A G4 desktop Will Only Safe Boot

Hey, so the place I'm working has a G4 PowerPC, updated to the latest version of OS 10.4, but will not boot up normally. It will only boot in safe mode. I ran disk utilities, it repaired some disk permissions but it said the disk didn't need to be repaired. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Thanks for the suggestions. I don't know exactly which G4 it is, since it is day one at the new gig (great timing, right?). Anyways, I tried your advice of using single user mode, and it was unable to find a problem. So then I booted in single user mode, and it stopped locked up with the last lines being:
Localhost ajad[57]: ajad - Copyright 2005-2008 AJA Video Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.\n
Macintosh-1 ajad[57] - device found. . .\n
Macintosh-1 ajad[57]: ajad initializeDevice\n
I talked with the other the other intern, sounds like they haven't really used it since they installed a new video card (which I am guessing, the CPU is looking for the old one and can't find it). However, since I ran that mode, now the CPU won't safe boot. We don't have access to the startup discs, were going to borrow some but can't until tomorrow. I of course didn't bring anything large enough for me to make a bootable drive out of.
Please let me know if anything else comes to mind.

Similar Messages

IMac will only safe boot (blue screen when not safe booting).

A buddy asked me to help with his Intel based iMac. It was giving a blue screen when trying to boot up (and an odd cursor along with the blue screen). The cursor moves around the blue screen but looks like two cursors. One cursor is a normal arrow pointer, the second is a rectangle about .25 inch wide and 1 inch tall made up of about 10 horizontal lines.
I'm very familiar with Macs and OS X and was sure it was probably a messed up preference file (most likely login preference). It wasn't.
Here's the odd circumstances:
I have an intel macbook that if I use firewire target disk mode I can boot just fine off his iMac.
His computer will not boot off my Macbook that is in firewire target disk mode.
We cloned his hard drive to an external firewire hard drive (using Carbon Copy Cloner), my Macbook boots off it just fine, his iMac will not.
He's been wanting to go to Leopard so we upgraded his computer (did basic upgrade), but it still blue screened (with odd cursor).
Then we did an erase and install. Still no difference in behavior.
I would almost be convinced that it's a hardware failure, but it will safe boot every time.
Here's what happened when it died. His son was playing a Star Wars game (I'm not sure which one). The kid was in the middle of the game and paused it when it was time for dinner. When the kid went back to play, the computer was frozen. They tried everything to unfreeze it and ended up powering it down. Started the blue screen ever since.
He's going to contact Apple (it's barely still under it's warranty) but I was hoping someone here has another idea what it could be.

I found this topic while trying to find an answer to my problem. It seems we have a similar thing going on with our imacs (although mine is a much older crt imac). I'll copy and paste my original post from the imac board :
Hi
I received a free imac snow (G3 500mhz) from someone. He told me it was broke, and someone told him the logic board needed to be replaced.
I brought it home and tried to start it up. It gave the '?' folder icon. I started up from an OS 9.1 cd - Success! Except there was no HD. I opened it up and discovered that the HD wasn't connect to the ATA cable. I was able to start up to a previously installed Tiger. Except once it booted it would quickly freeze - the mouse pointer would turn into a scrambled beach ball (very strange) and wouldn't move.
I did some research and found about the potential problem with OS X and the imac's firmware. I restarted from the 9.1 CD and installed that OS. Everything seemed fine and was running ok (from my limited time on it). I then DL'd the latest firmware for the imac (4.1.9.) and tried to run it. Except the message came up that the latest firmware had already been installed. So i guess thats a good thing. I don't have to worry about firmware being a problem.
So i did a zero out wipe on the HD and installed tiger from the dvd. But on the first restart after installation (where i should go to the set up assistant) I get the scrambled beach ball and it freezes.
I thought perhaps the HD is faulty and ran disk utility on it - it came back as fine. I doubled checked to make sure it was set to 'master'. it sure was. I decided to swap out the HD anyways since i can't see what else could be the problem and put in a different 30gb IDE drive. I once again zeroed out the drive and did a fresh install of tiger. On restart i get the same scrambled beach ball and the freeze.
I guess i should describe the scrambled beach ball. It's seems like the beach ball icon, except the bits that make it up are out of order and glitched out.. perhaps a video problem?
Could this really be a logic board problem? It was working in OS 9.1 fine. It starts up from system CDs and DVDs fine. Wouldn't a logic board exhibit the same problems on those systems?
Anyone have any idea?
Update - starting in Safe mode (restart with shift held down) works, and i was able to update to the latest version of Tiger, but once i restart with the full system i get the same problem.
This seems to me that it ISN'T a logic board problem, but more of a system software problem. Now my question is how do i isolate and fix the problem in Tiger?
I guess i'll post this question in the Tiger forum, but if anyone has any ideas please let me know.
Thanks

