Mac Pro 2008 No Startup Manager Access/Gray Screen at Boot

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Level 1

1 points

Mac Pro 2008 No Startup Manager Access/Gray Screen at Boot

I am in a predicament and hoping a Mac Ninja can give a hand.

Had a RAM problem (no longer recognized a pair of memory modules in a 2008 Mac Pro, El Capitan), and among the troubleshooting steps I had did a PRAM reset (press/hold ALT+CMD+P+R during boot) just to see if that would fix. Unfortunately the Mac wouldn't boot past a blank gray screen with a flashing folder/question mark icon. Never returned me to login.

I had read that with the PRAM reset the startup disc, among other things, may need to be reset afterwards and this seems to be the case. Looked up that solution and have diligently held the Option key during startup. This time no folder icon, instead a responsive mouse cursor, but nothing else. Just blank gray screen, no Startup Manager to select the appropriate boot drive.

I have also tried the following...

Booting to Diagnostic Mode... Gray screen.
Restore/Recover... Gray screen.
Resetting SMC... Gray screen.
Entering Safe Mode... Gray screen.

OS (and apps) on a PCI flash card. All the files are on hard drives in the 4 bays, along with a leftover flash drive wired to a spare SATA port (used as a PS scratch). So I can't really swap, but I wonder if I pull all the drives would it force a search for another source?

I am creating an El Capitan boot USB (currently copying with createinstallmedia), but don't expect it will offer anything different as its use is predicated on accessing the Startup Manager at boot... which I can't do. There are graphics onscreen (missing folder icon, moveable mouse cursor) so can't imagine a video issue.

Looking forward to input here.

Mac Pro

Posted on Feb 17, 2016 11:35 AM

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Answer 1

Mitchyj Author

Level 1

1 points

Feb 17, 2016 11:57 AM in response to Mitchyj

Success!

I created an OS X bootable USB installer using createinstallmedia and these instructions. After some messing around with the Terminal syntax the USB was ready to go. My concern, however, was that the instructions for using it required selecting the drive from the Startup Manager... which I haven't been able to access.

With the USB stick plugged in I started turned on the Mac while holding down the OPT key and this time the selection screen popped up showing just the USB for installing El Capitan. Got that going and rather than proceeding with the install I chose Startup Manager from the installation menu bar, picked my normal OS drive, and rebooted. Back in business, no issues.

That aside, while I understood that resetting PRAM would require also reselecting the startup disc, I haven't a hot clue why the Startup Manager - nor any other diagnostic utility - didn't appear. If anyone could shed some light here would be appreciated.

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Answer 2

Feb 17, 2016 12:46 PM in response to Mitchyj

diligently held the Option key during startup. This time no folder icon, instead a responsive mouse cursor, but nothing else. Just blank gray screen, no Startup Manager to select the appropriate boot drive.

You DID get the gray Startup Manager screen. But since there were no potentially-bootable volumes, none were drawn.

Perhaps it would be better if there were a better indication that you did indeed get to the Startup Manager screen, instead of a 'lack of any other symbols' means you got the Startup Manager screen.

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Answer 3

Feb 17, 2016 12:48 PM in response to Mitchyj

I haven't a hot clue why the Startup Manager - nor any other diagnostic utility - didn't appear.

It did.

But with no potentially-bootable Volumes, you got no Icons on that screen.

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Answer 4

Mitchyj Author

Level 1

1 points

Feb 17, 2016 2:03 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Agreed - indicators would be welcome. Afterwards I figured this was the case. The OS is on a PCI flash drive which I guess is not among the list of potential drives that are searched at startup. Yet it did show when going into the Startup Manager via the El Capitan boot drive. Why would it show in one form of the utility and not the other? Also, why is it that I was seemingly unable to access the Recover nor Diagnostic utilities nor Safe Mode with keyboard shortcuts at boot?

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Answer 5

lllaass

Level 10

210,405 points

Feb 17, 2016 2:20 PM in response to Mitchyj

What PCle drive/card?

OWC states the following for their Accelsior

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/SSDPHWE2R480/

card

2006-2008 Mac Pro (with model ID MacPro1,1; MacPro2,1; MacPro3,1). Due to an Apple limitation, any volume located on a Mercury Accelsior_E2 SSD will not appear in the "option boot" menu. A volume installed on an Accelsior_E2 can be set as the Mac Pro's boot volume through the "Startup Disk" pane in System Preferences.

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Answer 6

Mitchyj Author

Level 1

1 points

Feb 17, 2016 2:32 PM in response to lllaass

Brilliant - thanks. Mystery solved. It is, in fact, an OWC Excelsior. That said, as helpful as they tried to be this was never offered as a reason. I'll have to advise them.

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