*PLEASE HELP* Spinning beachball keeps coming up…

NewbMacUser wrote:

Could someone please list for me each step I need to follow to complete this quickly?

Time for you to slow down before you make this worse.

Stage 1 will be to make a complete backup (clone or TM) post back when you have done that, you can't start until you do.

• OS X Mavericks: Reinstall OS X - Apple Support

  
  

  support.apple.com › Apple Inc.

  
  

  Use the built-in recovery disk to reinstall OS X while keeping your files and ...

  to Mavericks OS X from Mavericks OS X Server? thanx OS X Mavericks (10.9.2) I ...

• OS X Mavericks: Erase and reinstall OS X - Apple Support

  
  

  support.apple.com › Apple Inc.

  
  

  Erase your Mac, then reinstall OS X using the built-in recovery disk. Before ...

  I have OS X , Version 10.9 and my templates are Pages '09 version 4.3. I looked in ...

• OS X Mavericks: Recover your entire system - Apple Support

  
  

  support.apple.com › Apple Inc.

  
  

  If you've used Time Machine to back up your Mac, you can recover your system's

  contents if your system or startup ... Topics for the OS X Mavericks 10.9 Troubles-

  hooting Exam (9L0-065) ... Explain the OS X Mavericks installation processes.

  {These three articles from support should be sufficient guides to use a backup

  to restore your user account info and files, since you should be able to restore

  them by use of Time Machine, without any damages the old system may have

  had, so issues in the old system would be gone if you erase and install OS X

  from Recovery; the details are rather lengthy and sometimes defer to other links

  or pages. Sorry that nobody so far has re-assessed these interrated problems or

  offered a synopsis of the likely path in a single post; that over-view lacking, the

  three Support topics should sufficice to Erase, Install and use Time Machine in

  the process of Migration. Most of the sub-topics are searchable in OS X support.}

  Though I'd asked elsewhere for someone to look in and assist, perhaps they were

  too busy with other pressing concerns on and off-line...

  By having a complete bootable clone of the entire computer content (your files &

  the system) the content could be used in conjunction; but most of this requires

  a learning curve before a problem exists, to make the clone on suitable hardware

  and also learn how to use it to troubleshoot issues, and boot the Mac from it; as

  this can save considerable headache. And trying to figure out a path after failure

  of a system without any help to resolve these tediuous problems.

  If there is an Apple Store with Genius bar, you could contact them to ask about

  setting an Appointment with a specialist who could help you use the Time machine

  backup, and any system software outside the computer. They may, or may not be

  able to personally help you to the extent required to alleviate your concerns.

  An all new installation, erasing the computer, but remembering all the correct

  account and passwords for your Backup copy, so you can access the User

  account when it is migrated into the new OS X, are just so many more details.

  This may be, of the three links above, most helpful:

  •OS X Mavericks: Recover your entire system

  There was time I could probably have written a booklet on how to do this stuff;

  however you may need to invest in a published book such as The Missing Manual:
  Mavericks Edition to have an in-print guide that does not rely on the internet...

  Good luck in this matter! 😐

  edited 2x -- in attempt to fix format text errors

Here's another link to some fair ideas, they may or may not be in

context to be helpful at whatever steps of a process you may be:

•Apple OS X and Time Machine Tips:

http://pondini.org/OSX/Home.html

The above post had issues (as I see it, or maybe an issue exists

in the ASC site in rendering what I see here?) so I had to post

this as a separate item; and tried to fix errors in the earlier one.

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

Other than the forward-thinking of being able to revert (go back) by having a copy/clone

of the complete content of the computer, before attempting to change it, as mentioned

a few times (to external drive unit capable of running a computer from the clone) there

really isn't much else to say...

There always is a chance things can work out OK, but prevention is something you get

ready for, to fall back on, when or if the main event doesn't happen as planned...

To Hope for the Best, and Plan for the Worst, has been a time proven suggestion.

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

If you already have a bootable USB key that someone created, then it could be used

instead of the download from Apple server of Mavericks. The process to Create a Key

is detailed and requires the use of Command-line or Terminal, so is not for novice use.

Information in general terms about that, is given in overview in this Support article:

•Creating a bootable OS X installer in OS X Mavericks

There is little chance of getting a virus from the Apple download servers when you get

the Mavericks download, they have secure internet access. However to not take excess

hours of time, you should use an Ethernet cable instead of wi-fi, because it's much Faster

to get downloads by wire. The Network control panel allows fairly adequate setup of the

internet to Ethernet, from AirPort. Then Ethernet cable is much faster and more reliable.

So are the end results. With an all-new installation, even if you migrate your user acct

from the backup, should not be the cause of the 'spinning color wheel' to return.

Here is some more helpful information about Installer:

•OS X Mavericks: Installer Help

There are a few topics here, some may be directly applicable and others perhaps not.

Other items that may be helpful to know, in these articles about:

•Isolating issues in Mac OS X - helps in troubleshooting, etc.

•Using Apple Diagnostics - this also covers using recovery, etc.

Hopefully you can be confident even if some difficulties occur in your initial attempt.

Sorry to not see your post until later, the time here is about 11PM...

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

Hard to say the approximate time required for the Mavericks OS X 10.9.5 to download

and what else it may require while online to be a complete volume; that it may also

look for other bits to update or finish the process may add unknown time to the total.

Since your internet portal has a limited ceiling, shared across all means of access, to

be using it much during the download duration while Mavericks is attempting to also

download, may slow your local network access and add time to the total process...

And the idea to use Ethernet cable instead of wi-fi, should help by a notable degree

since it is faster than wireless. To be on-hand while the Mavericks installation is

supposed to be happening, may be convenient just in case there may be a glitch or

some interruption in the internet download process.

Not sure what you may glean from reading other materials with the PC while the Mac

is getting a re-install of a system, some of the Support materials can be helpful if they

are applicable in the correct time sequence to their intended purpose. The Apple

Diagnostics page covers a few things that could be done while access it via internet.

Note the reference to using Safari while viewing part of the topic in there. However it

does not hurt to read things if their context is accurately assessed for later usefulness.

Keep in mind the total combined use of your internet will affect the time a download of

an operating system file will take to occur; since the upgrade or replacement OS X from

the Apple server can take some time. And the stated download or upload specs from the

IP may not be real-world numbers. -- I know my internet service provider's are optimistic.

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