What does this log mean? Fresh os install still can only safe boot

*My head is about to explode.*
*Last night, I pulled my old hard drive. put in new one and did fresh install.*
*Ever confident that this would magically fix my computer.*
*I can still only boot in safe mode.*
*I ran AHT. everything passed. I have reseted every thing and reset logic board. yes only one push of the magic button*
*below is a system log from before I put in new drive.*
*however, after new drive and fresh install and still can't boot I check sytem log and still get same message:*
*Cannot use ATS Persistent Store - switching to old FODB cache code*
*Is this my underlying problem?*
*What does it mean?*
*When I try to boot up normally, I get to grey screen , spinning wheel, then wheel turns pixelly and fuzzy with random colors juist where the wheel is and the grey screen with apple logo fuzzy then black.*
*Any words of wisdom will save my sanity.*
Feb 11 16:10:32 sherrydesktop shutdown: reboot by louislevy:
Feb 11 16:10:32 sherrydesktop SystemStarter748: authentication service (757) did not complete successfully
Feb 11 16:10:33 sherrydesktop SystemStarter748: The following StartupItems failed to properly start:
Feb 11 16:10:33 sherrydesktop SystemStarter748: /System/Library/StartupItems/AuthServer
Feb 11 16:10:33 sherrydesktop SystemStarter748: - execution of Startup script failed
Feb 11 16:14:42 localhost kernel[0]: standard timeslicing quantum is 10000 us
Feb 11 16:14:41 localhost memberd72: memberd starting up
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: vmpagebootstrap: 1141505 free pages
Feb 11 16:14:41 localhost mDNSResponder-108.6 (Jul 19 2007 11: 33:32)65: starting
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: migtable_maxdispl = 70
Feb 11 16:14:42 localhost lookupd76: lookupd (version 369.5) starting - Mon Feb 11 16:14:42 2008
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: Copyright (c) 1982, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: using 8192 buffer headers and 4096 cluster IO buffer headers
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: DART enabled
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: FireWire (OHCI) Apple ID 42 built-in now active, GUID 001124ff fe382290; max speed s800.
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: Security auditing service present
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: BSM auditing present
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: disabled
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: rooting via boot-uuid from /chosen: 334016DB-E0CA-3E86-8A4D-47576141AB26
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: Waiting on <dict ID="0"><key>IOProviderClass</key><string ID="1">IOResources</string><key>IOResourceMatch</key><string ID="2">boot-uuid-media</string></dict>
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: Got boot device = IOService:/MacRISC4PE/ht@0,f2000000/AppleMacRiscHT/pci@7/IOPCI2PCIBridge/k2-sat a-root@C/AppleK2SATARoot/k2-sata@0/AppleK2SATA/ATADeviceNub@0/IOATABlockStorageD river/IOATABlockStorageDevice/IOBlockStorageDriver/WDC WD2500JD-41HBC0 Media/IOApplePartitionScheme/Untitled@3
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: BSD root: disk0s3, major 14, minor 2
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: Jettisoning kernel linker.
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: Resetting IOCatalogue.
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: Matching service count = 0
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: Matching service count = 6
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: Matching service count = 6
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: Matching service count = 6
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: Matching service count = 6
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: Matching service count = 6
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: IOPlatformControl::registerDriver Control Driver AppleSlewClock did not supply target-value, using default
Feb 11 16:14:43 localhost kernel[0]: IPv6 packet filtering initialized, default to accept, logging disabled
Feb 11 16:14:44 localhost diskarbitrationd71: disk0s3 hfs 334016DB-E0CA-3E86-8A4D-47576141AB26 Macintosh HD desktop /
Feb 11 16:14:44 localhost DirectoryService81: Launched version 2.1 (v353.6)
Feb 11 16:14:45 localhost kernel[0]: UniNEnet: Ethernet address 00:11:24:38:22:90
Feb 11 16:14:45 localhost launchd: Server 0 in bootstrap 1103 uid 0: "/usr/sbin/lookupd"76: exited abnormally: Hangup
Feb 11 16:14:45 localhost lookupd90: lookupd (version 369.5) starting - Mon Feb 11 16:14:45 2008
Feb 11 16:14:48 localhost mDNSResponder: Adding browse domain local.
Feb 11 16:14:48 localhost kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 1000 Mbps - Full Duplex
Feb 11 16:14:48 localhost configd69: AppleTalk startup
Feb 11 16:14:48 sherrydesktop configd69: setting hostname to "sherrydesktop.local"
Feb 11 16:14:51 sherrydesktop kernel[0]: ATY,ChockStone_A: vram a0000000:10000000
Feb 11 16:14:51 sherrydesktop kernel[0]: ATY,ChockStone_B: vram a0000000:10000000
Feb 11 16:14:51 sherrydesktop configd69: executing /System/Library/SystemConfiguration/Kicker.bundle/Contents/Resources/enable-net work
Feb 11 16:14:51 sherrydesktop configd69: posting notification com.apple.system.config.network_change
Feb 11 16:14:51 sherrydesktop lookupd95: lookupd (version 369.5) starting - Mon Feb 11 16:14:51 2008
Feb 11 16:14:53 sherrydesktop configd69: target=enable-network: disabled
Feb 11 16:14:54 sherrydesktop configd69: AppleTalk startup complete
Feb 11 16:20:47 localhost kernel[0]: standard timeslicing quantum is 10000 us
Feb 11 16:20:44 localhost memberd57: memberd starting up
Feb 11 16:20:47 localhost kernel[0]: vmpagebootstrap: 1138664 free pages
Feb 11 16:20:44 localhost mDNSResponder-108.6 (Jul 19 2007 11: 33:32)50: starting
Feb 11 16:20:47 localhost kernel[0]: migtable_maxdispl = 70
Feb 11 16:20:46 localhost lookupd64: lookupd (version 369.5) starting - Mon Feb 11 16:20:46 2008
Feb 11 16:20:47 localhost kernel[0]: Copyright (c) 1982, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993
Feb 11 16:20:47 localhost kernel[0]: The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Feb 11 16:20:47 localhost kernel[0]: using 8192 buffer headers and 4096 cluster IO buffer headers
Feb 11 16:20:47 localhost kernel[0]: DART enabled
Feb 11 16:20:47 localhost kernel[0]: FireWire (OHCI) Apple ID 42 built-in now active, GUID 001124ff fe382290; max speed s800.
Feb 11 16:20:47 localhost kernel[0]: Security auditing service present
Feb 11 16:20:47 localhost kernel[0]: BSM auditing present
Feb 11 16:20:47 localhost kernel[0]: disabled
Feb 11 16:20:47 localhost kernel[0]: rooting via boot-uuid from /chosen: 334016DB-E0CA-3E86-8A4D-47576141AB26
Feb 11 16:20:47 localhost kernel[0]: Waiting on <dict ID="0"><key>IOProviderClass</key><string ID="1">IOResources</string><key>IOResourceMatch</key><string ID="2">boot-uuid-media</string></dict>
Feb 11 16:20:47 localhost kernel[0]: Got boot device = IOService:/MacRISC4PE/ht@0,f2000000/AppleMacRiscHT/pci@7/IOPCI2PCIBridge/k2-sat a-root@C/AppleK2SATARoot/k2-sata@0/AppleK2SATA/ATADeviceNub@0/IOATABlockStorageD river/IOATABlockStorageDevice/IOBlockStorageDriver/WDC WD2500JD-41HBC0 Media/IOApplePartitionScheme/Untitled@3
Feb 11 16:20:47 localhost kernel[0]: BSD root: disk0s3, major 14, minor 2
Feb 11 16:20:47 localhost kernel[0]: HFS: Removed 3 orphaned unlinked files
Feb 11 16:20:47 localhost kernel[0]: Jettisoning kernel linker.
Feb 11 16:20:47 localhost kernel[0]: Resetting IOCatalogue.
Feb 11 16:20:47 localhost kernel[0]: Matching service count = 0
Feb 11 16:20:47 localhost kernel[0]: IOPlatformControl::registerDriver Control Driver AppleSlewClock did not supply target-value, using default
Feb 11 16:20:47 localhost kernel[0]: IPv6 packet filtering initialized, default to accept, logging disabled
Feb 11 16:20:48 localhost diskarbitrationd56: disk0s3 hfs 334016DB-E0CA-3E86-8A4D-47576141AB26 Macintosh HD desktop /
Feb 11 16:20:49 localhost DirectoryService65: Launched version 2.1 (v353.6)
Feb 11 16:20:50 localhost kernel[0]: UniNEnet: Ethernet address 00:11:24:38:22:90
Feb 11 16:20:52 localhost mDNSResponder: mDNSPlatformSendUDP sendto failed to send packet on InterfaceID 01808800 lo0/4 to 224.0.0.251:5353 skt 9 error -1 errno 65 (No route to host) 306010061
Feb 11 16:20:52 localhost mDNSResponder: mDNSPlatformSendUDP sendto failed to send packet on InterfaceID 01808800 lo0/4 to 224.0.0.251:5353 skt 9 error -1 errno 65 (No route to host) 306010061
Feb 11 16:20:53 localhost mDNSResponder: mDNSPlatformSendUDP sendto failed to send packet on InterfaceID 01808800 lo0/4 to 224.0.0.251:5353 skt 9 error -1 errno 65 (No route to host) 306010311
Feb 11 16:20:53 localhost kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 1000 Mbps - Full Duplex
Feb 11 16:20:53 localhost configd54: AppleTalk startup
Feb 11 16:20:53 sherrydesktop configd54: setting hostname to "sherrydesktop.local"
Feb 11 16:20:55 sherrydesktop kernel[0]: ATY,ChockStone_A: vram a0000000:10000000
Feb 11 16:20:55 sherrydesktop configd54: executing /System/Library/SystemConfiguration/Kicker.bundle/Contents/Resources/enable-net work
Feb 11 16:20:55 sherrydesktop kernel[0]: ATY,ChockStone_B: vram a0000000:10000000
Feb 11 16:20:55 sherrydesktop configd54: posting notification com.apple.system.config.network_change
Feb 11 16:20:55 sherrydesktop lookupd75: lookupd (version 369.5) starting - Mon Feb 11 16:20:55 2008
Feb 11 16:20:58 sherrydesktop mDNSResponder: Adding browse domain local.
Feb 11 16:20:59 sherrydesktop /System/Library/CoreServices/loginwindow.app/Contents/MacOS/loginwindow: Login Window Application Started
Feb 11 16:21:00 sherrydesktop configd54: AppleTalk startup complete
Feb 11 16:21:00 sherrydesktop configd54: target=enable-network: disabled
Feb 11 16:21:04 sherrydesktop loginwindow113: Login Window Started Security Agent
Feb 11 16:21:17 sherrydesktop /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Frameworks/ATS.framewo rk/Support/ATSServer: (-3230) Cannot use ATS Persistent Store - switching to old FODB cache code

