Help I tried opening my Mac book pro after shutting it down and all I get is a grey screen with the apple sign and a moving mouse but I can't open it !! What should I do ??
Help I tried opening my Mac book pro after shutting it down but it won't open and all I get is a grey screen and a mo Jong mouse but nothin else so can u help me ??
Hey HJA96,
Thanks for the question. I understand that your MacBook Pro is booting to a gray screen. The following article addresses this symptom, and provides relevant troubleshooting information:
Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2570
Some of the steps included:
- Disconnect, test peripheral devices and network cables
- Perform a Safe Boot
- Reset the NVRAM / PRAM
- Start from your Mac OS X Install disc; use Disk Utility
- Check your cables and power source
- Remove third-party RAM and internal hardware
- Perform an Archive and Install installation of Mac OS X
- Perform an Erase and Install installation of Mac OS X as a last resort
(See article for full information on all of the above)
Thanks,
Matt M.
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Computer crashed and is now stuck on a grey screen with the apple logo and pinwheel. What do I do?
Computer crashed and is stuck on a grey screen with the apple logo and pinwheel turning
Please helpTake 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, start up 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. -
i've tried to set up a new user on a mac book pro and i restarted it to create the new account but now all i can get is a white screen with the apple logo and the loading symbol what can i do ?
Look at this support article:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ts2570
Ciao. -
My mac book pro will not fully boot up. I have the grey background with the apple sign and the timer going round...but 20 minutes later still no desktop
You could try doing a hard shut down (holding the power button or yanking the battery) and then doing a safe boot by holding the shift key at startup:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1455
Also, not sure if this applies in your case, but I've had that happen when there's a USB drive inserted either in the computer or a connected external keyboard. I did a hard shut down, removed the drive and it went through a normal start up. -
I can't log on to my I mac Desk top, every time I switch it on all I get is a white screen with the apple log , can anyone help pls?
Hello,
Could be many things, we should start with this...
"Try Disk Utility
1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu at top of the screen. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
*Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.*
3. Click the First Aid tab.
4. Select your Mac OS X volume.
5. Click Repair Disk, (not Repair Permissions). Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk."
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214
Then try a Safe Boot, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, reboot when it completes.
(Safe boot may stay on the gray radian for a long time, let it go, it's trying to repair the Hard Drive.)
If perchance you can't find your install Disc, at least try it from the Safe Boot part onward.
If 10.7.0 or later...
Bootup holding CMD+r, or the Option/alt key to boot from the Restore partitirion & use Disk Utility from there. -
On start up of my new iMac it locks on the grey screen with the apple logo and the progress wheel spins. Boot up in safe and this is where it stopped at "BootCacheControl: Unable to open /var/db/bootcache.playlist: 2 no such file or directory. "
Reinstalling MacOS does NOT fix the problem for me. I'm still searching a solution !
Bernard -
My Macbook aliminium unibody from late 2008 will not boot. I reach the grey screen with the apple icon and the spinning grey gear. I used disk utility to boot it but it said integrity test failed. I don't know what to do can anyone please help?
Sounds like you may have a harddrive issue. You are probably going to need to get that changed out and then install the OS X again to get it going.
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My laptop won't turn on. It's been hours and all it's showing is a white screen with the apple sign and the loading circle. I've tried turning it on and off, nothing's working. Please help!
Will it boot up in safe mode?
http://support.apple.com/kb/ph11212
or can you enter single-user mode?
https://support.apple.com/kb/ht1492
What version of OSX are you running? -
I bought my 6 plus last night decided to upgrade the IOS 8 like they suggest and now all I see is a white screen with the apple sign in the middle with an occasional flashing red screen. Did my new phone seriously just crash? What do I do now? I left it overnight with the white screen, thinking maybe it'll go away and needs time to upgrade. Woke up this morning, nope still white screen. Very disappointed with Apple. I was so excited to get my phone and can't even use it right now.
First turn the iPhone off and back on and see if it works. If that doesn't work then do a Reset by holding the Sleep / Wake Button (The Power Button) and the Home Button at the same time until the white Apple Logo appears, the release both Buttons and wait until a Full Reset occurs. The iPhone 6 should come back to your Lock-Screen. If that doesn't work then you could connect the iPhone 6 via the Lightning Cable to a Computer with a Current Version of iTunes. Then open iTunes on the Computer and wait until your see a Button that represents your attached iPhone and click on it. This should bring up a Summary Screen on the Computer within iTunes. At that point your can choose Update Software if an Update is available or Restore the iPhone to Factory Settings / New In The Box, or you could try to Restore from your Backup if a current Backup had already been saved from a previous iPhone.
If you don't have a computer with iTunes and you can get the iPhone back on, then go to Settings>General>Software Update and see if the iPhone is still on iOS 8.0 or if it is now on iOS 8.0.2 -
After "restoring" my MacBook Pro via time capsule, all I get is a white screen with the apple in the middle and the little spin wheel spinning and spinning and spinning for 24 hrs now...
Hello kdcha55,
Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.
To troubleshoot this issue where your Mac is stuck on the gray screen with a spinning gear, please follow the steps in the support article linked to below.
Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2570
Take care,
Alex H. -
i have an ipod touch 3rd gen.I used the function of erasing all contents and settings and now i am stuck with this screen showing the apple logo and the loading sign for the past 17 hours.CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hold down the on/off button and the home button for 20 to 30 sec, when the iPod starts and the Apple logo is on the screen release the on/off button but continue to hold the home button until you see the plug into iTunes screen. Connect the iPod to iTunes and you should be good to go.
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My mac wont get passed the grey screen with the apple logo and the timing circle, please help
My macbook wont get passed the grey screen, I rebooted it, any suggestions?
Work your way throught this knowledge base article:
Gray screen appears during startup
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2570
MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.7), 2.4GHz IntelCore i5 320 HD 8GB RAM -
When my wife's Mac Book Pro was being updated to the latest version of OS X the laptop locked up at a grey screen with the Apple icon and status bar. Is there any way to recover the data and complete the install? I have not tried anything yet because of the data issue. I am not sure which OS X version as I did not install the software.
Used Macs of every description are always available on Ebay and Craigslist and from a plethora of online used-Mac resellers. Apple sells refurbished late-model Macs at 10-20% discounts with a new-computer warranty and the opportunity to extend the warranty with AppleCare.
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac -
My MacBook Pro stated that it needed to be updated. I clicked yes to restart the computer and update but when it restarted it stays on the gray screen with the apple logo and then pops up, stating "unable to find driver for this platform." What do I do?
Boot into Recovery by holding down the key combination command-R at the startup chime. Release the keys when you see a gray screen with a spinning dial.
Note: You need an always-on Ethernet or Wi-Fi connection to the Internet to use Recovery. It won’t work with USB or PPPoE modems, or with networks that require any kind of authentication other than a WPA or WPA2 Personal password.
When the Mac OS X Utilities screen appears, follow the prompts to reinstall the Mac OS. You don't need to erase the boot volume, and you won't need your backup unless something goes wrong. If your Mac didn’t ship with Lion, you’ll need the Apple ID and password you used to upgrade, so make a note of those before you begin.
Don't install the Thunderbolt update -- it's defective. -
Im having trouble getting my macbook pro to boot up after a fail safe boot, im getting as far as the grey screen with the apple loggo. so im trying to run a disk repair but is saying the disk is locked, how do i unlock disk??
Some clarification may help.
You say you cannot boot normally. It shows a gray screen with the Apple logo.
Did you say it will boot successfully in Safe Mode (boot, then hold down the Shift key)?
How did you boot the machine to run Disk Utility? (Which keyboard combinations)?
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