Freeze while startup

Question

os 10.4.7.. pb 15" non intel..
freezes in startup mode... ie clock stops under icon on screen..
tried... startup with original mac os 10.4 install disk.. c key held down.. just a lite screen..no luck
tried... startup with fw external hd with os 10.4.3 (holding option key down)... freezes before options of startup disk become available..
have tried to restart with pram reset... got tones... no diff.. need help... am visiting central america and need my mac... mucho gracios..

Answer 1

Espen Vestre wrote:
... Are there any iSight-related preference files that I could try deleting?
Every software app that can operate iSight has at least one preference (.plist) file. They are stored in your ~/Library/Preferences/ folder. (Look in the "user" library, NOT the hard drive library folder.) As one example, the preferences for Photo Booth are stored in "com.apple.PhotoBooth.plist".
You can try deleting them, but intermittent problems seem to me to be unlikely to be related to .plists.
Be sure to quit the app before you delete or move your preference file to avoid the possibility of having the existing values stored when the app closes.
If you do delete them, you will need to reset any preferences you want to be different from the default values that are set then the app restarts. Another way to reset an applications preferences is to move its .plist file(s) to a different location so you can easily restore them if resetting preferences does not fix your problem.
Your "flaky" diagnosis seems to me to be a good description. If the Apple Troubleshooting tips do not unquestionablycorrect your problem, and especially if your troubleshooting time is valuable, I suggest you have this Mac serviced while still in warranty. Intermittent problems are likely to only get worse with time.
EZ Jim
Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz w/Mac OS X (10.6.2)  MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.2)
LED Cinema Display  G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11)  iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9)  External iSight