thank you thank you for taking an interest. this is so frustrating.
i only have apple keyboard, mighty mouse, and 20 inch cinema display connected. this morning took out memory and tried to boot up with individual pairs in the first bank. first the (2)256, the (2) 1g, and then the other (2) 1g modules. everytime I get the weird fuzzy wheel under the logo after a while, black screen flashes, then grey apple logo fuzzy screen then black forever.
I ran tiger updates this morn. still will only boot to safe mode. then tried to run leopard disk to install it
will not boot from leopard disk.
tried safe boot, then doulble click install leopard, restart, then the saga repeats with the pixely red square around the wheel.
these are fresh drives with only what came on instll disk loaded.
thanks again for taking an interest.
i love this system(well at least i did). I want to install leopard on my powerbook too but am terrified to do so right now since it is working and I have work to do. Can't afford to have no computer to do my work on...self employment is great?!
This is making me crazy. I anxiously await your words of wisdom.

10.5.5 Installation - hangs at desktop background image - Safe Boot?

Used the updater to install 10.5.5. A number of additional updates came down and all seemed to install fine. The 10.5.5 update did not install and provided an error. I tried again and on restart the system hangs at the desktop image. It gets past the grey apple screen and loads the desktop image. A small mouse arrow pointer comes up that I can move around but that is far as it goes. This is an iMac 24" with 4GB RAM.
Is there an option where I can "Safe Boot" and roll back the attempted installation? I have a time machine disk that I will unplug - but how can I recover from that if there is no "safe boot" option?

I've spent a lot of time digging around in the guts of OS X, Tiger and Leopard both. There is no magic
going on in there. If the right files are present and working and the caches and boot files are
functional, the OS works, if not you have problems or the OS quits working.
+"Apple tells us those messages are accurate but can be ignored. What makes you think their+
+absence is a sign that the updates have been properly registered with the database that keeps+
+track of such things?"+
Definition: SUID (set user ID):
The SUID permission causes a script to run as the user who is the owner of the script, rather than the user who started it. What the SUID warning message is saying is that according to the install
database, the information the database has about that file (file size, modification date, checksum,
etc.) is different from the actual state of the file as it now exists on your hard drive. Because a
"SetUID root" (in other words, an executable file whose owner is "root" (aka system) and who has
its SetUID bit set) executable file has the power to run as root right as you launch it, you need to
be very careful about setting the permissions on files so that you create SetUID root executables
willy nilly. The warning means that because the executable is different from what Disk Utility
expected, it's not going to try to verify or repair the permissions on that file.
How did it get that way? A glitch in the install program and/or a file was locked and didn't get
updated properly during the update process.
+"Apple tells us those messages are accurate but can be ignored. What makes you think their absence is a sign that the updates have been properly registered with the database that keeps track of such things?"+
Well just for grins, I opened up a 10.5.5 combo update, the /library/receipts/db/a.receiptdb file
and compared the following files mentioned in this typical DU permissions repair warning:
Warning: SUID file "usr/libexec/load_hdi" has been modified and will not be repaired.
Warning: SUID file "System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/DiskManagement.framework/Versions/A/Resources /DiskManagementTool" has been modified and will not be repaired.
Warning: SUID file "System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/DesktopServicesPriv.framework/Versions/A/Reso urces/Locum" has been modified and will not be repaired.
Warning: SUID file "System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Install.framework/Versions/A/Resources/runner " has been modified and will not be repaired.
Warning: SUID file "System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Admin.framework/Versions/A/Resources/readconf ig" has been modified and will not be repaired.
Warning: SUID file "System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Admin.framework/Versions/A/Resources/writecon fig" has been modified and will not be repaired.
Warning: SUID file "usr/libexec/authopen" has been modified and will not be repaired.
Warning: SUID file "System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/Resources/OwnerGroupTool" has been modified and will not be repaired.
Warning: SUID file "System/Library/CoreServices/RemoteManagement/ARDAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/ARDAg ent" has been modified and will not be repaired.
Using Pacifist, I compared the permissions in the 10.5.5 combo receipt database file and 10.5.5
combo update package against the actual files on the hard drive.They were all indeed identical.
I extracted the files to the desktop from the combo update, loaded them into hex fiend, loaded
the matching files from my hard drive into hex fiend and compared them. They were identical
in size byte for byte and in data with the 10.5.5 combo update.
I will continue to use my method, for I found that none of the discrepancies that you claimed
may exist did not in fact exist.
Kj

Methodical debuggiung when only Safe Boot works ?

