I can't get beyond a white screen starting my imac
This happened many months ago but my imac
evetnually started. Today I have tried several times
to start my imac and can't get beyond the white screen.
I get the mac sound at when it is trying to start up but then freezes
at the white screen.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thank.
Kevin
The following support article is somewhat outdated. Where it refers to booting from an installation disc, you should boot from your recovery partition (if running 10.7 or later) by holding down the key combination command-R at the chime. If your startup volume is encrypted with FileVault, you’ll have to unlock it in Disk Utility before you can do anything with it.
Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup
Similar Messages
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The ipad screen is white. Holding buttons didn't work so I restored it on iTunes. When I press home and on switch, the screen is white, goes black then back to white with no logo at all. Can't get past the white screen. This happened after running app updates. Is there any fix besides going to Apple store? In iTunes on computer can see what is on there. 16GB OS 7.1.1
FORCE IPAD INTO RECOVERY MODE
1. Turn off iPad
2. Turn on computer and launch iTunes (make sure you have the latest version of iTune)
3. Plug USB cable into computer's USB port
4. Hold Home button down and plug the other end of cable into docking port.
DO NOT RELEASE BUTTON until you see picture of iTunes and plug
5. Release Home button.
ON COMPUTER
6. iTunes has detected iPad in recovery mode. You must restore this iPad before it can be used with iTunes.
7. Select "Restore iPad"...
Note:
1. Data will be lost if you do not have backup
2. You must follow step 1 to step 4 VERY CLOSELY.
3. Repeat the process if necessary. -
Can't get past the white screen at start up
I can not get past the white screen when it starts up. It will chime and then stay at the white screen. I have replaced the hard drive, memory, battery. I have reset the PRAM and the SMC.
Reinstall OS X without erasing the drive
Do the following:
1. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
2. Reinstall Snow Leopard
If the drive is OK then quit DU and return to the installer. Proceed with reinstalling OS X. Note that the Snow Leopard installer will not erase your drive or disturb your files. After installing a fresh copy of OS X the installer will move your Home folder, third-party applications, support items, and network preferences into the newly installed system.
Download and install the Combo Updater for the version you prefer from support.apple.com/downloads/. -
IMac won't start up, can't get past the white screen
I have an older iMac, I believe it's the g5, the white one, got it about 6 years ago or so. It was acting up recently, crashing programs, taking a long time to respond etc. I figured I just had too much stuff on my hard drive so I went out and bought an external hard drive. After I copied over a bunch of files (not everything, my music and my photos aren't backed up!) I then deleted the files I transferred from the iMac to make room. It took a very long time for the trash to empty, and then I tried to restart. It shut down but never rebooted. When I press the power button it will only get to the white screen with the gray apple and gray progress wheel. It stays like that for a minute or two with the wheel turning but barely any progress on the progress bar and then it turns off. I tried unplugging everything including the power cord but nothing works. Any ideas? Thanks.
will it start in Single User Mode ? (Hold Command + S after hearing the chime)
If so, follow the fsck section at http://support.apple.com/kb/ts1417
and when/if you (finally) get a 'volume appears to be OK' message
don't restart afterwards.
then, still in single user, type the command df/ followed by enter
making sure that the result shows Capacity at some reasonable level, like 90% or less.
df means 'display free disk space', you're checking that the drive isn't so horribly full that attemoting to start might further risk your data
if Capacity is ok- reboot as per the article; if not, post back.
If you can boot in Single User & have done the above, but still can't start normally - try
Safe Mode to see if you can copy your files off.
If Single works, but nothing else, it's probably possible to copy your files in that mode, using typed commands.
if you can't start at all -
Checking your exact model at http://www.ifixit.com/ will show how hard it is to remove the HD yourself... some are pretty easy with the right-sized screwdrivers, and the drive can then be taken to anywhere with a computer & the right cable/adaptor to copy your files.
or
Target Disk Mode : http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1661
if it works for you, would let someone with a computer & firewire port access any of your files that are intact. Apple may, as mentioned, say it's too old for them to look at.
finding the dvd's/getting replacements would be best. -
Can't get rid of white screen on macbook pro
How do I get rid of white screen?
Stacer125,
which model MacBook Pro do you have, and which version of OS X is installed on it? -
How can I get past the white screen?
When I start my iMac I see a message that my start up disk is full and that I need to delete files. After I type in my user name and password, all I see if a white screen. This problem started today. The error message about the start up disk started two days ago, and when I looked at the disk, I saw that over half of it has files described as "other". The hard drive is 250 GB. I have Time Machine backups but I don't know how to get to them to help me. So, I guess that I have two questions: how do I get past the white screen, and what are the files that are catogoraized as other? Thanks.
