Booting in 16 colour not millions! Zap pRAM only solution so far...

Hi
My MacBook Pro 15.4" Core Duo seems to be displaying in 16 colour on boot sometimes. If I'm coming from Boot Camp to OS X its almost every time. I have to shut down, zap the pRAM and everythings OK.
Anyone know why this is happening, and if there's a fix?
Is it Boot Camp, or could it be a hardware issue?
Its been running hot since day 1. Leg burn is something I've become accustomed to! I've just started using smcFanControl, which has reduced the operating temp from 71 degrees to 63. This makes me a bit nervous...

I've just noticed this thread with he same problem, still unresolved:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1318045&start=15&tstart=15
I will keep my eye on both, but if anyone has the same issue could they let me know? Just so I can compare any software to try and eliminate possibilities.
It appears to happen with Boot Camp installed, hmm.

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Hi,
I can't boot in safe mode (shift -key), zap PRAM (cmd-opt-P-R), boot from CD (C) or use any other booting options. I know these may be blocked if Firmware password protection is on.
Things I've already tried:
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2. I tried to boot with option key (to get the Firmware password thing). I think this only made the computer to boot again after a few seconds, but nothing else.
3. I did boot from Leopard install DVD and cheked the Firmware password protection. It seemed to be off. So, I password protected it and tried the option-boot again. But the results where same as before.
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Message was edited by: Ouzone

It \shouldn't help, but have you tried plugging the keyboard into a different USB port?

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Please read this whole message before doing anything.
This procedure is a test, not a solution. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
Step 1
The purpose of this step is to determine whether the problem is localized to your user account.
Enable guest logins* and log in as Guest. For instructions, launch the System Preferences application, select Help from the menu bar, and enter “Set up a guest account” (without the quotes) in the search box. Don't use the Safari-only Guest login created by Find My Mac.
While logged in as Guest, you won’t have access to any of your personal files or settings. Applications will behave as if you were running them for the first time. Don’t be alarmed by this; it’s normal. If you need any passwords or other personal data in order to complete the test, memorize, print, or write them down before you begin.
Test while logged in as Guest. Same problem(s)?
After testing, log out of the guest account and, in your own account, disable it if you wish. Any files you created in the guest account will be deleted automatically when you log out of it.
*Note: If you’ve activated “Find My Mac” or FileVault in Mac OS X 10.7 or later, then you can’t enable the Guest account. The Guest login created by “Find My Mac” is not the same. Create a new account in which to test, and delete it, including its home folder, after testing.
Step 2
The purpose of this step is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party system modifications that load automatically at startup or login.
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Release the Shift key when you see the gray Apple icon and the progress indicator (looks like a spinning gear).
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Mark
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Message was edited by: EddieC

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Hi,
Yesterday I installed MacFuse and NTFS-3G because I needed to store some things on an external drive for work. I rebooted as was instructed in the install docs and that's when things got ugly.
When on the login screen I've got no keyboard or mouse. Hooking up an external keyboard and mouse didn't work either, they didn't seem to be powered from the USB ports.
Odd thing is: I can boot to safe mode or single user mode, but after letting it boot I lose keyboard again.
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Message was edited by: Kiff

Hi,
Same problem here after a reboot on evening of the 12th, i can boot into hardware test and no problems found, trackpad, keyboard and external USB working ok but when I boot normally, none of the above work.
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Unable to download OS X using Zapping PRAM index.

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Since yesterday my Macbook Pro is not working - rather I cant see finder and upon booting, instead of any screen savers and icons displaying it is showing a balnk grey screen.
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Hi there,
Mine is 2011.
I tried the suggestion you gave, but it didnt work.
However can someone help with clarification - mine is 2011 MBP and I reconk that it came with OS X Lion pre-installed and now with OS X utilities page, when I try to reinstall OSX it tries installing Mavericks and fails at certain stage.
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Any suggestion will be much appreciated.

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Hi,
I've just bought the new aluminum keyboard running on an iMac core 2 duo - Leopard with all current updates and I'm unable use key commands on booting, (alt=select a boot drive, command-option-p-r =Zap the pram etc)
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Regards,
Dave

It could be a firmware problem. The correct keyboard map may not be loading until the OS loads it, which means the old keyboard would be mapped at boot time. You might want to check the Apple knowledge base on this one.

Can't zap PRAM

I have a late 2006 20" 2.16GHz iMac. I've had an on and off issue for a couple of months or so where when I boot up it will come up with a grey screen and a lock. I do NOT have a root password enabled or anything like that, so I don't know what the lock is. I restart, and the iMac boots up to the log in screen no problem. This has happened maybe three times in the last two - three months. The harddrive checks out fine, and running a hardware check everything also checks out fine. I can't re-create it on purpose.
Today I installed Snow Leopard, all the updates, repaired permissions, all the usual stuff, and I thought I'd go ahead and zap the PRAM while I'm at it (just in case that helped the other issue above), but I can't seem to do it. I'm holding the Command, Option, P and R keys at start-up. It just starts up as usual. I've tried it from a restart, from shutting down and starting up, I've tried changing my timing (early and late) in how I press the keys, I've held the keys and had someone else hit the power. I have an aluminum keyboard, so I tried switching it out for the regular Apple white keyboard that came with the iMac, no luck. I've unplugged everything from the computer except the keyboard (I even tried unplugging the mouse). I've never had any trouble zapping PRAM on any computer, so I'm just kind of flummoxed...
mj

Are you using the original Apple keyboard? Some after market keyboards aren't properly recognized during startup (until their drivers load).

Powerbook locked up in Safe boot mode. Password not accepted

My powerbook seems to be stuck in safe boot mode.
I recently did a erase and install (re-installed Leopard). After I started to have issues with the keyboard being in Uppercase all the time.
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When I try to login with the Admin password, it looks as if it's going to take it, but then the screen shakes as if the password is incorrect.
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Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM
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Resetting PowerBook and iBook Power Management Unit (PMU)
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Thank you for your replies...
jmrmb80 - Yes the device is still recognized by the Desktop Manager. I reloaded the OS on it this morning and the App Loader says it was successful - but on reboot the white screen loads and thats it.
billrobinson - I haven't dropped the phone since I bought it. I wish I had b/c then I could blame it on something. My friends drop their phones all the time, spill stuff on them etc.... and I do nothing - and my phone blows up

Booting in 16 colour not millions! Zap pRAM only solution so far...

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