Cannot start up, get Grey circle with slash through it

My 12" gets hung up at grey start up screen, i have tried to reboot from 10.3 disk and holding option key, the screen then goes to a "not allowed" grey circle with slash through it. No clue what to do. HELP
thank you peter

Hello Again peter,
As I asked HERE,
Why are you using the "10.3 disk", and not the Full Retail Version, of the Tiger Install DVD?
As the computer specs, in your Above Post, re displayed as: G4 PowerBook 12" Mac OS X (10.4.4).
Here's an additional KB Article You see a blank, gray screen, to review.
ali b

Similar Messages

When I try to drag the iphoto library to the external disk a forbidden (circle with slash through it) icon appear. Why do you suppose it is preventing me from adding to external drive? These are pictures I have taken. I believe it cannot find the origina

When I try to drag the iphoto library to the external disk a forbidden (circle with slash through it) icon appear. Why do you suppose it is preventing me from adding to external drive? These are pictures I have taken. I believe it cannot find the original file. Please help.
Thanks.

What happens if you try to Option-drag the library to the EHD? The same icon?
Make sure the EHD is formatted Mac OS X Extended (journaled) with Ownership set to be ignored:
OT

Update to 10.5.7 failed---Circle with slash through it when booting up.

Hi all. Looking for a little help/advice. I updated to 10.5.7 last night through software update. It downloaded fine...When I went to install, however, a message popped up (in several languages) telling me to shut down using the power button. Now whenever I turn the computer on, I get the gray apple and spinning wheel for about a minute before the circle with the slash replaces it. And then, nothing. I have tried to start in safe mode, reset the PRAM...Nothing seems to be working. Any advice out there before I have to call Apple?
Thanks in advance.

I think the GP poster meant that he has trouble booting from DVDs because the optical drive is going south.
If you're getting a circle with a slash, I think that either means that the kernel wasn't installed correctly and/or the drive wasn't blessed after the kernel was replaced. If you can boot the Mac OS X install DVD, run disk utility to fix any drive corruption, then do the "startup disk" thing on the install DVD, change the default startup disk to the install DVD and then change it back to your HD. This should rebless the right file in /System/Library/CoreServices or wherever it lives nowadays. If none of that helps... then you'll need to get a copy of the kernel and the bootloader off a working Mac OS X 10.5.7 install (or just reinstall the OS).

Start up problems, get the circle with slash symbol then hangs forever

I did a bad thing, I downloaded some software from the Internet. It was from Smith Micro. After the first re-start after installing, I had start-up problems with the "not allowed symbol" (a circle with a slash through it) coming after the Apple symbol then hanging forever.
The Smith-Micro programs I down loaded were Spring Clean-up and Internet Clean-up. I have not used either program, just installed them.
I have run Disk Utilities from my start-up disk, everything tested out perfectly. Tried a Safe Boot, computer started up but I couldn't do anything (useless for me). Tried to Zap P-RAM, didn't work. Tried booting in target mode, got a weird symbol ( can't even explain this one) and it just hung there. Unconditional reboot works, and I can use the computer like normal. Does the unconditional boot mess anything up. Should I use it from now on?
I used the included uninstaller for both Spring Cleaning and Internet Clean-up, the computer still won't start-up normally.

There's hardly any circumstance that requires the so-called "clean" install; it's a windoze-centric thing. Just reinstall, ensure that fixed the issue, then run Software Update. Snow Leopard's installer only replaces the OS components and basic Apple apps, such as TextEdit, Mail, Safari, Terminal, and Calculator, leaving *everything else* in place. In the future, always make a restorable backup before installing new stuff.

Macbook pro won't start up-gray screen(circle with slash)

My MacBook Pro 2008 gets to the gray screen with the apple logo and the loading wheel then the apple turns into a circle with a slash through it and the loading wheel just keeps spinning. Help please

Hi MichaelWoods514,
Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.
You may see a prohibitory sign, or a folder with a flashing question mark on it.
For more information on this, take a look at this article:
Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup
http://support.apple.com/kb/ts2570
Best of luck,
Mario

After an firefox auto-update, there is a circle with slash over the icon (do not) and it will not launch.

