Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Frozen on load screen

Tried to find as much information as I could before asking here:


My 2009 iMac always freezes on the startup screen. What's interesting is the mouse cursor is visible and moves around. I'm able to start in Safe Boot and that works the way you'd expect.


I tried wiping drive and installing a new copy of Yosemite, the same problem persists. However another clue appeared when the new copy finished installing and went through the setup stages... The audio navigation feature was working. And I was able to navigate the menus using the audible assistant thing.


I was still able to go through the setup stages as normal in safe boot.


No idea what's going on, I've restored as much of the computers settings to factory as possible and there doesn't seem to be any way around it.


Any suggestions?

iMac (27-inch Late 2009), OS X Yosemite (10.10.1)

Posted on Jun 19, 2015 10:20 PM

Reply
5 replies

Jun 19, 2015 10:28 PM in response to Chag136

Several things to try.



Disconnect all peripherals besides the keyboad and mouse then restart to test.


If that didn't help, reset the PRAM > OS X Yosemite: Reset your computer’s PRAM


If that doesn't help, boot into OS X Recovery and run the built in tools (Disk Utility) to verify and repair the startup disk if necessary.


Instructions > OS X Recovery

Jun 20, 2015 1:19 AM in response to andreas215

I don't think an Archive and Install would do it... Remember I've already removed everything on the drive including the OS. I can't think of anything that can still exist on there. The drive is empty, it's a fresh copy of Yosemite.


On startup the load meter foes to about a quarter of the way, the screen fades and reappears now with the meter not moving and the mouse now visible and moveable. It will stay on this screen forever.


So I'm stumped as to what it could be, something that is not removed when the OS and Drive are completely wiped clean but IS bypassed when booting in safe mode or disk utility

Jun 20, 2015 6:08 AM in response to Chag136

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

To restart an unresponsive computer, press and hold the power button for a few seconds until the power shuts off, then release, wait a few more seconds, and press it again briefly.

Step 1

The first step in dealing with a startup failure is to secure the data. If you want to preserve the contents of the startup drive, and you don't already have at least one current backup, you must try to back up now, before you do anything else. It may or may not be possible. If you don't care about the data that has changed since the last backup, you can skip this step.

There are several ways to back up a Mac that is unable to start. You need an external hard drive to hold the backup data.

a. Start up from the Recovery partition, or from a local Time Machine backup volume (option key at startup.) When the OS X Utilities screen appears, launch Disk Utility and follow the instructions in this support article, under “Instructions for backing up to an external hard disk via Disk Utility.” The article refers to starting up from a DVD, but the procedure in Recovery mode is the same. You don't need a DVD if you're running OS X 10.7 or later.

b. If Step 1a fails because of disk errors, and no other Mac is available, then you may be able to salvage some of your files by copying them in the Finder. If you already have an external drive with OS X installed, start up from it. Otherwise, if you have Internet access, follow the instructions on this page to prepare the external drive and install OS X on it. You'll use the Recovery installer, rather than downloading it from the App Store.

c. If you have access to a working Mac, and both it and the non-working Mac have FireWire or Thunderbolt ports, start 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.

d. 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

If the startup process stops at a plain gray screen with a movable cursor, then the login dialog may be active but not visible because of a bug. You might be able to log in by using the arrow keys or the cursor to select the password field and typing your password as usual.

Step 3

If Step 2 fails, the startup volume may be full. If you had previously seen warnings of low disk space, this is almost certainly the case. You might be able to start up in safe mode even though you can't start up normally. Otherwise, start up from an external drive, or else use the technique in Step 1b, 1c, or 1d to mount the internal drive and delete some files. According to Apple documentation, you need at least 9 GB of available space on the startup volume (as shown in the Finder Info window) for normal operation.

Step 4

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

Step 5

If a desktop Mac hangs at a plain gray screen with a movable cursor, the keyboard may not be recognized. Press and hold the button on the side of an Apple wireless keyboard to make it discoverable. If need be, replace or recharge the batteries. If you're using a USB keyboard connected to a hub, connect it to a built-in port.

Step 6

If there's a built-in optical drive, a disc may be stuck in it. Follow these instructions to eject it.

Step 7

Press and hold the power button until the power shuts off. Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed to start up, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. Use a different keyboard and/or mouse, if those devices are wired. If you can start up 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.

Step 8

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

Start up in safe mode. Note: If FileVault is enabled in OS X 10.9 or earlier, or if a firmware password is set, or if the startup volume is a software RAID, you can’t do this. Post for further instructions.

Safe mode is much slower to start 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 the login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.

When you start up in safe mode, it's normal to see a progress bar. 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, the startup volume is corrupt and the drive is probably malfunctioning. In that case, go to Step 11. If you ever have another problem with the drive, replace it immediately.

If you can start and log in in safe mode, empty the Trash, and then open the Finder Info window on the startup 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 restart as usual (i.e., not in safe mode.)

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

Step 9

Launch Disk Utility in Recovery mode (see Step 1.) Select the 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 restart as usual.

Step 10

If the startup device is an aftermarket SSD, it may need a firmware update and/or a forced "garbage collection." Instructions for doing this with a Crucial-branded SSD were posted here. Some of those instructions may apply to other brands of SSD, but you should check with the vendor's tech support.

Step 11

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

Step 12

Do as in Step 11, but this time erase the startup volume in Disk Utility before installing. The system should automatically restart into the Setup Assistant. Follow the prompts to transfer the data from a Time Machine or other backup.

Step 13

This step applies only to models that have a logic-board ("PRAM") battery: all Mac Pro's and some others (not current models.) Both desktop and portable Macs used to have such a battery. The logic-board battery, if there is one, is separate from the main battery of a portable. A dead logic-board battery can cause a startup failure. Typically the failure will be preceded by loss of the settings for the startup disk and system clock. See the user manual for replacement instructions. You may have to take the machine to a service provider to have the battery replaced.

Step 14

If you get this far, you're probably dealing with a hardware fault. Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store, or go to another authorized service provider.

Frozen on load screen

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.