Boot problems - won't pass the gray screen

My MBP won't boot. It will power up to the initial gray screen and Apple logo and then it just sits there runs the progress wheel.
I initially had this problem on 10.4.something so I took it into the Genius Bar and got a couple files backup before doing an erase and install of 10.5. That fixed it for about 12 hours.
I was resetting up the computer and was changing some of the sharing settings when the computer froze up. Force quit wouldn't work, so I did a hard restart. When I tried to start up the problem came back. It will still let me boot from a cd, or boot camp partition
What I have done: PMU reset, hardware diagnostic, disk verify and repair, fsck, and tried to remove applicationEnhancer.bundle

I would get it back to the genius. An Erase & Install should've taken care of any directory issues, but it's feeling like a hardware problem now.

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I installed an software Update on my MacBook Pro and after that my laptop wont reboot passed the gray screen?

After installing a software update on my Macbook Pro, it would not reboot passed the gray screen and then would shut down.

Take each of these steps that you haven't already tried. Stop when the problem is resolved.
Step 1
The first step in dealing with a boot failure is to secure your 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 your last backup, you can skip this step.
There are several ways to back up a Mac that is unable to boot. You need an external hard drive to hold the backup data.
a. Boot into 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.”
b. If you have access to a working Mac, and both it and the non-working Mac have FireWire or Thunderbolt ports, boot 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.
c. 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
Press and hold the power button until the power shuts off. Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed to boot, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. Use a different keyboard and/or mouse, if those devices are wired. If you can boot 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.
If you've booted from an external storage device, make sure that your internal boot volume is selected in the Startup Disk pane of System Preferences.
Step 3
Boot in safe mode. Note: If FileVault is enabled, or if a firmware password is set, or if the boot volume is a software RAID, you can’t do this. Post for further instructions.
Safe mode is much slower to boot 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 your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
When you boot in safe mode, it's normal to see a dark gray progress bar on a light gray background. 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, your boot volume is damaged and the drive is probably malfunctioning. In that case, go to step 5.
If you can boot and log in now, empty the Trash, and then open the Finder Info window on your boot 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 reboot as usual (i.e., not in safe mode.)
If the boot process hangs again, the problem is likely caused by a third-party system modification that you installed. Post for further instructions.
Step 4
Sometimes a boot failure can be resolved by resetting the NVRAM.
Step 5
Launch Disk Utility in Recovery mode (see Step 1.) Select your 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 reboot as usual.
Step 6
Reinstall the OS. If your Mac was upgraded from an older version of OS X, you’ll need the Apple ID and password you used to upgrade.
Step 7
Repeat step 6, but this time erase the boot volume in Disk Utility before installing. The system should automatically reboot into the Setup Assistant. Follow the prompts to transfer your data from a Time Machine or other backup.
Step 8
This step applies only to a Mac Pro tower, not to any other model. A dead logic-board battery can cause a gray screen at boot. Typically the boot failure will be preceded by loss of the startup disk and system clock settings. See the user manual for replacement instructions.
Step 9
If you get this far, you're probably dealing with a hardware fault. Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store to have the machine tested.

Ibook G3 won't pass the apple screen on startup!

Hi guys
My sister's bought an used ibook G3 model M6497 (2001), it was working great until onde day she tried to turn it on and it won't pass through the apple screen. An icon keeps spinning, i can hear the HDD spinning too but nothing else happens. I tried to go to the setup screen holding down the option key while you power it on and it kicks me to a blue screen with a HDD icon in the middle of the screen and a X on the bottom left corner of the same HDD icon and this icon has written 'untitled' underneath. On the left side of this HDD icon a refresh button and on the right a straight arrow (continue) button. If i press the straight arrow it brings me back to the apple screen and won't pass it, if i click the refresh nothing changes on that same blue screen, also i can't select the HDD icon.
She doesn't have the recovery cds, the person who she bought it from did not had them either, and it's impossible to find those cds.
Any help here would be very welcomed.
Thanks.

I'm afraid you're gonna need the system CDs.
You can find the serial number:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TA27282?viewlocale=en_US
and then try _calling Apple_. Ask for Legacy Hardware, give them the serial number, and see if they have the CDs available for the iBook. If they do, they will send them to you (for a fee).
Good luck.

My Mac wount boot-it just stays at the gray screen? What to dó?

My Mac stays at the gray boot screen when i try to boot it… please help!

The try:
- Reset all settings
Go to Settings > General > Reset and tap Reset All Settings.
All your preferences and settings are reset. Information (such as contacts and calendars) and media (such as songs and videos) aren’t affected.
- Restore from backup. See:
iOS: Back up and restore your iOS device with iCloud or iTunes
- Restore to factory settings/new iOS device.