If I do a normal boot I get the eternal blue screen.
I've Safe Booted many times and run "repair disk" as well as running "repair disk permissions" from the install CD.
I've removed all startup items from the account preferences.
The disk has about 7 GB free out of ~250.
I'd appreciate any suggestions for how to methodically go through and try to find the offending software or determine if it might be a HW issue ? The iMac went in for a new motherboard about 18 months ago to take care of the bootleg capacitor problem and I assume I don't have new bootleg capacitors
Is there anything equivalent to the "remove half the extensions and try booting, then try removing the other half ..." to home in on the problem ?
Thanks, as usual.
-Sven

Point taken,
We just got rid of a bunch so now we only have 7
The problem machine is:
Machine Name: iMac G5
Machine Model:Power Mac8,2
CPU Type: PowerPC G5 (3.1)
Number Of CPUs: 1
CPU Speed: 2 GHz
L2 Cache (per CPU): 512 KB
Memory: 2 GB
Bus Speed: 667 MHz
Boot ROM Version: 5.2.5f1
System Version: Mac OS X 10.4.11 (8S165)
Kernel Version: Darwin 8.11.0
I ran Cache Cleaner and did a deep clean on all the caches. I uninstalled Application Enhancer. I ran Hardware Test from the install disk, but only once since it isn't an intermittent problem. I've unplugged all peripherals.
Starts fine in Safe Mode but I can't start in Single User Mode (keyboard is DOA, both bluetooth and wired). Tried booting in verbose mode to see how far it gets but it zips by too fast and clears the screen to blue.
I bet it is a damaged prefs file or extension (as in stored in the extensions folder) but so far I haven't found any app that will look for damaged prefs. I'm assuming that I can't use ResEdit to localize and repair the damaged prefs ?
Now this poor machine has been in safe mode for 5 days and that is too long
Thanks for the suggestions, I'll see if I can free up more disk space too.
-Sven

Can only Safe Boot

I seem to be in a world of trouble right now.
It all started simply enough. I had Parallels running when I had to do something. When I got back my iMac was asleep, no biggy. I simple woke it up but when I did everything was frozen. So I waited for a few minutes... still nothing so I turned it off using the power button.
Turn it back on, the usual grey screen with the Apple on it. Followed by the grey screen without the apple, then a blue one, then yet another grey screen... and then that is it. Tried restarting again but ended up with the same sequence with just a grey screen and cursor by the end yet again. Kept trying and sometimes the screen will even dim into the black screen of death telling me to restart but nothing more.
So I tried booting from my OS X Install Disc... nothing, I get the same grey screen. I can't even boot a Mac disc. Tried a Linux disc and it worked. No such luck with anything OS X related even from a disc right now. Did a hardware test using my OS X Tiger disc by holding down the key and it said everything is fine.
Pretty worried by this stage I then try doing a Safe Boot... it works! So the next step is to do a normal reboot... But then I get the same sequence as before. I can only seem to Safe Boot. Safe Boot even allows me to boot Mac install discs. So I used Disk Utility, it said my hard drive was fine. There were a lot of permission issues but it fixed most of them. But I still can't boot unless I use Safe Boot.
Since I can't even boot from the Mac Install disc without using Safe Boot I'm guessing a re-install would be pointless at this stage.
So here I am using Safe Boot, can anyone please help me?

Hi C, sorry to take long to be back.
So we have:
Power up leads to a normal boot process until the launchd calls the login window.
Safe boot is successful but the system restart from here is not.
From this point the next one is to reset PRAM and NVRAM as stated in http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2570.
To perform this reset use these guide http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379 and return to steps in the first one.
After this reset If normal boot still don't work is time to insert Install DVD and use Disk Utility.
It would be useful to use the verbose boot on any attempt by holding COMMAND+V in addiction to any other key combination and read the screen printed messages so you can maybe see any warning that could be an evidence to the problem origin.
BEFORE any of these recover steps you should disconnect all cables, wait a minute or so and connect only the essential for use, that would be the power cable.
The first troubleshooting guide has a long list of procedures to perform in sequence that if not lead to a successful boot will advice you to backup your data (safe boot, connect usb/firewire external disk, copy data) and drive your Mac to Apple Service. Use this guide and take detailed note of what happens and bring it here so we can have more data to work with.
Good luck.