Firefox was doing one of its automatic updates and it never finished but a circle with a slash through it appeared on the icon and now Firefox won't launch. It gives the following error message:
"The application "Firefox" cannot be launched. -10661"
I've tried re-downloading Firefox but when I get to the window where you move the Firefox icon to the folder it still shows that it has the circle with slash through it. It will start downloading then stop.

Firefox 4 requires at least OS X 10.5 and an Intel Mac. There is a third party version of Firefox 4 that runs on OS X 10.4/10.5 and PPC Macs, for details see http://www.floodgap.com/software/tenfourfox
If you prefer, you can get the latest version of Firefox 3.6 from http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-older.html
Mozilla are working to prevent Mac users with non-compatible systems from getting the notification about Firefox 4, and also not displaying the "Download Firefox 4" button on http://www.mozilla.com

My hard drive crashed. Replaced my hard drive. Installed Yosemite. Restored from Time Machine most recent backup before hard drive crash. Now laptop won't start up. Grey screen with circle and slash through it.

How to start up laptop from grey screen with circle and slash through it?

After you installed Yosemite and prior to restoring from the backup, were you able to start the Mac?

Couldn't get to the login scrn. Circle with slash symbol. S-mode not helpin

System: *PowerMac G4 DDR 1GHz with 1.25GB RAM and Tiger 10.4.10 (or .11 not sure)*
At first, I could not get the Mac to get to the login screen i.e. it boots up but the timer symbol thing (you know that clockwise 'loading' icon thingy) keeps cycling for hours (eventually I switched it off not to waste electricity).
Tried second time using OS X install disk and check + repair disk, then boot up - still the same symptoms. (NB. Looks like I can do the fresh install though but that is not my intention just now).
Then, did the reset PRAM thing (cmdalt+PR), second chime - folder/question mark (no startup disk screen), then it shows the circle with slash icon on screen, eventually shut it down.
In single user mode, it stops after the 'got bootdisk...' and no flashing of the keyboard cursor.
In verbose mode, almost the same as above.
+Have not changed the PRAM battery or reset PMU. Have been off the grid (off at socket for quite a long period but does not normally do this).+
+In single user mode, one of the line says clock is wrong or reset. After PRAM reset, one line says PMU was reset.+
My questions are:
1. What is that circle with slash icon mean? (can only find on Intel Mac pages - could not load boot.efi, or some other issue)
- ref: <http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2674>
2. Is installing a new system folder the only solution?
3. Do I need to get a new battery?
4. Is my startup hard disk at fault?
Thanks.
dean

Hi Dean,
Have been off the grid (off at socket for quite a long period but does not normally do this).
I'm pretty sure the battery is extremely dead if the computer has been off the grid. Remove the PRAM battery and see if it starts. A new battery is always a good place to begin. We've seen plenty of posters here say their MDD startup problems cleared up with the installation ofa new battery. I get my batteries here:
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer%20Technology/BAA36VPRAM/
I don't know your geographic location; if you are not in an area served by the above reseller, you can use the specs in that link to shop locally. Bottom line--you need to eliminate the battery as a suspect before proceeding with troubleshooting.
If a battery is over a year old I don't bother testing it. I've had too many PRAM batteries test 3.6V in my hand yet did not perform well enough under load to propelr work in teh computer.
Another easy thing to try is a Safe Boot. Info here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1455
Be sure to give the computer time to get to a desktop--takes longer is safe mode.

Getting circle with slash at startup...

My computer started to get really slow one night so I decided to restart it, but then I ended up with the circle with slash error and couldn't now can't get past it. Here is what I have tried so far: Reset PRAM. Tried to "repair disc" using disc utilities, eneded up with an error (sorry, dont remember what the error was!). Had planned on re-installing the OS by erasing the hard drive, ended up with the follwing error "Disc erase failed. POSIX reports: The operation couldn't be completed. No such file or directory" Starting to think replacing the hard drive might be the easiest option, unless anyone knows what's going on?? Thanks!

((((((Were you doing this from the the DVD because that's the way to do it.))))))
Yes.
((((By now it sounds like you have written off the existing OS and want to reinstall it again. What problem are you having trying to do this?
Will it restart and allow you to boot into the DVD for you to reinstall?)))
Yep, it will allow me to boot from the dvd. I everything backed up on an external drive using time machine. When I tried to "restore system from back up" under "utilities" after inserting the DVD, there is a section where you select the disc where you want to restore your system to and my main hard drive isn't even showing up in the list...