Mac Pro (early 2008) wont boot pat the gray screen

First, my mac pro has three hard drives, bay 1 is time machine, bay 2 is empty, and bay 3 is A new Disk, running a newly installed 10.6.4. The computer was running great, then one morning I turned it on and the computer never got passed the gray screen after the chime and fan noise. I did a hard restart, holding down the power button, the computer booted normally to bay 3. This has happen twice. I have notice that if I restart from the OS it boots to bay 3 with no problems. It seem to only happen when the computer has been off for several hours.
Thanks for any help on this!

One thing at a time, and while I would hope you would use DW 4.2 on regular basis, plan for the worst and hope for the best, no reason to jump off the deep end and no, not processors or logicboard.
DW may not be able to boot your system from its CD, which I never use, just copy latest 4.2+ version to your boot volumes.
A printer or its cable, scanner, consumer USB device is much more likely, or drivers.
But, need to have a clean install of OS X (20GB volume) and a full boot image to play with first.
You can also use OS X DVD.
Safe boot mode - for when there isn't any other option and to do light maintenance.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1564

My G5 won't boot up. The Gray screen comes on and it thinks about it until the fan revs up like it is about to explode. A friend said to start it up with the OS disk and then go to utilities. Didin't work. Any suggestions? Isn't there a key stroke to help

Oh, so this is where I ask my question. Sorry, first time here. As I was saying in my long intro, the gray screen come up and the thing is spinning at the bottom, but nothing happens. Then the fan starts reving up like it is about to explode and I have to manually shut it off. A friend told me to start it up with the OS disk and then go to utilities. I couldn't find the thing, so I went out and bought another. Needless to say, it didn't work. Is there a key stroke to help jump start the machine? How can I get into this thing? I would prefer not to take it in because there are a lot of things on there I don't want just anyone to have access to.Thanks, in advance, for your help!

The last time you had to hold down cmd opt pr more than twice was a decade ago....
G5? PowerPC? 10.5? or earlier....
https://discussions.apple.com/community/desktop_computers/power_mac?view=discuss ions
Apple has a number of resources like "Power or Startup Quick Assist"
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1149
Your drive does need to be repaired, and best things to buy are another backup recovery drive, with a small OS X partition; a copy of Disk Warrior is expensive @ $90 but excellent and best.
Never bother with or use the drive or reinstall while there are errors. Don't take a "clean' bill from Apple Disk Utility to mean there are no errors. Only that it didn't find what it looked for.
http://www.macintouch.com/readerreports/harddrives/topic4557.html#d12aug2010
http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/index.html
A quick search "keyboard shortcuts" takes you here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1343
how to resolve and fix startup issues with fsck and disk utility:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1417
http://macperformanceguide.com/Mac-HowToClone-backup.html
http://macperformanceguide.com/Mac-HowToClone.html
How to use DU to backup and restore
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1553
http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/index.html
http://www.bombich.com/ccc_features.html
Make sure to have multiple backup sets and of your system so if there is a serious problem, you can just erase and restore to be back runninig.
Sounds like your G5 though needs PMU reset, not PRAM, and the best way for those is to clear nvram instead. might even want to check for dust; tell what System Profile says (later) as to "PowerMacX,Y" or "MacProX,1"
http://www.apple.com/support/powermac or /macpro
http://www.apple.com/support/sitemap/
The Utility menu is on the menu bar of an "OS X Install DVD" and at the point where you get to but stop at "install....' for OS X. you probably do need to install OS X on another drive to work from.
Oh, a real severe issue and damage to the drive directory or filesystem CAN in cases prevent booting from DVD (the system still tries to find and see what boot volumes are present) and can help to pull or disconnect the drive. Putting a drive in a FW case to turn on after startup is very useful.

MacBook pro will not boot. I get the gray screen, an apple icon and spinning wheel. Tried to start in safe mode but get the same screen. The only thing different was that I loaded the zedge sync app yesterday. Now getting this problem.

Macbook pro will not boot. I get the gray screen, an apple icon and spinning wheel. I tried to start in safe mode, but get this same screen. The only thing different is that I added the zedge update app to do a sync for adding ringtones to my apple cell phone. How can I get a good boot. I am fairly new to apple computer.

