IMac won't boot up...wavy yellow/green/pink pixels on screen

Hey there,
I have a 24" 3.06 GHz Early 2008 model iMac. I installed Lion on it and it worked great for a couple weeks. One afternoon I was working on it and everything seemed to be fine, but when I left it for a couple hours while I was away, I came back and it would respond to anything. So I shut it down by holding the power button and tried to reboot it. It booted up to where the apple logo shows with the spinning loading gear wheel underneath, then after about 40 seconds it freezes. Also, there are a bunch of wavy yellow, pink, or green pixels that run horizontally across my screen. I've tried booting to the DVD and doing the hardware test with no luck. Does anyone have any idea what this would be?
Thank you so much for your time.

All I can suggest is a trip to an Apple repair station.
27" i7 iMac 10.6 , Mac OS X (10.7), G4 450 MP 1.5 GB RAM w/(10.5.8/10.4.11/9.2.2)

Similar Messages

  • My IMAC Won't boot up! (Just stops at a grey screen with the "NO" symbol)

    My IMAC will not boot up. It was working fine this morning and I was working away then suddenly a MUSIC file wouldnt play, so I restarted the computer, and this is what happens now...It starts out like normal but after a period of showing me the APPLE logo it goes to the "NO" symbol. Does anyone know what is wrong and can help me?
    Here is a video of what it is doing...
    http://youtu.be/LbSaaIGSOkA

    Go to > Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup

  • Imac won't boot from CD or HD-? mark on screen HELP!

    I hope someone can help with this. I bought an imac for my little girl on Ebay. Its a Graphite CRT, with I believe a 20G HD and 128 of memory. I think it is either a 400mhz or 600.
    It came on at first and I put in a Tiger DVD to upgrade the OS. It worked for a min or two. I also bought another 128 dimm and installed that into the memory slot.
    Well, after that, I now only get a purplish screen or the screen with the ? and the mac face flashing back and forth. It will not read ANY CD or start from the HD at all. I took out the memory I put in, reset the pram, tried Disk Warrior on the drive. Nothing. Just the flashing question mark. The guy I got it from on Ebay was totally unhelpful except to say he thought it could be fixed.
    I keep thinking Hard drive, but why doesnt the cd/dvd recognize anything I put in there?
    I hold the C key down to start from a cd and nothing. It makes a sound like its trying, but to no avail.
    I have seen various people on here with various problems, but nothing exactly like this. Can someone please help? I have a 4 yr old that really wants to use her "new" computer.
    Thank you.
    G5, PowerBook G4, imac   Mac OS X (10.4.9)   G5, powerbook, imac
    G5, PowerBook G4, imac   Mac OS X (10.4.9)   G5, powerbook, imac

    Hello again C,
    I have seen, or heard the partition for these older CRT imacs can only have a certain size partition to be recognized, is that true?
    Not for your Slot Loader. The "first 8 GB partition" applies to Tray Loaders.
    I think the drive I have is about 40G.
    That should be perfect as you don't want anything above 128GB.
    I started it just now with the option key down. I do get a screen with two icons. The one on the left is like the refresh button on safari, a circular arrow, the one on the right is an arrow pointing right. The circular one makes the little wait clock come up but nothing happens. The other, does nothing.
    Darn, I must have had the fingers on the wrong hand crossed. This is the Startup Manager, which will show any bootable Operating Systems. If it doesn't show an OS, there is nothing to boot from on that drive nor any drive connected to it. The circular icon will poll the drive again looking for an Operating System. The right arrow key will let you move between bootable systems to select the one you want (also accomplished using the Tab key, once you find the OS you want, hit the Return key).
    Do I have to hold down the f key when i put it on, or should the computer recognize it automatically, like they do in OS10?
    No, you shouldn't need to press any key. After you have transferred the information on the Firewire drive, connect it to the Strawberry iMac. The idea will be to install OS 9 on the external drive from the working iMac. Insert your OS 9 disk into the Strawberry iMac and run the installer. When you come to the screen for where to install, select the external Firewire drive (if it doesn't give you this option, cancel the install). On this screen you should also see a pulldown with the type of install, select Clean Install.
    You will need to download the OS 9.2.1 update found here:
    Mac OS 9.2.1: Document and Software
    This will also need to be installed on the Firewire drive to update the OS to one which should boot on any CRT iMac.
    After a successful install and update, connect the Firewire drive to the Graphite and see if it will start up (if necessary, use the Option key on startup).
    If you have questions or need help at any point, please don't hesitate.
    Hope This Helps,
    Jeff
    Mini 1.25, 12 Al PB 1.5, PTP 250, WS PB G3, 3xiMac 400 (OS 9.1)   Mac OS X (10.3.9)   Wireless KB/Mouse, AEBS, 80 GB OWC FW HD

  • 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 won't boot after power failure during 10.5.6 update

    Help!
    Tried to update last night and at something like 80% install, we had a power cut. iMac won't boot at all now - get to a grey screen which tells me to restart. Don't have a wired keyboard. If I did - what are the steps to get this working again.
    I believe I have a good backup, but don't want to risk as all the family photos are on the iMac.
    Thanks in advance.