Itunes cannot move in the main menu. I just went to 10.5.142 and now in the main menu on Itunes it will not allow me to go into any playlist. I get a circle with a red x when I double click on a particular playlist and it will not go????

Cannot move around in the Itunes main menu. I just downloaded 10.5.142 and now when I click on a playlist I get a circle with a red slash! Cannot go there.
Cannot navigate in the main menu. Suggestions????

I am having the exact same problem, have vista/hp media center also, sometimes if I double click it will open after all, the arrow keys do navigate however, any suggestions?

Need Help with Boot up getting circle with slash on Dual 1 GZ MMD G4

Hi everone, I'm having a problem with my old Dual 1GZ MMD G4 booting up from the HD consistently. I had to replace the power supple very recently and after that I'm having trouble. I've even installed a 250 HD and completely reinstalled the OX back to Jeopard and sometime after it sits it will boot up just fine..... but after restart even holding down OPTION and it see's the HD it will not boot up ( just getting circle with slash) I've verifyed the HD and a repair permissions and all checks out ok! I've have two different HD's that check out ok with disk utility and I still get the same results.... GETTING VERY FRUSTRATED:(
Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated! THANKS!
Scott F.

Thanks for your reply! After reading another post I found out what the issue was and I was about to give up......
The Dual processor board was not seated and after reseating it back to the main board it been all good! Theres really know way to tell by looking at it, just gave it a push and noticed it was not right. CRAZY after all the time playing with HD's it was that..... Like the post I read it happen after replacing the Power Supple and I guess it just moved a tiny bit out of place..... I hope this helps others and again thanks for your HELP!!!!

I get a circle with a slash when I hit f8, F9 or f10 to backlight keys

My keyboard back lighting doesn't work much but I reset PMU and PRAM then suddenly it worked. Now though, about an hour later, if I hit any of the keys I get a circle with a slash as if it is turned off, illegal, or not installed. Anybody know what it means? I have the backlight checked off in the energy manager.
I'm confused.
Also, the lower memory slot is kaput.
thanks,
Connie

I fixed it by putting the install disk in and verifying/repairing the disc and the permissions.
The memory slot was not repaired. I understand it was a problem with some powerbooks but the repair program ended in July 2008.
Connie