Reset PRAM: http://support.apple.com/kb/PH4405 and then try a normal boot.
Run the Startup Manager to select Startup disk: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1310
If those did not work your disk may be sick or dying. The top priority at this point is to make a backup copy of your data.
Check the health of the disk. Boot in Recovery Mode (Boot, Command-R). Run Disk Utility. Click on the upper left disk icon. Does the S.M.A.R.T. status say “Verified”? If not the disk/SSD is unhealthy and needs to be replaced. Even if it does not show “Verified” you can still attempt a backup.
Click on the icon indented below, usually called “Macintosh HD” and Verify Disk. If it finishes with a green “OK” message then all is well with the disk. If it shows errors in red then you have found a problem to address once the system is backed up. Do not attempt software repairs until you have secured the data.
If the disk will not show up at all in Disk Utility as your ran the tests above then it may be dead or it may have a bad internal SATA cable. A trip to an Apple store for confirmation would be in order.
If you have an external disk drive you can use as a backup drive then do so. If not Google “Hitachi USB 3.0 external hard drive 1TB” to purchase one or go to a brick-and-mortar store (including an Apple store) to pickup one. Any 1 TB external drive will do.
Assuming it is still breathing you can try to recover the data without booting from the sick disk.
Reformat the external disk. (This will erase all data on the external disk.)
Boot in Recovery Mode. Start Disk Utility. Plug in the new disk. Select it’s disk Icon (the second one down, left justified). Select the Partition tab.
Partition Layout > Single Partition
Name: Emergency Recovery 1 (or whatever name you wish to use)
Format: Mac OS Extended (journaled)
Options… > GUID Partition Table > OK
Apply
Select the Restore tab.
Drag the old system volume (Macintosh HD) to Source.
Drag the new disk volume (Emergency Recovery 1) to Destination.
Click on Restore.
It may take a long time for the backup.
If that will not complete post back for other emergency data recovery methods, including those from a brody.
If the backup succeeds, use the First Aid tab in Disk Utility to select the old volume (Macintosh HD) and Repair Disk. If it does not finish with a green OK message try to repair it once or twice more. If it repairs with a green OK message, will it boot normally? If not, boot from the Recovery Partition and reinstall OS X.
If it is still not healthy, post back for further instructions.

My iMac won't boot up fully. It stays stuck in the gray screen with the pinwheel spinning, then after about 5 minutes just shuts itself off.

My iMac won't boot up fully. It stays stuck in the gray screen with the pinwheel spinning, then after about 5 minutes just shuts itself off.

Try SMC Reset (unplug it from the back of the computer for 10 seconds then plug it back. in)
Try PRAM Reset Cmd + OPtion + P + R on start up.
Try safe boot - hold down shift on start up.
Try booting to install dvd (C on start up) or recovery hd (CMD + R) and using disk utility to run a verify and repair. If you still can't boot after that reinstall the operating system. If you can't find the disc or it wont boot to the disc.
Try single mode which is cmd+S on start up. It will open with a terminal looking window in the terminal. type in /sbin/fsck -TL. If it returns *system has been modified* continue to type that command in until it comes back with macintosh hd seems to be ok. If after 5 tries it still gives you system has been modified. You may have to replace the hard drive.

Had to reset password but now it won't go past the gray screen. It tries to boot but turns off. How do I fix it?

My father forgot his password on his macboo pro. I followed the instructions on how to reset it. Now when I turn it on it goes to the gray screen and there's a loading bar but it doesn''t finish, the mac turns off. What do I do!!!

Reinstall Lion, Mountain Lion, or Mavericks without erasing drive
Boot to the Recovery HD:
Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
Repair
When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported then click on the Repair Permissions button. When the process is completed, then quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Mountain Lion or Mavericks
OS X Mavericks- Reinstall OS X
OS X Mountain Lion- Reinstall OS X
OS X Lion- Reinstall Mac OS X
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet
if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

My computer won't start up past the gray screen

My computer won't start up past the gray screen and then shows up with the forbidden sign where the apple logo should be. I have tried booting in safe mode and PRAM and neither works. Any suggestions on what I should do next? Or any idease of what might be wrong?

I had the same problem, I believe it is called a kernal panic. They had to replace my hard drive. I did have apple care or it would have cost $450. The guy at the genius bar did some tests to see if he could fix it, he couldn't, so I had to have the hard drive replaced.