    Thanks for the help, but can't even get to a screen where I could type anything! I know I'm being dumb here.

  • My iMac won't boot. I only get a white screen.  Won't open in safe mode or recovery mode.  Any suggestions?

    Hey, any help?  My 24" iMac won't boot.  I only get a white screen when turning on.  It won't open in safe or recovery mode.  Any suggestions?

    If you can't boot from your installer DVD, then take it in for service.

  • IMac won't boot to OS 9, boots Panther fine

    Bought an iMac G3/500/128MB/CD-RW off Ebay for super cheap (this is the Indigo 500 with 64MB base RAM). Loaded OS 10.3.3 with no probs, tested it out with no probs. (I know the 128MB RAM is less than recommended/required for Panther, the machine was supposed to have 256MB and the seller is sending that to me). Next step was to load OS 9.1 from the CD. The iMac won't boot from the OS 9.1 CD (It boots fine from the Panther CD). Also tried booting from a firewire CD drive, same result. The result is a folder with a question mark, then a folder with a smily face, repeated twice before it aborts the OS 9 boot and goes into Panther.
    Repaired permissions, no luck, wiped Panther off the drive and tried booting to OS 9 with blank drive, and still no luck.
    As stated above, the machine was supposed to have 256MB RAM, and it also has a 20GB HD when it was supposed to have a 30GB HD. I declined a new HD as the seller offered me $20 as an option (bringing the total shipped down to $69.00), but now I'm wondering if I should replace the HD with the 30GB he offered? I don't think it's an HD issue though and replacing it looks like more trouble than it's worth.
    I'm not too bummed if I have to stick to Panther, I just have a few OS 9 apps that I'd like to have access to.
    iMac G3/500/128/CD-RW   Mac OS X (10.3.3)  

    Does the CD drive boot from the Panther installation disk? I'm wondering if the CD drive is faulty, and it's not a Mac OS 9 specific issue.
    Also, in combination with that problem, the hard drive may have been partitioned without the Mac OS 9 drivers. If you haven't tried already, use Disk Utility to partition the drive. You can keep it at one partition, but be sure that the "Mac OS 9 Drivers Installed" check box is installed. [NOTE: partitioning will wipe the drive clean.]
    Other than that, I don't have a clue...
    If you can't boot directly from Mac OS 9, most "classic" apps will run fine under Mac OS X in the "Classic" environment. If that works, it's actually a better way to access to Mac OS 9 programs.

  • My iMac won't boot past grey screen and it didn't come with a os x disk

    My iMac won't boot past grey screen with apple. I've tried booting in safemode but that didn't help and my iMac didn't come with a os x disk.

    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 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.”
    b. 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.
    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
    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 either of the techniques in Steps 1b and 1c 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
    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 10
    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 11
    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 12
    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.

  • 27" iMac won't boot from anything BUT the main drive

    Hi all,
    My lovely 27" iMac is in perfect working condition, but I thought I'd try to install a OS on a large SD card to see if I would gain any speed.
    In the process of doing that (cause I never got that far) I discover that the iMac won't boot from the original install DVD. It simply spits out the DVD when I try to insert into the drive. I'v managed to make an image of the DVD (in a different mac) onto the SD card in order to try an boot from that. No luck. I've tried to insert a original install DVD from my Mac Pro into the iMac, which it reads fine and well, and when I tap the restart button it restarts, but stop with a white screen doing boot up.
    If I try to hold down the option key during startup, the iMac WILL let me choose which OS to boot from, but if I choose anything else than the OS already installed it freezes.
    I've even tried to boot my Mac Pro from the iMac install DVD - no problems.
    I've even run a hardware test on the iMac - no problems.
    I am running out of options fast! Please help a devoted Mac-friend.
    Take care.
    Peter

    I WAS using the DVD that came with the machine, but I fear Apple may have sent me the wrong one?
    In trying to solve the issues I'd tried other OS disc's (A Mac Pro install DVD and a OS X Leopard DVD) - but none of them would even boot, nor install of my iMac. I always end up with a white screen during boot up.
    As I described, the original iMac install DVD would indeed boot my Mac Pro, do the disc seems ok?

  • My iMac won't boot....Msg says "NO BOOTABLE DEVICE--INSERT BOOT DISK ...