Kernel trap prevents normal reboot, can only safe boot

Hi,
I was trying to connect my mid 2012 MacBook Air 13" with Mavericks 10.9.5 to a projector that I previously succesfully connected.   In the meantime I mistakenly clicked to connect to an unknown AirPlay device, thinking it was perhaps the projector. As I was not able to connect to the projector, I wanted to reboot the computer but it never did. It can safe boot and I obtained a kernel trap log file. I tried disk utility to repair permissions, everything seems ok, but still cannot boot normally. If anyone can help me identify what may be causing the problem, I'd be awaiting your suggestions. Thanks in advance!
Log file:
Anonymous UUID:       1CB63A57-1FEB-FC11-B2EE-885207CD9B7E
Thu Sep 25 22:06:43 2014
panic(cpu 2 caller 0xffffff80276dc43e): Kernel trap at 0xffffff7fa8f3246e, type 14=page fault, registers:
CR0: 0x0000000080010033, CR2: 0x0000000000000070, CR3: 0x0000000018e96046, CR4: 0x00000000001606e0
RAX: 0x0000000033b6be00, RBX: 0xffffff80c38a3a74, RCX: 0x0000000000000000, RDX: 0xffffff80345e8604
RSP: 0xffffff80c38a3a40, RBP: 0xffffff80c38a3ac0, RSI: 0xffffff80354f7800, RDI: 0xffffff8036ab4000
R8: 0xffffff80345e85fc, R9: 0xffffff80349f8000, R10: 0x0000000000000384, R11: 0x0000000000000000
R12: 0x00000000ffffffff, R13: 0xffffff8036ab4000, R14: 0xffffff80354f7800, R15: 0x0000000000000009
RFL: 0x0000000000010297, RIP: 0xffffff7fa8f3246e, CS: 0x0000000000000008, SS: 0x0000000000000010
Fault CR2: 0x0000000000000070, Error code: 0x0000000000000000, Fault CPU: 0x2
Backtrace (CPU 2), Frame : Return Address
0xffffff80c38a36d0 : 0xffffff8027622f79
0xffffff80c38a3750 : 0xffffff80276dc43e
0xffffff80c38a3920 : 0xffffff80276f3976
0xffffff80c38a3940 : 0xffffff7fa8f3246e
0xffffff80c38a3ac0 : 0xffffff7fa8ec1012
0xffffff80c38a3af0 : 0xffffff7fa8ebfa9c
0xffffff80c38a3b70 : 0xffffff8027acfbfa
0xffffff80c38a3b90 : 0xffffff8027ad075e
0xffffff80c38a3bf0 : 0xffffff8027ace1af
0xffffff80c38a3d40 : 0xffffff80276b6998
0xffffff80c38a3e50 : 0xffffff8027626bc1
0xffffff80c38a3e80 : 0xffffff80276139c5
0xffffff80c38a3ef0 : 0xffffff802761e013
0xffffff80c38a3f70 : 0xffffff80276c9b9d
0xffffff80c38a3fb0 : 0xffffff80276f4196
      Kernel Extensions in backtrace:
         com.apple.iokit.IOAcceleratorFamily2(98.22)[0EC64777-94B9-32E3-AC03-A2367895744 B]@0xffffff7fa8ead000->0xffffff7fa8f11fff
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[4662B11D-2ECA-315D-875C-618C97CDAB2A]@0xffffff 7fa7cbe000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.4.1)[75D81741-64C1-3941-ADFA-9D6B6C434EE4]@0 xffffff7fa84a6000
         com.apple.driver.AppleIntelHD4000Graphics(8.2.8)[D2D01985-3507-32D8-8928-D0847F EC05DA]@0xffffff7fa8f1f000->0xffffff7fa8f6afff
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOSurface(91.1)[5E4EA3A2-5AB6-3577-B32D-EF5717A0EF5B]@0xffffff7 fa83b2000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[4662B11D-2ECA-315D-875C-618C97CDAB2A]@0xffffff 7fa7cbe000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.4.1)[75D81741-64C1-3941-ADFA-9D6B6C434EE4]@0 xffffff7fa84a6000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOAcceleratorFamily2(98.22)[0EC64777-94B9-32E3-AC03-A2367895744 B]@0xffffff7fa8ead000
BSD process name corresponding to current thread: WindowServer
Mac OS version:
13F34
Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 13.4.0: Sun Aug 17 19:50:11 PDT 2014; root:xnu-2422.115.4~1/RELEASE_X86_64
Kernel UUID: 9477416E-7BCA-3679-AF97-E1EAAD3DD5A0
Kernel slide:     0x0000000027400000
Kernel text base: 0xffffff8027600000
System model name: MacBookAir5,2 (Mac-2E6FAB96566FE58C)
System uptime in nanoseconds: 7253954485
last loaded kext at 6113741739: com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC 1.60 (addr 0xffffff7fa93f7000, size 28672)
loaded kexts:
com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC 1.60
com.apple.filesystems.autofs 3.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAHardwareConfigDriver 2.6.3f4
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBCDC 4.2.1b5
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyHIDDriver 124
com.apple.driver.ApplePlatformEnabler 2.0.9d6
com.apple.driver.AGPM 100.14.34
com.apple.driver.X86PlatformShim 1.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager 4.2.6f1
com.apple.driver.AppleHDA 2.6.3f4
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothUSBDFU 4.2.6f1
com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport 4.2.6f1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCButtons 240.2
com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient 3.5.13
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyDriver 2.6.3f4
com.apple.iokit.IOUserEthernet 1.0.0d1
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelHD4000Graphics 8.2.8
com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin 1.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleMuxControl 3.6.22
com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHWAccess 1
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltIP 1.1.2
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklight 170.4.11
com.apple.driver.AppleSMCPDRC 1.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSMCLMU 2.0.4d1
com.apple.driver.AppleLPC 1.7.0
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelMCEReporter 104
com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl 1.2.5
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelFramebufferCapri 8.2.8
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCKeyEventDriver 240.2
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCKeyboard 240.2
com.apple.driver.AppleFileSystemDriver 3.0.1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeDataless 1.0.0d1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeLZVN 1.0.0d1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0d1
com.apple.BootCache 35
com.apple.driver.XsanFilter 404
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub 683.4.0
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage 2.6.0
com.apple.driver.AirPort.Brcm4331 700.20.22
com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort 3.0.5
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI 660.4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBXHCI 683.4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSmartBatteryManager 161.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleRTC 2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons 2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHPET 1.8
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS 2.1
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC 2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC 1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient 217.92.1
com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall 153
com.apple.security.quarantine 3
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement 217.92.1
com.apple.kext.triggers 1.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily 3.6.6
com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily 10.0.7
com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib 2.6.3f4
com.apple.vecLib.kext 1.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily 1.9.7fc2
com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib 1.14
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport 4.2.6f1
com.apple.iokit.IOSurface 91.1
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginLegacy 1.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsControl 3.6.22
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily 4.2.6f1
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklightExpert 1.0.4
com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport 2.4.1
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController 2.6.3f4
com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily 2.6.3f4
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI 1.0.12d1
com.apple.driver.X86PlatformPlugin 1.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSMC 3.1.8
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 5.7.1d6
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltEDMSink 2.1.3
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPOutAdapter 3.1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController 1.0.12d1
com.apple.iokit.IOAcceleratorFamily2 98.22
com.apple.AppleGraphicsDeviceControl 3.6.22
com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily 2.4.1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMultitouch 240.9
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver 660.4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPInAdapter 3.1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPAdapterFamily 3.1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltPCIDownAdapter 1.4.5
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub 650.4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBComposite 656.4.1
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltNHI 2.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOThunderboltFamily 3.3.1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBUserClient 660.4.2
com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family 640.36
com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily 3.2
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily 2.6.5
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily 683.4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM 2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime 2.0
com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily 2.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily 1.1
com.apple.security.sandbox 278.11.1
com.apple.kext.AppleMatch 1.0.0d1
com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet 7
com.apple.driver.AppleKeyStore 2
com.apple.driver.DiskImages 371.1
com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily 1.9
com.apple.iokit.IOReportFamily 23
com.apple.driver.AppleFDEKeyStore 28.30
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform 2.0
com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily 2.9
com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily 1.4
com.apple.kec.corecrypto 1.0
com.apple.kec.pthread 1
Model: MacBookAir5,2, BootROM MBA51.00EF.B02, 2 processors, Intel Core i5, 1.8 GHz, 4 GB, SMC 2.5f9
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4000, Intel HD Graphics 4000, Built-In
Memory Module: BANK 0/DIMM0, 2 GB, DDR3, 1600 MHz, 0x80AD, 0x484D54333235533643465238412D50422020
Memory Module: BANK 1/DIMM0, 2 GB, DDR3, 1600 MHz, 0x80AD, 0x484D54333235533643465238412D50422020
AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_airport_extreme (0x14E4, 0xE9), Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.106.98.100.22)
Bluetooth: Version 4.2.6f1 14216, 3 services, 15 devices, 0 incoming serial ports
Network Service: Wi-Fi, AirPort, en0
Serial ATA Device: APPLE SSD TS128E, 121.33 GB
USB Device: Hub
USB Device: FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
USB Device: Hub
USB Device: Hub
USB Device: Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
USB Device: Internal Memory Card Reader
USB Device: BRCM20702 Hub
USB Device: Bluetooth USB Host Controller
Thunderbolt Bus: MacBook Air, Apple Inc., 23.4

Thanks again for your suggestions Linc.
I wanted to give an update as the issue seems to be resolved through running software update.
Since I was able to use safe boot, I downloaded the 10.9.5 Combo Update file and ran the update. Afterwards, the computer booted with no problems. If anyone is experiencing repetitive kernel traps, I hope this will solve the problem for some of you as well!

