Mac mini will no boot

I was given a Mac mini 1.66 Duo that was not working and thought I'd see what I could do with it. At the moment when I turn it on all it does is light up indicating it's getting power and I think I can hear the optical drive moving when I first turn it on. I am not getting any video output at all. I've tried resetting the PMU and SMC. Any suggestions?

Couple of things:
1) If its an Intel Mini, don't do a PMU reset. Intels don't have Power Management Units, and that procedure can do further damage.
2) Confirm that you have the 110 watt power supply that is meant for Intels, and not the less powerful PPC Mini power supply.
3) If you are willing to risk it, try starting the the Mini in firewire target disk mode, connected to a working Mac. Can you see the hard drive mount, or can you see it in DiskUtility?
4) While trouble shooting, be sure to use usb wired keyboard and mouse -- and not the old Apple Alu keyboard.
5) Try a PRAM reset.
6) Replace the watch battery inside the Mini.
7) Get a more complete history of how this Mini failed, and how it was stored after failure.
Also, if the light on the front is repeating a blinking pattern, that can be diagnostic. If you see a pattern, what is it?

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Hello, mac mini will not boot. I get a file symbol with a question mark, then a white screen, Hello, mac mini will not boot. I get a file symbol with a question mark, then a white screen

Hello, My mac mini will not boot. When I turn it on, I get the chime, then the white screen, then the apple symbol, then a file symbol with a question mark, then the white screen and then it stays like that.
Is this a bad hard drive?

Sounds like it. Try booting from your OSX restore DVDs - startup and hold down "C". This will take AGES! Then run Disk Utility from the menu.
The flashing ? means your system is corrupt, dead, not there, on a dying HD, etc...

Mac Mini will not boot OS, can I get to files with another Mac?

My mac mini will not boot the OS proserly, it goes to a screen that tells me that some root folder can not be found.
The install CD works and I can boot to it. The disk utility reports no problems, all disk repairs done and OK.
The computer still will not boot to the OS.
How can I get the files I need off the drive before I reinstall the OS?
I have other Macs and fire wire cables, cross over cables, regular eithernet cables. What can I do?
Thanks!

How can I get the files I need off the drive before I reinstall the OS?
Connect it to another Mac with a FireWire cable and start it up with the T key held down.
(40535)

Mac Mini will not boot after Security Update 2008-007

Hello,
A G4 Mac Mini machine I was asked to take a look at will not boot after the owner (succesfully) installed Security Update 2008-007 from Software Update. Booting always hangs at the blue screen after the Apple logo, and booting in verbose mode reveals that WindowServer is crashing repeatedly. Permissions and filesystems have been repaired, PRAM reset, etc. Safe boot also exhibits the same problem, but it is possible to boot to single user mode. Hardware checks out fine with diagnostic utilities.
Any suggestions on how to fix this? Unfortunately, backups are not available (it's not my machine =).

Hi Arkku , and a warm welcome to the forums!
I'd certainly give Sig's advice a try first.
If that should fail...
applesetupdone...
This was Posted by: JoseAranda at September 9, 2006 3:48 AM
"OK, restart your computer, hold down Command-s and type in the following:
/sbin/fsck -fy Enter
/sbin/mount -uaw Enter
rm /var/db/.applesetupdone Enter
# The rm command is the remove command which deletes the file.
# Robert: I'd rename the file via: mv /var/db/.applesetupdone /var/db/.applesetupdone.old
reboot Enter
Once you've done that the computer reboots and it's like the first time you used the machine. Your old accounts are all safe. From there you just change all other account passwords in the account preferences!!
end of posted by: JoseAranda"
Reset OS X Password Without an OS X CD...
http://theappleblog.com/2008/06/22/reset-os-x-password-without-an-os-x-cd/

My Mac Mini Will Not Boot From Install Disc For Re-Installation

I've tried all (at least the ones I've found) workarounds to get my Snow Leopard Install Disc to boot, but it will not. When the computer boots normally (without the DVD), I can insert the DVD and access it from there. However, when I try to use the utilities on the disc, it requires a reboot that ends up telling me to turn off my computer. I have a Late 2010 Mac Mini and I have yet to try booting from a disc, so I don't know if this is a new problem or an old one. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Unplug everything from your computer except a wired keyboard/mouse and the monitor. If your Mini still won't boot from the install DVD try resetting the PRAM and SMC.
Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)
Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM
If that doesn't fix the problem remove any RAM (if you upgraded) and replace with the Mini's original RAM. There is also this document you might want to read, Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup.
If that all fails I would take the Mini to the Apple store. It should still be under warranty if you bought it late last year.

Mac-mini will not boot up.

