Mac mini not starting up after startup sound and activity indicator

hi my mac mini was just working slow, so i restarted it and it doesnt start. it just shows loading indicator after startup sound.WTH
I tried resetting the v-ram/p-ram with command-option-P-R but to no avail. Please help!
thanks in advance !!!!

Hello,
Bootup holding CMD+r, or the Option/alt key to boot from the Restore partition & use Disk Utility from there to Repair the Disk, then Repair Permissions.
If that doesn't help Reinstall the OS.

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OS X 10.5. Will not start normally. Startup sound, then shutsdown. Will start with startup disc inserted holding "C". 297.8gb capacity. 297.3gb used. Say's must format HD to install. How can I free up space to save my stuff? Can't access anything on HD. Disk Utility First Aid no help. What can I do?

Boot from the startup disk and run disk utility, repair permissions and repair disk as well. Reboot and see if this helps.
Your startup disk is completely full and could be why it will not boot. If you have access to another Mac and a firewire cable you can boot your broken Mac into Target Firewire mode by holding down T at the chime. This will then mean your broken Mac appears as an external drive on the other Mac allowing you to delete some files and see if it will boot once you have freed up some space.

TS2570 Mac will not start up after software up date, just screen with Apple logo and spinning icon?

Mac will not start up after software up date, just screen with Apple logo and spinning icon? I have tried safe start up, unplugged all other cables, no luck?

How to Perform an Archive and Install
An Archive and Install will NOT erase your hard drive, but you must have sufficient free space for a second OS X installation which could be from 3-9 GBs depending upon the version of OS X and selected installation options. The free space requirement is over and above normal free space requirements which should be at least 6-10 GBs. Read all the linked references carefully before proceeding.
1. Be sure to use Disk Utility first to repair the disk before performing the Archive and Install.
Repairing the Hard Drive and Permissions
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 Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger, Leopard or Snow Leopard.) 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. Now restart normally.
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. Do not proceed with an Archive and Install if DU reports errors it cannot fix. In that case use Disk Warrior and/or TechTool Pro to repair the hard drive. If neither can repair the drive, then you will have to erase the drive and reinstall from scratch.
3. Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When you reach the screen to select a destination drive click once on the destination drive then click on the Option button. Select the Archive and Install option. You have an option to preserve users and network preferences. Only select this option if you are sure you have no corrupted files in your user accounts. Otherwise leave this option unchecked. Click on the OK button and continue with the OS X Installation.
4. Upon completion of the Archive and Install you will have a Previous System Folder in the root directory. You should retain the PSF until you are sure you do not need to manually transfer any items from the PSF to your newly installed system.
5. After moving any items you want to keep from the PSF you should delete it. You can back it up if you prefer, but you must delete it from the hard drive.
6. You can now download a Combo Updater directly from Apple's download site to update your new system to the desired version as well as install any security or other updates. You can also do this using Software Update.

My I Mac does not start properly without pressing option and apple keys ,and it freezes

My I Mac does not start properly without pressing option and apple keys ,and it freezes

Try any of the following:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379 Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM
Disconnect all devices from the computer then do the following:
Boot up from your Snow Leopard Install DVD while holding down the "c" key.
Select the language you wish to use, and then choose "Disk Utility" from the menu bar.
Your HD should appear in a panel on the left hand side of the window which opens. Select it and then click on the "repair disk" button in the right hand section of the window.
Once this process has been completed restart your computer and repair permissions directly from Disk Utility.
If Disk Utility is unable to complete the repair, you will need to use a stronger 3rd party utility like DiskWarrior, Techtool PRO (not Deluxe) or Drive Genius.
Troubleshoot the spinning beach ball/freezing & crashing

Mini not starting up after auto firmware update

The software update program suggested an upload of a new firmware. The software update concluded and I was advised that the system needed to restart.
The system shutdown but during restart did not progress beyond the apple icon and the little rotating wheel. No amount of reboots have helped. I used firmware restore CD and went through the reboot process but still get the same thing...apple and rotating wheel.
Any ideas before I take it to the store?
D

Welcome to the Apple Discussions!
This will probably solve the problem:
-Search your installation DVD's.
-Insert the disc 1 and sthut down your Mac
-Start your Mac again while holding down the C key
-Now your Mac should boot from the CD, this can take some time.
-After a while you will see a installation screen where you can chose a language.
-Chose English and continue.
-Then click some time's next and agree with the "Software Agreement".
-Open Disk Utility. Top menu bar --> Utilities --> Open Disk Utility.
-Select your hard disk in the list of disks and volumes on the left side
-Go to the First Aid (tab somewhere on the right).
-Click the button to verify the permissions.
-Then Click the button to repair the permissions.
-Click the button to verify the disk.
-Then Click the button to repair the disk.
-Exit the Disk Utility and the installer.
-Restart your Mac
Hopefully this is helpfull or solved your problem. Consider rewarding some points!
Please see the "helpfull" and "solved" button's on top off this message! Apple: Why reward points?

Mac stuck at grey screen after startup sound. Help

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.

