Hi my desktop starts and then shuts down after the apple logo and an oblong box appear.thanks

hi my mac
desktop starts then shuts down after displaying the apple logo and an oblong box.
thanks

Sounds like something is badly wrong with your system.  First step would be to start up from your Mac OS X install disk, by inserting the disk and holding down 'c' at startup.  Select your language, then choose Disk Utility from the Utilities menu.  In Disk Utility, choose your hard drive and click the Repair Disk button.
If problems are repaired, try restarting and see if the problems are gone.
If problems couldn't be repaired, you can try DiskWarrior, which can sometimes repair problems that Disk Utility cannot.  However, if nothing works, you probably are going to have to erase the hard drive and reinstall the system from scratch.  Hopefully you have backups!
If there were no errors, or they were repaired successfully but that didn't fix the problem, then you should try booting into safe mode by holding down the shift key at startup.  If that works, you may have some bad third-party software.  What that might be is hard to say, though.
If nothing works, try rebooting from the Mac OS X install disk again and install Snow Leopard right on top of your current system.  That shouldn't disturb your apps or data, but of course, if you don't have backups, you're in trouble if something goes wrong.

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    Look at this: http://support.apple.com/kb/ts2570

  • My MacBook won't go passed a grey screen and the apple logo . It has a loading bar but doesn't do anything and just shuts down after the loading bar is complete... HELP!

    Please please help!  I'm a college student taking finals. Need it fixed asap

    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
    Sometimes a boot failure can be resolved by resetting the NVRAM.
    Step 3
    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 4
    If there's a built-in optical drive, a disc may be stuck in it. Follow these instructions to eject it.
    Step 5
    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 6
    Boot in safe mode. Note: If FileVault is enabled on some models, 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 corrupt and the drive is probably malfunctioning. In that case, go to Step 6.
    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 7
    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 8
    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 9
    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 10
    This step applies only to older Macs (not current models) that have a logic-board ("PRAM") battery. 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 boot 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 11
    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.

  • My Macbook will not boot the operating system.  It just goes to a blue screen after the apple logo and the spinning wheel goes off.  I took the battery out and held the on/off button for five seconds and reset the PRAM.  I have the old mac os disk.

    My macbook will not boot.  It goes to a blue screen after the logo and wheel goes off.  I have taken the battery out and held the on/off button for five seconds and reset the PRAM.  I have the the original os disk but have not put it in for fear of losing un backed op data.
    Thanks
    Rich

    You won't lose any data unless you erase your hard drive.
    Put your install DVD into the optical drive and reboot. As soon as you hear the boot chime, hold down the "c"key on your keyboard (or the Option key until the Install Disk shows up). That will force your MacBook to boot from the install DVD in the optical drive.
    When it does start up, you'll see a panel asking you to choose your language. Choose your language and press the Return key on your keyboard once. It will then present you with an Installation window. Completely ignore this window and click on Utilities in the top menu and scroll down to Disk Utility and click it.When it comes up is your Hard Drive in the list on the left?
    If it is then click on the Mac OS partition of your hard drive in the left hand list. Then select the First Aid Tab and run Repair Disk. The Repair Disk button won't be available until you've selected the Mac OS partition on your hard drive. If that repairs any problems run it again until the green OK appears and then run Repair Permissions.

  • I cant start my machine.  The screen only turns grey and then shuts down after 1 minute.  it looks like it working, but nothing happens.

    I cant start my machine.  when i push the starting button, the screen onely turns grey. it looks like its woorking, but nothing happens. 1 year old

    You need to re install OSX. If you have the dmg file downloaded via torrentz this is how you can create a bootable external HD or Flash drive (8 GB+)
    https://discussions.apple.com/message/23957654#23957654
    Peace
    Harry

  • Powerbook starts up. then shuts down after a few seconds

    Help!
    My powerbook starts fine boots the system. gets as far as when the system shows the right hand dropdown menus then blacks out. some times the screen flickers first. It then will not start again unless I reset the PMU. then It starts fine only to repeat the problem.
    I have tried it with another adapter, and its the same.
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    Help!
    My powerbook starts fine boots the system. gets as
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    menus then blacks out. some times the screen flickers
    first. It then will not start again unless I reset
    the PMU. then It starts fine only to repeat the
    problem.
    I have tried it with another adapter, and its the
    same.
    I've tried several PMU resets, and pram reset.
    unplugged it for several hours with he battery out
    programmmers button etc. But the problem persists.
    Any suggestions at all are welcome
    further to my first description, the powerbook will run start up of the battery the go to permanent sleep after a few minutes.
    also and wierdly, its will run ok with the power plugged in for as long as the battery charge lasts. Then it does something similar to sleep. but without thesleep light.
    I'm am really scratching my head here.
    Any feedback would be gratefully recieved

  • My sister gave me her iphone 3gs because she got the iphone 4 but it won't go past apple logo tried restoring it via itunes but it can't it flashes a white screen then goes back to the apple logo and repeats. Yes it had water damage a long time ago

    Why can't I just restore it under a new account or something liked that? What else can I try in order to restore it I have tried everything even under her itunes acct and all. Please help!
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    Sounds like the iPhone is damaged beyond repair.
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