After downloading the latest OSX version for my mac-mini model A1283, it attempted to automatically re-start and stopped with a graphic on the screen and no control of the cursor. It will not boot up. No screen at all. Keyboard SHIFT key light does not go on. The power button will start and stop, but no tones or screen. Has worked fine for 2 years after upgrading hard drive running both OSX and Windows 8. Is this a memory or logic board problem?

Troubleshooting: My computer won't turn on

Mac Mini will not boot up at all

Mac Mini 1.5Ghz Intel Solo, will not boot up now. It first froze when playing a song in iTunes. I shut down "the hard way." Now it can't make it past the gray boot screen. It's not even responding to any keyboard commands on boot. I can't get into Safe Mode, Boot from Recovery Disc or Single user.
HELP!!!!

If you have the original Apple Aluminum usb keyboard, the startup modifier keys won't work with your Mini. But just about any other wired usb keyboard should work.
If you use a PC usb keyboard, Alt maps to Option and the Win key maps to the CMD (Apple) key.
If you just want to boot from the install or recovery disk, then the Apple remote can be used: holding down the remote's Menu button at startup works the same as holding down the Option Key, namely, it gives you the choice of what disk/disc to boot from.

Mac mini will not boot up with two monitors attached

New Mac mini running OS 10.10.1. I have a LCD monitor attached to the HDMI port, and a Cintiq 21 UX LCD monitor attached to a thunderbolt port.
It boots up properly with only the first LCD monitor attached to the HDMI port.
When I leave both monitors connected before starting the computer I get no chime, and a black screen. The light on the front of the Mac mini comes on, but nothing else happens. I have to turn off the Mac mini, unplug the second monitor and then reboot. It always starts up perfectly then. After starting the computer, I plug the second monitor in, and everything is fine.
It’s kind of a pain in the neck to constantly plug and unplug the second monitor from the back of the Mac mini. Is there anything I’m overlooking?

Thank you, Illaass! Resetting the SMC solved the problem! I tried that first because I would prefer not to lose any preferences, and also because it was the easiest to try. You must be a genius in addition to being such a good egg!
(This is the number of smiles I smiled after my Mac mini booted properly with both monitors connected.)

Mac Mini Will not boot from external drive or install disk

Hi,
I just bought a new 2.0 ghz mac mini 1 gb ram. 120gb hdd.
I have a separate external HDD attached and wanted to boot from this. It works with my MBP and IMAC.
When i plug it into the Mac Mini and start up with Option key. It recognizes it.
I then click on it. It automatically reboots.... then grey screen comes on. It goes black after about 10 seconds. then boots into original operating system.
I also tried to use the MAC install Disk, thinking it might be a corruption in the shipped software. It does the same thing.
I have MAC Install DVD on an external drive too. Same issue.
I partitioned the HDD and installed a copy of the Mac install disk onto that with disk utility... Same thing grey screen, then black then back to original operating system.
Not sure what is going on?
thanks
Chris

Hi,
Thanks.
It is running 10.5.8.
I am trying to boot up an external drive with 10.5.8 on it. It works on my Macbook Pro which is running 10.5.8, runs on my IMAC running SL. But doesnt work on the mac mini?
It had been running SL, however there are a number of programs I have like Windows Live Sync which are not yet compatable with SL so i downgraded to 10.5.6 which came with the Mac Mini then loaded all updates.
It seems to just go into an auto reboot as soon as i click on it.
i thought it might be the firmware? Is it possible to downgrade them and then re-install?
I have reset the PRAM.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

Mac mini will not boot.

My Mac mini simply displays a spinning icon at boot time. The hard disk is busy but no indication of what may be happening in the background. If the system was performing a File System Check, would it tell me? I don't know if I should give it time, or throw in the towel.
Operating system is updated.

I would boot to the recovery partition and use the Disk Utility to verify/repair the boot disk.
OS X Lion or OS X Mountain Lion includes a built in set of utilities in the Recovery System. Restart your Mac and hold down the Command key and the R key (Command-R), and keep holding them until the Apple icon appears, indicating that your Mac is starting up. After the Recovery System is finished starting up, you should see a desktop with a OS X menu bar and a "Mac OS X Utilities" application window. Note: If you see a login window or your own desktop and icons, it is possible that you didn't hold Command-R early enough. Restart and try again.
Above from:
OS X: About OS X Recovery

Mac Mini will not boot after getting SBOD

Hi,
I was having problems with my Mac Mini being really slow to respond last night. I kept getting the SBOD every time I tried to move between applications or even between sites in Safari. It took an age to log on, sitting on the 'checking password' screen for minutes at a time every time I woke if from sleep/screensaver.
In the end I shut everything down this morning and tried a restart - however I ended up having to leave it before it had started up and go to work. Returning tonight it was still stuck on the grey screen with the wheel.
I tried both a couple of suggestions I found on a 'freezing after upgrading to 10.6..' thread - one was to reset the SMC, the other was to rest the PVRAM (or something like that - it involved holding down command-option-P-R) at start up. Both were unsuccessful - it's still sat here with the grey screen & the spinning wheel.
Any suggestions on what to do next? I've assumed that I'm on the latest version of Snow Leopard as I always tend to install the latest updates - but I can't be sure ... and obviously I have no way of checking!
HELP!