I did not put the OS info in my question because I am not sure what I have. I upgraded to Lion so that I could use the cloud between my devices, however I do not know the number.
Apple menu item->About this Mac and the version is listed there. Click on that and get the build number. Click again and get the machine's serial number.
I am stuck on the white screen. Any other advice?
Start with a google search for white screen mac. This one might do the trick: http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/apple-desktops/138137-imac-wont-get-passed-whit e-screen.html -
Can't get past the white screen with the grey apple in the middle
When I start up my PowerBook G4 I first get a gray screen with a small white box in the middle of the screen that contains planet earth. After this icon has flashed 14 times it disappears and then a small file appears in its place. Inside this file folder is an alternating flashing question mark and the Finder icon. After a few seconds this icon disappears and the screen turns white with an apple in the middle. I can not get the computer to do anything after that.
My problem is I got the computer from my mother and she can not find any of the disks that originally came with it.
Does anyone have any useful suggestions?
ThanksUnfortunately, I just got off the phone with Apple Care and they do not carry them anymore. They're recommending I upgrade the system to Leopard. They want $120 for the disks. Any other suggestions?
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Uh-oh, crash! can't get past blank white screen...
My iTunes gave me trouble today, after trying to open, it gave me the infinite spinning wheel. I shut all other apps down, then tried to force quit iTunes. That froze the whole thing, so I had to press the power button to shut down and then restart (or so I thought), but instead of restarting, I now have just a blank white screen. Horrible. What can I do?
Thank you for any help!
JenNevermind, it awoke from it's coma!! I wonder why it did that though....
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Again,
My macbook pro just frooze while on-line. I got the rainbow wheel spinnin and it wouldn't stop I tried to do a force quit and I was unable to do that. So I held down the power button. Now when I try to restart it I can't get by the while page with the apple symbol on it. All I have is the grey circle spinning continuosly like it is working. I tried a command S when I started it back up and checked the HD and rebooted, still can't get by the startup page. Any suggestions?I'm having the same problem. I started an automatic upgrade that then got "stuck" for hours. I did a hard shut down and now all I get when I try to reboot is the spinning wheel. I haven't done a backup in 3 months and can't afford to lose everything in a reinstall. Any suggestions?
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Everytime I use my ipod it has a white screen on it, have tried the shut down and the reboot but nothing happens, it is fully charged
Open iTunes, hold the Home button down, plug the USB power cord in from computer and restore.
Basic troubleshooting steps
17" 2.2GHz i7 Quad-Core MacBook Pro 8G RAM 750G HD + OCZ Vertex 3 SSD Boot HD
Got problems with your Apple iDevice-like iPhone, iPad or iPod touch? Try Troubleshooting 101
In Memory of Steve Jobs -
In Yosemite, can't login without usb mouse.
Hello jimpetty,
After reviewing your post, I have located an article that can help with Bluetooth connections. It contains a number of troubleshooting steps and helpful advice for the issue you are experiencing.
Bluetooth Quick Assist
Thank you for contributing to Apple Support Communities.
Cheers,
BobbyD -
I have tried to do a hard reboot and restore several times to my ipod touch. I cannot get beyond the white screen. Any suggestions>
If you successfully restored the iPod to factory settings/new iPod (went through all the steps without errors), then time for an appointment a the Genius Bar of an Apple store.
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My MacBook Pro won't go beyond a white screen, after I pushed the restart button. How can I get it to a login? I have routinely backed it up, but don't know how to bring that up, nor if I have a boot file on that external disk. Help!
Take each of these steps that you haven't already tried. Stop when the problem is resolved.
To restart an unresponsive computer, press and hold the power button for a few seconds until the power shuts off, then release, wait a few more seconds, and press it again briefly.
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 a desktop Mac hangs at a plain gray screen with a movable cursor, the keyboard may not be recognized. Press and hold the button on the side of an Apple wireless keyboard to make it discoverable. If need be, replace or recharge the batteries. If you're using a USB keyboard connected to a hub, connect it to a built-in port.
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 in OS X 10.9 or earlier, or if a firmware password is set, or if the startup volume is 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 11. 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 downloaded 11.1 but now can't access the store, can only view my library. I've reinstalled but still get a blank, white screen when I try to go to the itunes store. How can I get to the store for purchases?
In iTunes prefs>Store - is the Store check box unchecked?
Did you repair pemissions with Disk Utility?
MJ -
Can't login to the store,get a blank white screen
I am running the latest Itunes, on a Mac running OS 10.5.8. I can open Itunes, but when I try to reach the store all I get is a white screen. Upon itunes shutdown a page of errors is listed as long as your arm. Any thoughts on how to fix this.
In iTunes prefs>Store - is the Store check box unchecked?
Did you repair pemissions with Disk Utility?
MJ
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