Failed start up - 100% need erase drive ?

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Failed start up - 100% need erase drive ?

I have been taken through safe start up (shift key) and reboot(?)/disk utility start up (alt key) over the phone with Apple staff.

On second attempt, safe start still didn't work.

On first attempt, disk utility said I needed to erase the hard drive and re-install (I have a time machine back up).

On second attempt, disk utility said my hard drive was fine. I tried restarting after this , but the original problem re-occured : an endless loading circle, never leaving the gray screen and loading symbol on start up.

I am happy to take it in to a genius bar , but don't need to if I 100% need to delete and re-install, as I can do this.

Have I missed something to check? Do i need a genuis bar?

Thanks!

Posted on Jun 30, 2014 5:59 AM

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Answer 1

Jun 30, 2014 6:03 AM in response to TLewes

What operating system are you running? This was posted in the OS X 10.5 forum (which very few people read).

Barry

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Answer 2

Jun 30, 2014 6:04 AM in response to TLewes

There is probably something pretty messed up on the hard drive, the operating system files, giving such erratic behavior. If you followed the instructions of the Apple on-line support techs and got to the point of erase/install, did you try a boot from the DVD/CD and then use Disk Utility to Repair Disk? That cannot hurt things. And it might just cleanup the file system glitch. If not, then the erase and install and restore of applications from the TM backup should help.

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Answer 3

TLewes Author

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Jun 30, 2014 6:05 AM in response to Barry Hemphill

I just upgraded to mavericks this month (or 6 weeks ago).

Before that I was on 10.3 or 10.5 or 10.7 - I forget . I think it was snow leopard. I dont have my mac on me right now.

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Answer 4

TLewes Author

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Jun 30, 2014 6:38 AM in response to Ralph Landry1

Used disk utility but no dvd/cd (is in different location to me/diff. house).

Disk utility verify said to erase and re-install, but second time found no problem but computer didnt restart...

worth rushed genius appt or just go ahead and delete? (or wait for disk, over a week wait!)

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Answer 5

BDAqua

Level 10

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Jun 30, 2014 9:29 AM in response to TLewes

If 10.7.0 or later...

Bootup holding CMD+r, or the Option/alt key to boot from the Restore partition & use Disk Utility from there to Repair the Disk, then Repair Permissions.

If that doesn't help Reinstall the OS.

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