I tried the Disk Utility, which was unable to repair the problems. It then got worse, after not finding anyway to shut down (the only options I had were restart or start up disk) I just switched it off. Completely forgetting that this wouldn't eject the DVD! I then tried starting up again with the install DVD in an effort to try and find a way to eject the DVD, but now it just gives me a grey screen, no Apple logo, no gear wheel.
I now have an appointment with the Genius Bar today.

HELP Mac Mini will not boot after 10.5.1 update

After I tried installing 10.5.1 I received a warning message that the update will not be installed because of an error and I should contact the vendor. After that the Mini tries to reboot. It keeps repeating the process over and over. I have tried to do safe boot mode by manually turning off the computer and then restarting while holding shift, but nothing happens. Can anybody help?

BBlades wrote:
I think the problem might be with the external HDD I am running with this machine. I am reinstalling everything now from my time machine backup. I just added this hard drive the other night and it is loud as all **** and I believe it is why my machine has crashed. Before I added the drive, my system was running pretty good. It is a Calvary 160gb drive. I think I am going to have to send this POS back to newegg and get myself another Lacie drive, because my other Lacie is running smoothly.
I'd go with the LaCie. I got two from Amazon, 320 and 500 and both are quiet, have 800MHz FW and I have had no problems with either of them. The new one also has a 3-position switch - Off/Auto/On which allows it to sleep when not being accessed when in Auto.
I suspect that your external HD was the problem all along.

Brand new Mac Mini will not boot after 10.6.6 Update

Problem is exactly as described here: http://forums.macresource.com/read.php?1,1069909,1070656
The 1st restart was fine then it restarted for the 2nd time & it got to the gray screen with Apple logo & spinner. It sat there much longer than it ever had before then the Apple changed to a circle with a slash.
I tried booting into single user mode and it is hanging "waiting for root device"

Sounds like maybe your disk died.
I suggest that you boot from the install DVD that came with your Mac and run AHT to check it out.
Allan

Mac Mini will not boot up - Poss due to Mavericks?

I've had a MacMini since Nov 11 and it's never caused me any problems until lat night.
I updated to Mavericks on Fri afternoon and everything worked well until last night (Saturday).
On start up the screen had the Apple logo, a small revolving pattern thing and a progress bar.
The progress bar took about just under 5 minutes to finish and the screen went black and the Mac had no power.
I tried to reboot about a dozen times with the same result.
I have -
tried numerous key combinations to open safe mode (i only have a Windows keyboard)
disconnected all usb's except the keyboard and mouse
tried to reboot with keyboard and mouse disconnected
Nothing has worked
Does anybody have any ideas
Should I have left Mavericks alone?
I don't have any start up disk or external hard drive
Thanks
John

Sounds like you may need to Repair your Macintosh HD using Disk Utility.
To startup into Safe Mode startup holding the Shift key.
To startup into the Recovery Partition hold the Command R keys.
To start up into the Startup Manager hold the Alt (Option) key.
Be patient, key command startups are slower than normal startups.
If you can not startup into Safe Mode or the Recovery Partition, try the Alt (Option) to Startup Manager and startup from the Recovery Partition. Then go the Utilities > Disk Utility and in Disk Utility select your Macintosh HD > Repair.

1.42 Mac Mini with External Boot (HFS) will not Load Leopard

The Mac Mini will restart to start the loading from the DVD. The drive will spin up and will act like it is going to work then I get the wonderful "grey screen of death" telling me to power up the mac again. I have tried shutting down all other external drives but the one I need to install on. Even though I know the dive in the mini is bad I tried to run with only it and boot from the DVD and that didnt work either. Any help is greatly appreciated. I am not touching the MacBook till I see that this will work. Very dissappointed so far. Have never had an issue with upgrades from Apple before.
I have check my software update.. completely up to date. I have scoured the downloads for any firmware updates and the few I have found say I am not eligible for that update.

I disconnexted all drives and externals. Then tried again. That seemed to help. Have new issues which I am getting ready to post.

Mac mini will no boot

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