PPC G5 quad will not start up after resetting SMU AND PRAM

Hi folks
I been having issues with my G5, where it would freeze up unexpectedly and then the fans would come on full tilt.
I received some advice about resetting the SMU and the PRAM.
Now my mac dose not get past the grey screen. I have to hard drives attaches one has OS 10.4.11 the other has Leopard.
Odd thing about the Pram is I never got the mac to re-chime.
Also I was advised at the apple store to disconnect power for 30 sec and then hold the power button on for 20 sec after the restarting. I heard an odd tone and then the fans came on.
Btw this model does have the SMU button which I pressed when the power was off.
As the unit will not run with the fans removed.
Any suggestions?
Much appreciated
12 gig of ram in the 8 slots. All FireWire , Ethernet and USB disconnected

There is a battery that makes the PRAM work. You may need to replace the battery.
You may also need to limit your RAM to two 1 GB modules, making sure they are made for the PowerMac G5 of your machine's age. Not all 533 MHz PC2-4200 DDR2 SDRAM. will work with the machine, it has to be specifically made by the age of the Mac model, and Mac model name according to the vendor. Thus if you have a Quad Core Mac from 2005, that's what you need to buy RAM for. Do not buy 533 Mhz PC2-4200 RAM just because it says it is that.
http://www.crucial.com/ and http://www.macsales.com/ specify the model and age of Mac in their store.
Others may too, but do not have ValueRAM or non-lifetime warranty RAM.
Lastly, your model may have liquid coolent that has run out or gotten old, making it not boot. If unsure where it is, ask an authorized service center. Some have leaks and won't boot at all.

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Just to let everyone know I'm a young girl and I'm pretty useless with computers.
After having a 'invalid node structure' on my mac and fixing it manually, the volume could not be repaired. So I've erased the Macintosh HD 'i think' after it saying 'resource busy' numerous times. I finally had a destination to install Tiger (before there wasn't one showing up) and I installed. Now the computer has installed successfully and is stuck on the white screen with the apple symbol and the loading circle thing. What do i do to make the computer start?
P.S. I used to have leopard. (but i couldn't find the re-install discs. Also the Macintosh HD is repaired and fine. I'm not sure that the OS x is 10.4.2 I guessed because it was tiger.

Hi there, and a warm welcome to the forums!
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(Safe boot may stay on the gray radian for a long time, let it go, it's trying to repair the Hard Drive.)
If that doesn't work report back please.

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When starting the computer, it stops at a gray screen and doesn't go any further. I have ran the hardware disc utility multiple times. When I click the verify disk it says that 1 volume needs to be repaired. When I click repair disk, it says that the disk has been repaired. However, when clicking verify disk again, it says that again 1 volume needs to be repaired. I have repeated these steps multiple times and to no avail. Any suggestion would be helpful.
Thank you,
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From the sound of this, you have a fault on your hard drive that Disk Utility can't fix. It may be possible to try a repair with third-party utilities such as Disk Warrior (NOT any version of Norton), but I'd be inclinded to call Apple and pursue a repair (or replacement if just received).

Mac book not starting up after update

after installing the latest update on Mountain Lion my Retina MBP dies after trying to boot. any help would be great.

Hopefully you have a backup. Your hard drive may be failing. I'd try a few things:
if you have any peripherals, like mice or keyboards, unplug them and try again.
try a SMC reset Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)
a safe boot Mac OS X: What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode?
boot to your recovery partition and repair your hard drive and permissions When to Run First Aid in Mountain Lion's Disk Utility - For Dummies
if that doesn't work, try internet recovery OS X: About OS X Recovery
if you can get your computer booted in one of the recovery modes, but it can't be repaired successfully enough to start into the regular boot partition, you may need to erase the drive and start over with a clean installation.
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My 3year old Mac will not start up, just sits there and spins. Any suggestions on corrective steps?

Kurt412,
which version of OS X is installed on your MacBook Pro?

2007 Mac Book pro Shuts down at startup attempt. Tried reloading OSX and will not start up after that.

My Mac Book Pro started having issues. I tried to relaod the operating system and it worked for a moment. When I tried to do a time machine back up it failed.
Now itr Shuts down at startup attempt. Tried reloading OSX and will not start up after that.

Dr.Conga,
did you try to do a Time Machine backup from your MacBook Pro, or a Time Machine restoration to it?
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I just bought a mac mini and the plan was to run it through my tv using an HDMI cord. When I go to set things up. I get to the display section in "system preferences" and I started playing around with resolutions to see which would work best with the tv that I have. All the sudden the tv screen went black and now the tv doesn't detect the mac mini through HDMI. After restarting the computer the apple logo would come up and everything would start to boot and then it's like the tv and computer would drop the signal. I don't think that it's something that I done with the resolution.
I checked and seen that this is a common problem, but I don't know how to fix this problem. Any advice is good advice and I really appreciate it.

Will that reset the display options?
David.Austin.Allen wrote:
This is common if in trying new resolutions you hit upon one that is not compatible with your TV.
Restart pressing & holding the Shift key until the gray screen with the spinning cogwheel appears. This is a slower startup as the Mac is running self diagnostics. When the Desktop appears go to System Preferences and reset the resolution to the correct setting. Restart normally.
Dah•veed

I have just switched from windows and bought myself a new mac mini, only had it a few weeks and already getting message not enough free space. Help, surely cant be out of space already

I have just switched from windows and bought myself a new mac mini, only had it a few weeks and already getting message not enough free space. Help, surely cant be out of space already

It sounds unlikely of course. But from your question it's hard to tell what might have filled your HDD. Are you constantly on file sharing or has filled the drive with movies?
Best way to tell is to start checking what folders occupy space. "Get Info" for the HDD and its subfolders is a way to start checking where the data in question resides.
And as BGreg say, call Apple support is also a good way to begin with.

Mac mini not starting up after startup sound and activity indicator

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