TDM In Safe Boot?

Hey Guys,
This may sound stupid, but does TDM work in Safe mode on the machine that will be displaying?
Basically I plan to buy a Mac Mini for the time being, until i can afford to get a monitor for it, and My 2010 27" iMac will only really boot in Safe mode, So my question is that, I need the iMac to boot into Safe mode and allow me to TDM for the Mac Mini, is it possible?
Thanks and i hope i've explained it enough,
Ethan.

Thanks for a mega fast reply!
That sound great, I hope it works, even until i can afford a Monitor to send my iMac off for repair!
Thanks again!

My macbook pro will only boot in safe mode

Hey,
I have a macbook pro 15-inch, Early 2011 running osx 10.9.4. I have a SSD hard drive that i installed myself a year ago and hasn't shown any defects. Its a 120 gb OCZ-AGILITY3.
My problem:
My macbook will only boot in safe mode nowadays. I have done a complete erasion of my hard drive and installed osx mavericks twice already. After the installation the computer will safely go to the desktop. But if i then do a reboot it won't get further than after the first apple logo, sometime the turning wheel will pop up, before turning off and trying again. i have tried resetting PRAM, I have tried resetting SMC, i have tried avoiding SMC (with big fan rate), but all with no success.
I have done a complete hardware test (the longer one) and it showed "no troubles found".
My guess is that the problem is with the battery. My computer won't run anymore without the adapter, when i pull the adapter out it either stays on for a while before just turning off. Without having it plugged in it won't start. Is it possible that during normal start up there is some kind of communication with the battery that can cause this?
I ran a diagnostic shown in this thread (Will only boot in safe mode) and included it in this post.
Hope someone can help me out.
Thanks,
Bram
Start time: 17:07:42 08/25/14
Model Identifier: MacBookPro8,2
System Version: OS X 10.9.4 (13E28)
Kernel Version: Darwin 13.3.0
Boot Mode: Safe
Time since boot: 10 minutes
Battery
Condition: Replace Now
Diagnostic reports
2014-08-25 UserEventAgent crash
Log
Aug 26 00:41:52 Previous Shutdown Cause: -128
Aug 25 16:23:38 smb1_treeconnect_internal: Malformed tree connect with a bad word count! wc= 2
Aug 25 16:24:05 process rpcsvchost[94] thread 917 caught burning CPU! It used more than 50% CPU (Actual recent usage: 99%) over 180 seconds. thread lifetime cpu usage 100.014147 seconds, (82.533432 user, 17.480715 system) ledger info: balance: 90006319931 credit: 100003230498 debit: 9996910567 limit: 90000000000 (50%) period: 180000000000 time since last refill (ns): 90079246240
Aug 25 16:25:50 smb1_treeconnect_internal: Malformed tree connect with a bad word count! wc= 2
Aug 25 16:58:05 jnl: b(1, 3): replay_journal: from: 9340928 to: 9773056 (joffset 0x37a000)
Aug 25 16:58:05 jnl: b(1, 3): examining extra transactions starting @ 9773056 / 0x952000
Aug 25 16:58:05 jnl: b(1, 3): txn starting at 9773056 (9773056) @ index 80 bnum 2696544 (8192) with disk cksum != blhdr cksum (0x93b69228 0xc647562)
Aug 25 16:58:05 jnl: 0x662b0000 0x451b0000 0x2a0001ff 0x40000000 0xd7330300 0x46001d00 0x6c006f00 0x65006400
Aug 25 16:58:05 jnl: b(1, 3): restarting journal replay (9340928 - 9773056)!
Aug 25 16:58:05 jnl: b(1, 3): replay_journal: from: 9340928 to: 9773056 (joffset 0x37a000)
Aug 25 16:58:05 jnl: b(1, 3): journal replay done.
Aug 25 16:58:06 Previous Shutdown Cause: -128
Aug 25 16:59:26 smb1_treeconnect_internal: Malformed tree connect with a bad word count! wc= 2
Aug 25 16:59:59 smb1_treeconnect_internal: Malformed tree connect with a bad word count! wc= 2
Activity
CPU: user 17%, system 4%
CPU per process: WindowServer (UID 0) is using 30.5 %
launchd
/System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.AirPortBaseStationAgent.plist
- com.apple.AirPortBaseStationAgent
Contents of /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.AirPortBaseStationAgent.plist (XML document text)
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>Label</key>
<string>com.apple.AirPortBaseStationAgent</string>
<key>EnableTransactions</key>
<true/>
<key>LowPriorityIO</key>
<true/>
<key>LimitLoadToSessionType</key>
<string>Aqua</string>
<key>POSIXSpawnType</key>
<string>Background</string>
<key>LaunchEvents</key>
<dict>
<key>com.apple.distnoted.matching</key>
<dict>
<key>com.apple.airport.agent.prefschanged</key>
<dict>
<key>Name</key>
<string>com.apple.airport.agent</string>
</dict>
</dict>
<key>com.apple.bonjour.events</key>
...and 21 more line(s)
Spotlight: Indexing and searching disabled
Font issues: 11
Wi-Fi
link auth: wpa-psk
Restricted files: 1
Elapsed time (s): 278

Actually it sometimes gets a little further, the display will dim and the pointer will appear and then whoop it will turn off. if i do a verbose start up, it will finish all the steps, the white screen will appear and dim and then it will turn off.

I have late 2006 iMac 24" and I cannot boot it up. I have tried everything but it will only come up in safe boot. I can, at last, boot up on the option key and it now gives me the option of the Recover HD but when I select this, it still won't boot up?

When I select the Recovery drive it tries and then I can't get further than a white screen. My curser so has 2 columns of marks like a horizontal barcode. I think it's a software problem. When I boot up in safe boot, I have run the disc utility and it says the disc is fine and I have run the repair permissions but it makes no difference.

Thanks AAndy but I had read all of that and tried everything but I have no disks as I upgraded from Snow Leopard over the internet. I have my Snow Leapard box but the disk is missing so I can't use that and anyway, I can only boot up in safe boot so it wouldn't recognise the superdrive. I had a copy of the recovery on a flash but it doesn't recognise that. I have redownloaded it but cannot get it onto an external because of safe boot. I have done the following
Reset the PRam, reset the desktop.
Tried the D key - no responce
Tried opt D and Command D - no responce
Comant R, jusr R and opt R - no responce
By no responce, I mean that the wheel goes round under the apple and then it goes white - and stays like that.
The only thing that I can do, is to boot up on the option key when it give me a choice of drive. If I select Recover, wheel turns under apple - white wcreen
If I boot up on the shift key, it boots into safe mode and there it stays, quite happy surfing the internet and playing stupid Facebook games, so long as I don't want to use any search engines (none of which work (not finder, not mail, not anything) and then after a few hours of forgotton pleasure, it crashes!
The only thing I can think of to do is to redownload Lion - it appears in my purchased account in the App Store but, Sod's law, our satellite internet is not working and I don't think my phone account has enough MBs - anyone know how many Lion is?
I can't backup because I can't use an external drive and old one stopped working a few months ago, so I haven't been backing up and as this is the first problem I have ever had with my iMac in 7 years, I had got a bit comlascent! However, I am pretty certain that I can re-install Lion without wiping my hard drive - I have done it years ago with an older system and an older Mac.
Do you think that downloading Lion again and re-installing it will help? Does anyone else have any suggestions?
Thanks for responding so far.

