Imac fails to boot - at all

Hi,
I restored my imac using original disks and then updated the osx to current over the web. all fine so far. then restored the system (full disk image) from time machine to recover my data. restore said it worked ok but when the machine restarted it failed to boot and i just get a list of script top left of screen saying launch faild, debugger called etc. Then gray screen and grey box in middle of screen saying you need to restart the computer. This i have done numerous times but it just does the same thing again and again. More worrying is that the machine will not boot from original disks either. Any ideas before I take it to the apple store?
Thanks, Pedro

If the disk image or time machine backup was from a older version of OS X then what was currently installed restoring that image/TM backup may have corrupted the newer version of OS X.
I suggest you start over by wiping the drive completely, then Restore your Mac from that TM/Image backup and Then Upgrade to Mavericks.
You have the steps slightly backwards. The latest thing you should do is upgrade the OS to the newest version.

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HI,
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When you are finished with DU, from the Menu Bar, select Utilities/Startup Manager.
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Hello,
I have bought 2 late 2012 21.5 iMacs last year and have used both the same way. Here is what happened with one of them recently.
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I have already done the SMC / PRAM procedures, without success.
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Regards,

Fixed the problem with this setup
Of course this means i just lost 4GB.
Let me tell the full story.
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While trying to migrate info from my IMAC to my Macbookpro all work froze on both puters. Macbook starts and runs alright. But my IMAC won't boot at all. Tried startup disc and it won't get past picking a destination because it doesn't list one. I made a boo boo hear and need help fixing this.

Drive Preparation
1. Boot from your OS X 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.
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Boot camp often fails to boot - fix?

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First occurance goes back to late July 2011, a few days after a major thunder storm that caused pulsing power blackouts (as in, very short bursts - like turning off the power then immediately flipping it back on - too quick to actually shut the computer down). Surely, this must be the source of the issue? Right? Alas it doesn't adds up. Power supply of this house is very stable and reliable. Power fluctuations are unhearded of. It's also connected to a surge protected outlet. The system itself, in Mac or Win, is flat out stable. It does not freeze out of the blue like what a damaged power supply would cause. It only ever freeze upon choosing a partition via the boot camp interface.
Further observation as compared to normal boot procedure: Upon selection of the Windows partition, the LED on the USB mouse turns off then back on again a short moment later. Windows loads up normally. When the crash occurs, the LED never turn back on. It's just dead right there and then.
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P.S.: Please, don't mention the dreaded format and re-install. It's a 20 hours job. I'm not going there. ty
Message was edited by: Virgule - changed a "foul" word

Why not upgrade the surge protector to a UPS? good units are very affordable.
Put all your sensitive equipment like modem/router, computer, electronics running off UPS.
CyberPower SINE 1000VA/600W $137
http://www.amazon.com/CyberPower-CP1000PFCLCD-1000VA-600W-Compatible/dp/B00429N1 92/
Well, sometimes if you don't have backups, and refuse to do what you may need to....
There are troubleshoolting tips and faqs I'm sure on the 'net.
Starting with Windows 7 DVD for one
Even OS X won't survive with forced (hard) shutdowns.
If it only happens in Windows, and you were running OS X when the outage occurred...
USB devices and cables can be hard to ID but swapping cables and stuff helps.
As for Disk Utility, it does not look at drive sectors or files for issues.
If you really want to scan a hard drive, use the vendor's own Linux or Windows utiilty to recertify the sectors.
If you haven't done any deep cleaning of files, registry, even uninstall and reinstall components.
I just did a reinstall. Partially to be a test run for when I have to install Windows 8 next week, also to clear up a problem I had, possibly a rogue web site using a rootkit to hide files and icons and programs disappeared and icons became generic. So yes I don't take it lightly, but the new install runs much much better (over two years since last install).
AHT is not a 100% reliable at finding everything, only what it actually is designed or suppose to look for.
A semi-loose DIMM or faulty can be enough, and not likely AHT or Memtest will find it, but Windows does tend to spot a problem with RAM during installs.
CCleaner 3.x
Driver Sweeper 3.x
START: run %TEMP% - Select All and send to Recycle
Lion Recovery - show all hidden partitions and check health of all, hidden debug menu in Disk Utility can be enabled in command line
Some partitions (GPT, EFI, System, Volume Information Block) are only tested during format where each sector does get a thorough check for errors because they can't be mapped out later. When you do chkdsk etc you only test user partition areas and not the 'entire' drive, unless doing a full initialization. And GPT requires that the VIB and also the backup VIB both be error free - in the past the backup VIB if it failed was "optional" though, it is not now.
If you clone OS X then it is easy to move it to another drive and also to do full initialization and restore. If 3 days of your time isn't an option maybe time to invest in program(s) and methods that can backup and restore.
Trying to find the needle in haystack that you have limped along with I guess since July (since installing Lion? maybe ?) can take 3 days probably, unless you are lucky enough to replace a mouse or cable on first step and it all goes away (hit the lottery or get hit by lightning odds)

My imac will not boot- it gets stuck on blue screen and will not go any further

Since the last update to Snow Leopard- My computer seems to perform fine, but when I restart the computer or shut it down and then turn it back on- it gets hung. SOmetimes I get the You need to restart screen. But, most times, it goes to the blue screen. The mouse shows up and the dissappears. It shows back up and the dissappears again. Then the system working spiral comes on and off every few seconds. But- it never gets to the sign in screen. ANyone know how to fix? What am I doing wrong?

Does your iMac fail to boot every time or only some of the time? Here are some things to try:
- Boot into "safe mode", which will run the equivalent of Disk Utility's "repair disk" operation.
- Boot from the system install disc that came with that Mac with the "D" key held down to run the diagnostics. Run them several times to see if any hardware problems are reported.
- If you can't identify the problem or fix it any other way, download and install the OS X 10.6.7 "combo" updater.
- If that still doesn't help, try reinstalling OS X 10.6 over the top of what's on the disk.

Imac won't boot - white screen

Ok, so now my imac won't boot. All I get is a white screen; I also can't boot from install DVD.

Hi David
Try booting the Install DVD holding the Option key or run the Apple Hardware Test as described in the following Apple article > http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1509
Dennis

Imac fails to boot - at all

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