    I don't know how to start my iMac up. I don't even know what a boot disk is! Several days ago I tried to run Boot Camp but couldn't continue because I didn't have a Windows program to install si I'm not sure what happened. Can somebody please help me out? Thanks.
    Dman- [email protected]

    My iMac won't boot....Msg says "NO BOOTABLE DEVICE--INSERT BOOT DISK ...
    Posted: Jan 17, 2011 11:44 AM  
    I'm getting this message again. When I restart using the option key everything is ok. When the computer goes to sleep it has the above message. Is there a setting I need to turn off so this doesn't happen all the time? Thanks.
    Dennis

  • IMac won't boot up after latest update. Any suggestions?

    I just updated my software (the latest from apple), then my iMac won't boot again.

    There you go. Your HDD is failing hence its not booting. You need reformat the HDD
    To reformat, same steps: Boot to the install disc > get past the language selection > You will see Welcome to Blah Blah Blah > just hit continue > There should be something there called erase and install
    BUT
    1. if you are absolutely sure that Time machine has BACKED-UP all of your files then proceed above
    2. If not, if you have another mac: connect it via firewire then google Target Disk mode. Basically you want to copy all your files from the damaged machine to the new mac to serve as a backup
    3. if yo dont have another mac: get an external HDD, install Mac os X on it, boot to it then back up your files
    to do this
    a) Plug external HDD
    b) Boot to the CD restart and hold C
    c) Get past language selection and keep hitting continue
    d) when it asks you where you want to install Mac os X > select the external HDD
    e) once its installed. Restart the computer and hold "Option" key. You should now see your external HDD as one of the boot drives. Select that and you'll boot into it
    f) once inside the external HDD OS, you will see the internal HDD(damaged drive)browse/navigate through it and start getting your important files

  • IMac won't boot up after Lion 10.7.4 update

    I made the mistake of updating my mid-2010 27" iMac earlier this week and now it won't boot up. It gets to the gray screen with the Apple logo and the progress bar to finalise the update, but the computer shuts down about 25% of the way in. Fortunately I could boot up to the recovery HD and was able to copy my files over to an external hard drive.
    I have a Genius Bar appt today to get it looked at, but wanted to post this in case anyone else had this problem.

    Try turning off the computer with the power button, then turn it on to allow it to restart.

  • My imac won't boot up.  I get a white screen with the apple logo and the spinning  spiral--any ideas?

    my imac won't boot up.  I get a white screen with the apple logo and the spinning  spiral--any ideas?
    I have started having trouble since i had to upgrade OS the latest in July 12.

    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2570    Follow this article and when it gets to the part where you go into disk utility using your install disc, you'll actually boot up holding down Command and R

  • My iMac won't boot up past the white screen with a grey apple and spinning icon

    My iMac won't boot up past the white screen with a grey apple and spinning icon...please help!

    command R did not result in anything different - still the white screen, etc. I do you Time Machine with and external hard drive, but I unplugged that.  I have the installation DVD, but it doesn't seem to be reading it either.

  • My iMac won't boot up it has a gray screen and makes a steady beeping sound

    My iMac won't boot up it makes a steady beeping sound and has a gray screen, occasionally it shows a picture of a file with a question mark blinking in the center, can anyone help

    The blinking question mark indicates that the firmware could not find a valid Operating System on your machine.
    Your harddrive may have failed. Your filesystem may have bcome corrupted.

Maybe you are looking for

  • In Dreamweaver CS6, the Plus (+) button in the Server Behaviors panel is greyed out. How do I make it operational?

    I am trying to restrict access to a page by redirecting unauthorized users to another page. The Adobe manual instructs me to: Open the page you want to protect.   In the Server Behaviors panel (Window > Server Behaviors), click the Plus button and se

  • Mac Book Pro rebooting repeatedly...

    A Mac Book Pro used by a professor in our building has been rebooting spontaneously. Can't observe a pattern...not during a certain program, etc. Observed it once in between installations, user said it's happened frequently since then, even when comp

  • DOUBLE BYTE chars

    Hi All, While uploading some multi-lingual text from a application server file, is there any way to treat DOUBLE BYTE characters as DOUBLE BYTE ? Currently, it is treated as SINGLE BYTE character. With Thanks and Regards, R.Nagarajan. We can -

  • WMI Dynamic port information

    We have a few servers (different versions) that we run WMI but is always seems to use tcp 21880 according to all the MS documentation I can find it should not be using the port but all the practical information I can find says thats normal.  I need t

  • Is it possible to print labels using pages?

    I need to print labels for honey jars but I can't get the font size small enough for all the details I need to print. Size 9 seems to be the minimum. I used to print them using Appleworks Drawing but now I am using OSX 10.7.5 I can no onger use apple