ideas for a start.

When it comes to somewhat random keyboad commands, I'm not certain what you used, but it appears you got into some kind of single-user or marginal command-line; but the keys you said you use, don't do that.

•OS X Keyboard Shortcuts:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1343

•How to use and troubleshoot - FireWire target disk mode:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661

•Transfer files between two computers using Target Disk Mode:

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH10725

The idea would be to try & use the failed Mini as an external drive, so it would be booted with the T key held down until an icon representing FireWire logo appears on the desktop, then it is in FW Target Disk Mode. Another computer can be attached and attempts to remove information from the Mini could begin.

•Understanding the Applications of Target Disk Mode - Tuts+ Mac CST:

http://computers.tutsplus.com/tutorials/understanding-the-applications-for-targe t-disk-mode--mac-60609

You may have to inquire of an Apple Store with Genius bar, about setting an appointment to try & diagnose what you did to the Mini. And how to save the files from the Mini to another external hard disk drive for later reuse or recovery into a later restored system in the Mini (or other.) And hope that if you are near an Apple Store with Genius, they will help with such an older Mini. The last G4 PPC Mini was made in about late 2005. I have a similar G4 PPC 1.5GHz.

So if you already have the Mini in single-user mode, you'd hope to be able to get back out of it; however the big word still is IF. Had that been an all-knowing intent, then some kind of repair may could have been initiated while in that mode, and then it could be exited, or restarted into the normal GUI, to test the repair.

Were you able to find a correct Mac OS X install-restore disc for the Mini? A later retail disc than the original Tiger (?) would be OK, but may cause a few issues if not of the same OS X running in the Mac.

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

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Answer 3

saratalker93 Author

Level 1

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Apr 13, 2014 3:42 PM in response to BDAqua

i tried safe boot. didnt work.went to blue screen. single user mode, i think it does yes but i tried the fsck thing and it didnt work.it said macintosh hd cannot be fixed or something. idk where to go from there.

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Answer 4

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Apr 13, 2014 3:47 PM in response to saratalker93

Well, at least we found the problem, now how to get past that!?

Mulling...

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Answer 5

lllaass

Level 10

210,519 points

Apr 13, 2014 3:54 PM in response to saratalker93

.

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Answer 6

saratalker93 Author

Level 1

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Apr 13, 2014 3:56 PM in response to K Shaffer

im not sure exactly what your saying. i sort of understood but not by much. 2 disks came with it. a Mac OS 9 install disk and a Mac OS X install disk with hardware test. ive tried both and it just spits the disk out immediately and turns the computer off. and i dnt care TOO much about the files on the MAc whats important is that i get it up and running much less just getting the info off of it. if thats what the target things does idk. but thats the only mac, im using a PC now so idk if that matters. and im not sure what u mean by the IF i get out of single user mode? i turn the computer on pressing COMMAND and S and type in disk util and when i try repairing permissions or something (still failed) then id just turn the computer off with the power button and start again tryping in /sbin/fsck -fy and that didnt work. no matter what i do i cannot start up the computer, safe mode or utility menu or ANYTHING. as far as i got was pressing COMMAND and R and got me to pick a language and it would show process bar then just turn blue and stay that way.

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Answer 7

saratalker93 Author

Level 1

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Apr 13, 2014 4:01 PM in response to BDAqua

yea im not sure what to do next. ive tried safe boot, single user mode, use the install disk, tried opening diskutil to repair things, typing in things ive found on youtube videos that say to how to fix it and either none of it worked or im doing something wrong 😟 i cannot afford a new one its so important to fix it on my own but im afraid thats not possible

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Answer 8

lllaass

Level 10

210,519 points

Apr 13, 2014 4:17 PM in response to lllaass

.

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Answer 9

K Shaffer

Level 8

36,058 points

Apr 13, 2014 4:56 PM in response to saratalker93

What happened to this statement, seemingly refuted now...

"can all the songs, pictures, things scanned, documents, etc can they be saved somehow?"

{It sounds as though the files on the computer

are no longer of interest, by your own words...}

A fairly good deal on repaired previously-owned Macs

can be had from a few well-known companies who do

that for a living; not the auction sites or random sales.

However there may be a way to use Target Disk Mode

between the failed Mac and a PC (non-Apple) if you

read into the instructions and have any interest to save

the files and work your father has saved on the Mac.

•Target Disk Mode - Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Target_Disk_Mode

There are limits to using a PC for data recovery from a Mac

while it is in Target Disk Mode, compared to using a Mac to

Mac connection to retrieve your saved files and work.

The other links I posted about this topic would bear further

reading if you happened to have access to another Mac &

an appropriate FireWire cable; use a separate external

enclosed hard disk drive for an archive of saved files; or

burn all you could to DVD media.

The computer should be tested to see if it can be started in

Target Disk Mode, then at least you'd know the option exists.

Was this a PPC or an Intel Mac...? see guides:

http://www.ifixit.com/Device/Mac_Desktop

Anyway, I wish you the best.

Good luck. 🙂

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Answer 10

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Apr 13, 2014 8:47 PM in response to saratalker93

Might try this if you havent, though tough to tell what might happen...

Reset OS X Password Without an OS X CD...

http://theappleblog.com/2008/06/22/reset-os-x-password-without-an-os-x-cd/

Though if you can afford a version of DisjWarrior for that OS, that may bea better answer...

You must repair the HD, your best bet is likely DiskWarrior.

BTW, you might enjoy these DiskWarrior review/recommendations...

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=9645801&#9645801

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=10541019#10541019

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=11918925&#11918925

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=12684129#12684129

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=12744794&#12744794

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=12912879#12912879

You must repair the HD, if Disk Utility or fsck should fail to repair it, your best bet is DiskWarrior from Alsoft, you'll need the CD to boot from if you don't have another boot drive...

http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/

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