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Yosemite Upgrade - iMac mid-2011 - Stuck on white progress bar screen at about 50%

I have a mid 2011 iMac. I started the upgrade to Yosemite about 4 hours ago. For the last 3 and 1/2 hours it's been "stuck" at the white progress bar screen at about 50%. I hear the harddrive occasionally do reading/writing, but it isn't doing a lot just a tiny bit. I've seen others post across the net with similar situations, but no solutions. I'm willing to wait, but would love to know if it's actually proceeding or simply in some infinite loop.


Anyone know how to tell if it's in a loop or proceeding?


Anyone have any ideas on things to try?


I really don't want to try and interrupt the upgrade, but it doesn't appear it's going to complete.


Ideas?


Thanks for any help you all can provide.


Perry

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10), Upgrade Stuck

Posted on Oct 17, 2014 10:28 AM

Reply
114 replies

Jan 31, 2015 1:11 AM in response to SATopWater

I followed the instructions you suggested, exactly as you said and the problem was solved thanks very much.


However from what i observed its almost like Yosmite is being completely installed but the computer just doesnt restart on its own you had to do it manyually. And its stuck with the 50% progress bar untill you do the restart yourself. I wonder if its cuz your computer fell asleep during update, that something like that happens or something?


My model is the 2010 macbook pro.

Feb 9, 2015 7:00 PM in response to SATopWater

Wow, I can't believe this. I was trying to open a Pages file on my iMac that I had emailed from my Macbook Air. It told me I had to upgrade my Pages app. So I tried to do that and it said in order to upgrade Pages I needed to install 10.10.1 OS X. So I did that. And my iMac crashed like all of yours. I called Apple Care and they said my disk was bad so I had to reformat my Hard Drive and lose everything. My Time Machine backup unfortunately was from like 3 years ago. I lost thousands of pictures. I was able to recover most of them (I hope) through a $120 Hard Drive recovery program I found.


Then today I tried to use Pages again. Same thing. So I think to myself no problem, I'll just upgrade to Yosemite now because I reformatted my HD so my computer is fixed now.


Now I'm going through the same thing again. I can't believe this.


It was stuck at 50% for hours and hours. I tried Command R about 5 times on boot up. Didn't work. I tried Shift about 10 times. Didn't work. It just goes to the Apple loading screen every time. I've tried clicking it and holding it and letting it go at different times. Is this the wireless keyboard problem.


Please help me!

Feb 10, 2015 9:24 AM in response to billfromcanton

Update:


I finally got the Command R to work and I turned off Wi-Fi and restarted but this didn't help. Went straight back to the 50% loading screen. I have tried the SHIFT start for Safe Mode but it never works.


I am at a loss. I have lost so many hours of my life and work trying to fix this thing, not to mention how many files I lost because Apple told me to reformat my HD.


I never thought anything like this could come from Apple.


I have no idea what to do now.

Feb 11, 2015 6:30 AM in response to billfromcanton

Billfromcanton - I don't know for certain that this helps, but it IS part of the process I've seen documented in various places on the web.


Boot into the recovery disk. Run disk utility and REPAIR PERMISSIONS on your regular drive. Then try the install again from the recovery partition. I think this helped me, but then I still got stuck and had to do the wifi dance thing noted above which DID work (from SATopWater in this thread)


You need to use command-R to get into recovery mode and access disk utility from there. This is NOT the same as safe mode.

http://www.tekrevue.com/tip/mac-startup-options/


Hope this helps!

Feb 13, 2015 9:06 AM in response to SATopWater

This solved my question by SATopWater on Oct 17, 2014 12:41 PM

I'm not recommending this to anyone, just thought I'd report on what worked for me:


- Let Yosemite upgrade sit at the white progress bar screen at 50% for 4 hours.

- Once I was nearly positive it wasn't doing anything like writing to the hard drive...

- Held power button for 10 seconds to turn computer off

- Waited about 10 seconds again

- Turned power on and held Command R (It took about 3 minutes to boot)

- Clicked on WI-Fi symbol on upper right and turned off Wi-Fi

- Selected restart from the System menu option

- Computer rebooted and finished the upgrade

I have since rebooted (twice to be sure) and run a few things and all seems fine at this point.

This worked for me too!

See the answer in context

Feb 23, 2015 6:48 PM in response to SATopWater

ok.

I have an older mac book pro. 2006-2009?

I held power key and counted to 10. Powered off. Counted to 10 than held shift key down and pushed power while still olding shift key down. 4 minutes or so later I let shift key up . Machine opened in safe mode. The machine was sluggish at best. Powered off again and waited one minute. Restarted in regular fashion with the power key only. Seems to be working well.

THANK YOUUUUUUU!!!!!!

Feb 25, 2015 4:11 AM in response to SATopWater

Hi All really hope someone can help, Bought a new to me 2011 Macbook Pro( think i am the 3rd owner), so put myself as administrator etc before doing yosomite upgrade overnight, awoke to find it had got as far as 50% install and stopped as re other posts. So i have followed the post re Command r and turn off wifi, and restart it then successfully started in yosomite, but with a completely different addministrator with password needed!! so i can only assume that it has gone back to the original owner as its not the lady i purchased it from, nor me as administrator. How the heck can i resolve this? In windows terms i would say its gone back to a previous restore point but with the new OP installed, Hoping someone can help Please

Yosemite Upgrade - iMac mid-2011 - Stuck on white progress bar screen at about 50%

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