On start up I get grey screen with wheel turning but it goes no further

On start up I get grey screen with wheel turning but it goes no further

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 startup failure is to secure the data. If you want to preserve the contents of the startup drive, and you don't already have at least one current backup, you must try to back up now, before you do anything else. It may or may not be possible. If you don't care about the data that has changed since the last backup, you can skip this step.
There are several ways to back up a Mac that is unable to start. You need an external hard drive to hold the backup data.
     a. Start up from the Recovery partition, or from a local Time Machine backup volume (option key at startup.) When the OS X Utilities screen appears, launch Disk Utility and follow the instructions in this support article, under “Instructions for backing up to an external hard disk via Disk Utility.” The article refers to starting up from a DVD, but the procedure in Recovery mode is the same. You don't need a DVD if you're running OS X 10.7 or later.
b. If Step 1a fails because of disk errors, and no other Mac is available, then you may be able to salvage some of your files by copying them in the Finder. If you already have an external drive with OS X installed, boot from it. Otherwise, if you have Internet access, follow the instructions on this page to prepare the external drive and install OS X on it. You'll use the Recovery installer, rather than downloading it from the App Store.
c. If you have access to a working Mac, and both it and the non-working Mac have FireWire or Thunderbolt ports, start the non-working Mac in target disk mode. Use the working Mac to copy the data to another drive. This technique won't work with USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth.
d. If the internal drive of the non-working Mac is user-replaceable, remove it and mount it in an external enclosure or drive dock. Use another Mac to copy the data.
Step 2
If the startup process stops at a blank gray screen with no Apple logo or spinning "daisy wheel," then the startup volume may be full. If you had previously seen warnings of low disk space, this is almost certainly the case. You might be able to start up in safe mode even though you can't start up normally. Otherwise, start up from an external drive, or else use the technique in Step 1b, 1c, or 1d to mount the internal drive and delete some files. According to Apple documentation, you need at least 9 GB of available space on the startup volume (as shown in the Finder Info window) for normal operation.
Step 3
Sometimes a startup failure can be resolved by resetting the NVRAM.
Step 4
If you use a wireless keyboard, trackpad, or mouse, replace or recharge the batteries. The battery level shown in the Bluetooth menu item may not be accurate.
Step 5
If there's a built-in optical drive, a disc may be stuck in it. Follow these instructions to eject it.
Step 6
Press and hold the power button until the power shuts off. Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed to start up, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. Use a different keyboard and/or mouse, if those devices are wired. If you can start up now, one of the devices you disconnected, or a combination of them, is causing the problem. Finding out which one is a process of elimination.
Step 7
If you've started from an external storage device, make sure that the internal startup volume is selected in the Startup Disk pane of System Preferences.
Start up in safe mode. Note: If FileVault is enabled, or if a firmware password is set, or if the startup volume is a Fusion Drive or a software RAID, you can’t do this. Post for further instructions.
Safe mode is much slower to start and run than normal, and some things won’t work at all, including wireless networking on certain Macs.
The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know the login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
When you start up in safe mode, it's normal to see a 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, the startup volume is corrupt and the drive is probably malfunctioning. In that case, go to Step 10. If you ever have another problem with the drive, replace it immediately.
If you can start and log in in safe mode, empty the Trash, and then open the Finder Info window on the startup volume ("Macintosh HD," unless you gave it a different name.) Check that you have at least 9 GB of available space, as shown in the window. If you don't, copy as many files as necessary to another volume (not another folder on the same volume) and delete the originals. Deletion isn't complete until you empty the Trash again. Do this until the available space is more than 9 GB. Then restart as usual (i.e., not in safe mode.)
If the startup process hangs again, the problem is likely caused by a third-party system modification that you installed. Post for further instructions.
Step 8
Launch Disk Utility in Recovery mode (see Step 1.) Select the startup volume, then run Repair Disk. If any problems are found, repeat until clear. If Disk Utility reports that the volume can't be repaired, the drive has malfunctioned and should be replaced. You might choose to tolerate one such malfunction in the life of the drive. In that case, erase the volume and restore from a backup. If the same thing ever happens again, replace the drive immediately.
This is one of the rare situations in which you should also run Repair Permissions, ignoring the false warnings it may produce. Look for the line "Permissions repair complete" at the end of the output. Then restart as usual.
Step 9
If the startup device is an aftermarket SSD, it may need a firmware update and/or a forced "garbage collection." Instructions for doing this with a Crucial-branded SSD were posted here. Some of those instructions may apply to other brands of SSD, but you should check with the vendor's tech support.
Step 10
Reinstall the OS. If the Mac was upgraded from an older version of OS X, you’ll need the Apple ID and password you used to upgrade.
Step 11
Do as in Step 9, but this time erase the startup volume in Disk Utility before installing. The system should automatically restart into the Setup Assistant. Follow the prompts to transfer the data from a Time Machine or other backup.
Step 12
This step applies only to models that have a logic-board ("PRAM") battery: all Mac Pro's and some others (not current models.) Both desktop and portable Macs used to have such a battery. The logic-board battery, if there is one, is separate from the main battery of a portable. A dead logic-board battery can cause a startup failure. Typically the failure will be preceded by loss of the settings for the startup disk and system clock. See the user manual for replacement instructions. You may have to take the machine to a service provider to have the battery replaced.
Step 13
If you get this far, you're probably dealing with a hardware fault. Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store, or go to another authorized service provider.

Getting circle with slash

I am trying to download a short video on my 4S and get the circle with the slash and triangle in the middle. The video was created on an ipad. Please help.

If it's any help I created a video on my own ipad, sent it to myself and had no problem seeing it.

I tried to power up my MB Pro yesterday and got the usual start up screen displaying the apple logo and the indicator that the start up process was proceeding. After 5 minutes, the logo disappears with a grey circle with line thru it and nothing. ???

I tried to power up my MacBook Pro yesterday and got the suual grey screen, Apple logo, and the start up indicator circling gear. After 5 minutes of this, the logo disappears replaced with a grey circle with a line thru it. This is the first time this has happened.

hi Melophage,
Please Help!!!! https://discussions.apple.com/message/25645888#25645888

Cannot start up, get Grey circle with slash through it

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for