Is it dead? will only boot off the OS disc or in safe mode.

Hi there!
Is it dead? will only boot off the OS disc or in safe mode.
My MBP (March 09) running 10.6 Snow Leopard is playing up.
After a frustrating day of troubleshooting, I don't know what else to do.
So far:
Duplicate accounts deleted.
Permissions repaired and verified
Renistalled the OS from disc
Haven't been able to log in to OS since,
- can only boot in safe mode or OS istall disc to use Utility
Disk Utility used in safe mode, disk utility > verify disk, said to repair it from disc boot
Disk repaired
Still won't reboot out of safe mode - it gets past the blue screen to the desktop wallpaper screen, but the dock or items on my desktop won't appear, colour dial spins, i think the longest i've given it is 20 minutes
Still won't boot other than in safe mode (currently using it right now)
Did the whole /sbin/fsck -fy,
Invalid file count (Is 484158 instead of 484160)
Invalid volume directory count (is 157609 instead of 157807)
Repairs successful
Ran fsck again, and HD OK message
Ran exit and it won't boot, only in safe mode again, and to the spinning wheel on the desktop wallpaper screen.
Is my HD cactus?
Is this something that can be replaced?
If not, what next?
I'm a little apprehensive about sending it out to get fixed (it's out of three year warrnaty) and I'm not sure how much more they can do/check than I've already done and come to the same conclusion.
Any help, much appreciated and thank you in advance
Bree.

Are you referring to the new bluetooth (wireless) keyboard or are you using a wired version?
Message was edited by: Barbara Daniels1

My computer will only boot off it's drive in safe mode

Short Story...
My computer will only boot in safe mode and in normal mode displays grey apple that turns into a grey cross. Surface scan in techtool pro 4.5.1 passed
Long Story... (all the issues I've had as they are all back to back and most likely cause by what sloved the previous one).
When i first got my macbook i already had a 500gb hdd in my macmini running 10.6 (or 10.6.1 I forget) and as soon as a had the macbook running off this drive it would give me one error for each and every movie file that was visible (in an open folder or on the desktop) saying quick look helper had unexpectedly quit. I tried everything and for some reason ended up changing all the permissions on the computer which royally screwed it up. anyway after repairing permissions in disk utility the error messages stopped but shortly after start up it was giving me a couple of dozen error messages saying something about .kext's (if requested i can supply full text of this error message) so i tried reinstalling the OS and since in 10.6 there is no archive and install (without messing around in terminal) i just ran the snow leopard disc which brought me back to 10.6 then I upgraded to 10.6.2 and restarting a couple of times over a day or so. After a few restarts I found the computer wouldn't start (it chimed, loaded up the apple symbol and loading wheel and then after a few minutes replaced the apple symbol with a crossed circle) I tried running the snow leopard disc again and this time not upgrading but after about 3 restarts the same thing happened. now i can only start up in safe boot mode or off my backup drive which still displays a few dozen of the .kext errors at start up. Sorry about the length of this description I would appreciate absolutely any help or ideas.

Tezz wrote:
Short Story...
My computer will only boot in safe mode and in normal mode displays grey apple that turns into a grey cross. Surface scan in techtool pro 4.5.1 passed
I would try troubleshooting your problem [using the steps given by Apple here|http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1892].

Intel Mini will only boot into safe mode - hangs on ANY Mac OS volume

I have an Intel Mac Mini... the core2duo 1.83GHz or whatever.
I acquired it from it's previous owner, as it was "broken".
He could not get it to run an install disc.
It will not boot any of the Mac OS install media (DVD or CD - 10.4, 10.5, 10.6).
It will not boot/install a Linux disc (I haven't tried, but that's what I was told).
It WILL boot/install Windows !?!?
So... anyway, I removed the HDD, and installed OS 10.6 Leopard on it (FW Target mode installs kept failing at the end - regular retail DVD). I then reinstalled the HDD back into the machine.
The system keeps hanging at the same point it would when trying to boot an install DVD - after the screen turns blue, it goes back to the gray screen, then immediately freezes.
However, I eventually discovered that it WILL boot into safe mode !
Everyone kept saying it's the logic board failure, but if it boots into safe mode, can that be true ? It doesn't seem to me that it would be hardware based in that case - unless it's just a specific component, like the Airport module or something.
The last line displayed in Verbose mode when it hangs is:
"athset_txchainmask[5124] sc->sc.config.txchainmask 5 mask 5"
It also says something about the Airport just before that.
I tried removing the Airport module and it still hangs.
I also tried different RAM, with the same results.
I ran the 10.6.2 combo update in Safe Mode. It still hangs. Haven't tried 10.6.3 yet, though I do have it downloaded and ready to install.
This thing is driving me crazy. Please tell me there's a fix, OTHER than replacing the logic board ?!?! It just doesn't seem like it should be so complicated considering that it runs in safe mode.
It's rare I can't figure out a Mac problem - please help !
Message was edited by: maxtechsystems