IMac won't start up passed the grey screen

Last friday my iMac (late 2006, 24", 2.33 duo core Intel, OS 10.6.8) gave me the spinning beach ball.
Restarting resulted in: first the apple screen with the progress indicator, followed by grey screen..
That was it. It hangs at the grey screen.
I've been busy this weekend testing all kinds of ideas to get my imac to fully start up again.
I checked the RAM, it's fine.
I flushed NVRAM, wild guess, but nothing changed.
Starting up in safe mode doesn't work.
Starting up in recovery mode doesn't work.
On the upside, I was able to start my imac up in Target mode. Using the host computer and Disk Utlity I can see there's nothing wrong with the HD. All the data is still there!, so later today I'll make a copy of the complete HD, hoping/thinking that I won't copy whatever is wrong.
I had Disk Utility repair all the permissions.
I've used the host computer to reinstall the OS on my imac.
But on start up my beloved iMac still won't get passed the grey screen.
I'm thinking something goes wrong before my Mac even gets to the HD. Maybe it's the firmware, but I'm not really sure that firmware matters in this case. And I wouldn't know how to reinstall the latest version of firmware because my imac won't start up from it's disk drive
I'm thinking maybe something could be wrong with the graphic card's RAM, though on start up I can see the apple logo just fine.
I'm not able to start up from CD, I've tried that because I wanted to reinstall my OS (before I figured out how to do that in Target Mode) by putting the OS disk in my imac's own disk drive. Staring up with the C key still gets me the grey screen. Staring up with Option key shows no other option but the HD.
So is there anybody out there who has an idea that could help me further along?
Any help is greatly appreciated!
Frank

Hi Jan,
If you have another firewire Mac you can check if the HD of your Mac is OK by connecting them with a firewire cable and use target-mode. That way I found out my HD was just fine.
It also offers you the chance to run a diagnostic program to check if anything else is fine. I used TechTool to do that. But everything checked out fine.
In the end I decided the problem is probably hardware. Some electronic part that broke. Very frustrating that some small transistor or so is keeping me from using my otherwise fine iMac.
I contacted a repairshop that also works for the local Mac retailer. They told me my iMac was concidered 'classic' and therefor it wasn't economically not worth the trouble trying to repair it.
I gave up, took two weeks to mourn the loss of my beloved iMac, and bought a Mac mini.
FrankV
Judging by your name I'm guessing I could've anwered this in Dutch.

My MacBook pro won't start. It is frozen on the gray screen with the apple. Please help?

My MacBook pro won't start. It's stuck on the gray screen with the apple logo.

Reinstall OS X:
Reinstall Snow Leopard without erasing the drive
Do the following:
1. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
2. Reinstall Snow Leopard
If the drive is OK then quit DU and return to the installer. Proceed with reinstalling OS X. Note that the Snow Leopard installer will not erase your drive or disturb your files. After installing a fresh copy of OS X the installer will move your Home folder, third-party applications, support items, and network preferences into the newly installed system.
Download and install the Combo Updater for the version you prefer from support.apple.com/downloads/.
Reinstalling Lion Without Erasing the Drive
Boot to the Recovery HD: Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions: Upon startup select Disk Utility from the main menu. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions as follows.
When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Lion: Select Reinstall Lion and click on the Continue button.
Note: You can also re-download the Lion installer by opening the App Store application. Hold down the OPTION key and click on the Purchases icon in the toolbar. You should now see an active Install button to the right of your Lion purchase entry. There are situations in which this will not work. For example, if you are already booted into the Lion you originally purchased with your Apple ID or if an instance of the Lion installer is located anywhere on your computer.

MacBook will not start. I have restarted with original CD. I have used Utilities and "no problem" with hard drive. I have reset PRAM. I have tried safe boot. Nothing is work. Gray screen with Apple logo and rotating wheel. Thanks for any suggestions!

MacBook will not start. I have restarted with original CD. I have used Utilities and "no problem" with hard drive. I have reset PRAM. I have tried safe boot. Nothing is work. Gray screen with Apple logo and rotating wheel. Thanks for any suggestions!

Snow Leopard is a Mac OS X version. You say that it's the version you have in your Mac (10.6.8). Do a back up of your files, format the hard drive (using Disk Utility) and reinstall again

TS2570 I have the gray screen problem with the white apple and spinning wheel

I have the gray screen problem when it boots to the white apple and spinning wheel, but when I tried safe booting and doing the fsck thing I think I only made it worse, because it now starts, the safe mode progress bar comes on, (no matter if I press any keys or not) and after a minute shuts down again by itself. I also tried the command option, p, r thing and that did not work either, only brought me to the gray screen with the white apple, spinning wheel, and bar, and it promptly shut down. I am thinking more and more that I need the disk, but im not sure I have it. is it possible to order a new one online or is there another thing I can try? there is not an apple store nearby, and ereasing my data is not an option.
Also Im not sure what my exact opporating system is, but I did buy and download mountainlion in August so It is pretty new

Welcome to the Apple Support Communities
The hard disk is damaged. Take the Mac to an Apple Store

Windows migration assistant won't go passed the first screen. Connecting hp files to new Mac mini with Ethernet cable. Also tried USB

Windows migration assistant won't go passed the first screen. Connecting hp files to new Mac mini with Ethernet cable. Also tried USB

Are you following these instructions?
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4796
Have yo tired by connecting both to same network vice direct ethernet connection?
There is no direct USB connection

Boot problems - won't pass the gray screen

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