Very strange, and getting stranger !
Ok... so, from safe boot mode, I installed Windows XP Pro using the boot camp assistant.
Everything installed perfectly. I started up from Windows, and put in the Mac Mini recovery disc, in order to load the drivers. The Boot Camp software started with Auto Run, and I clicked through to install everything. The drivers start loading...Windows reacts positively, with the system tray announcing "new hardware installed" every 30 seconds or so. Airport/WiFi IS working (in Windows), as it detected my router/network...this is where it gets F'ed up - when the installer gets through with the drivers, and installs the boot camp software for Windows - the system reboots, goes through the usual Windows startup...the desktop background appears, but no icons or start menu - then it reboots again...same thing, again, over and over in a loop.
Went back into OS X (safe boot mode). Installed reEFIt (a bootloader utility), to see if maybe I can bypass the Mac OS/Boot Camp bootloader. No luck. Install worked, but still had the same issues.
For the heck of it, I try installing Linux Mint 8. The live CD starts up OK, but only as far as the boot menu. I tried the installer first - after the splash screen, it hangs on a plain gray screen (w/o the normal linux installer language selection menu - just solid grey).
I tried running the live CD w/o the installer - the actual OS. Same thing - after the splash screen, it hangs, only it's a black screen this time. If I use verbose mode, it still seems to hang on the WiFi card.
Here's the strangest thing yet - Ok, remember, it wouldn't boot normally into ANY Mac OS volume - including the installer DVDs - only in safe boot mode...
So, I try the "hackintosh" IPC osX86 10.5.6 DVD - it boots into the installer with NO problem, WITHOUT safe boot mode ! I tried installing it unsuccessfully. I forget now which options I choose, if any, though I may try it again later and pretend it's just a non-apple PC with the same specs as the Mini (or try just the "base system", and the bootloader - then run the official Apple updates)
This last thing really makes me think it has something to do with the EFI/bios - however, I've only been able to find info on how to update it, not replace or restore it - and it's only from a working install, not forced from a flash drive or CD (plus when I do try the installer from safe boot mode, it says it's current and unneeded).
I still haven't changed the hard drive. After almost successfully installing Windows, I made the assumption the -hardware- was OK, and reassembled everything.
Currently, I'm trying a direct installation of Windows XP Pro SP2 with which I'll try installing the drivers WITHOUT the boot camp software, to see if the WiFi (Airport card) and everything else is indeed working OK (remember too that the system passed ALL the ASD 3S116 tests).
So anyway, that's the current status. Any new ideas anyone ?
Thanks.
Message was edited by: maxtechsystems

24" iMac will only boot in safe mode

Here is the short version:
I have a 24" iMac Core 2 2.16 GHZ with Lion installed (has been for a long time). It will only boot successfully in safe mode. The AHT Extended tests do not report any problems. I have reset PRAM and SMC. Nothing helps. Normal boot process will get to the point where it switches from the Apple logo with spinning wheel to where it would normally switch the OSX GUI and login screen. Instead the screen is all white or gray. The exact same problem happens if I try to boot from an OSX Install DVD or USB and also my DiskWarrior DVD. Since safe mode works, my guess is that the problem is with the video card and the normal color depth that the Mac boots to. In Safe Mode it is in reduced colors.
Since safe mode works, I have all of my data backed up to an external drive. If I could boot from an install disk, I would have already wiped the disk and done a new install, but I cannot do this! I am assuming this is a hardware problem and given the age of this iMac I am out of luck. I ordered a new system last night, but if it is possible to get this one working again, I would like to be able to give it to a relative who could use it. So if anyone has any ideas, it would be appreciated.
Just slightly longer version:
Been using this system since 2007. Used to use it for work, now it is the home media hub where we sync our iOS devices. It has had Lion installed for probably a year now and has always worked great. A few weeks ago, it started locking up whenever my son was playing Minecraft. I would have to power off the system to get it back. I assumed it was a Java problem. I tried fixing disk permissions etc. but nothing solved it. Anyway, last week I was downloading App updates in iTunes when the system locked up again. The mouse would move around but I could not Force Quit anything or really do anything. So I had to power off the system. That is when the boot problems started. Since that happened, the system has not come back with a normal boot.
Thanks for any ideas/help. If someone thinks this is fixable, I can bring it to my local Apple service dealer. I do not want to pay them $100 just to have them tell me it cannot be fixed or needs a new logic board or something like that which would not be worth buying.
Mark

Please read this whole message before doing anything.
This procedure is a diagnostic test. It won’t solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
Third-party system modifications are a common cause of usability problems. By a “system modification,” I mean software that affects the operation of other software — potentially for the worse. The following procedure will help identify which such modifications you've installed. Don’t be alarmed by the complexity of these instructions — they’re easy to carry out and won’t change anything on your Mac.
These steps are to be taken while booted in safe mode.
Below are instructions to enter some UNIX shell commands. The commands are harmless, but they must be entered exactly as given in order to work. If you have doubts about the safety of the procedure suggested here, search this site for other discussions in which it’s been followed without any report of ill effects.
The commands may line-wrap or scroll in your browser, but each one is really just a single line, all of which must be selected. You can accomplish this easily by triple-clicking anywhere in the line. The whole line will highlight, and you can then either copy or drag it. The headings “Step 1” and so on are not part of the commands.
Launch the Terminal application in any of the following ways:
☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Terminal in the icon grid.
When you launch Terminal, a text window will open with a line already in it, ending either in a dollar sign (“$”) or a percent sign (“%”). If you get the percent sign, enter “sh” and press return. You should then get a new line ending in a dollar sign.
Step 1
Triple-click the line of text below to select it. Copy the selected text to the Clipboard (command-C). Then click anywhere in the Terminal window and paste (command-V).
find /Sy*/L*/Ex* -type f -name Info.plist -exec sh -c '/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Print :CFBundleIdentifier" "$1" 2> /dev/null | egrep -qv "apple|Accusys|ArcMSR|ATTO|CalDigit|HighPoint|hp-fax|JMicron|print|SoftRAID|stex" && echo ${1%*.kext/*}.kext' {} {} \;
Post the lines of output (if any) that appear below what you just entered (the text, please, not a screenshot.) You can omit the final line ending in “$”.
Step 2
Repeat with this line:
ls -1A /e*/mach* {,/}L*/{Ad,Compon,Ex,Fram,In,Keyb,La,Mail/Bu,P*P,Priv,Qu,Scripti,Servi,Spo,Sta}* L*/Fonts 2> /dev/null
Important: If you formerly synchronized with a MobileMe account, your me.com email address may appear in the output of the above command. If so, anonymize it before posting.
Step 3
osascript -e 'tell application "System Events" to get name of every login item' 2> /dev/null
Remember, these steps are all copy-and-paste — no typing. Also remember to post the output.
You can then quit Terminal.

How can I transfer files from a 27" iMac which will only boot in safe mode?

My late 2009 27" imac is having issues and will only boot in safe mode. I have tried to transfer files to a new Imac using migration assistant but it wont let me. If I try booting the old Imac normally I just get a grey screen, I believe it is the video card failed and am waiting for a fix, but I would like to transfer files before the fix in case something goes wrong and I lose everything.
Any help would be great

Hello Myles, likely it is a Hardware problem.
One way to test is to Safe Boot from the HD, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, Test for problem in Safe Mode...
PS. Safe boot may stay on the gray radian for a long time, let it go, it's trying to repair the Hard Drive
Reboot, test again.
If it only does it in Regular Boot, then it could be some hardware problem like Video card, (Quartz is turned off in Safe Mode), or Airport, or 3rd party add-on, Check System Preferences>Accounts>Login Items window to see if it or something relevant is listed.
Check the System Preferences>Other Row, for 3rd party Pref Panes.
Also look in these if they exist, some are invisible...
/private/var/run/StartupItems
/Library/StartupItems
/System/Library/StartupItems
/System/Library/LaunchDaemons
/Library/LaunchDaemons

A G4 desktop Will Only Safe Boot

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