Mac Pro Won't Boot, Hard Drives Are Fine, Passes Hardware Test

I have a Mac Pro 1,1 that will not boot anymore. The hard drives are just fine. I put them into another Mac Pro 1,1 and they started up fine and that computer is running great. I have replaced the RAM, put in new Hard Drives, I only have a keyboard, mouse, and display plugged in to it, and it still won't boot. What happens is this:
Boots up, shows the gray screen. Shows Apple Logo. Goes to Black with mouse cursor, stays at the black screen. I can move the mouse cursor as normal. Sometimes it turns into a color wheel, but most of the time it's a normal pointer.
I have run the hardware test several times, both quick and extended. Everything always passes the tests. I can boot into target disk mode and use the disks fine via firewire. When I try to boot from a Lion USB disk, or a Snow Leopard DVD, it always does the same as above and stops at the black screen. Basically, once it gets to the point where it loads an OS X system, it stops at the black screen as if something isn't working right. Any thoughts?

once it gets to the point where it loads an OS X system, it stops at the black screen as if something isn't working right.
That is the point at which the graphics card starts the Mac OS X loaded graphics Driver, and it may indicate that your graphics card is broken.
Try Safe Mode (hold down Shift at Startup). It takes five minutes to check the Boot drive, then display a login screen. You need your username and password to proceed, even if you normally auto-login.
Safe Mode uses only "simple" graphics. It does not load the graphics driver.
If you need a replacement card, I recommend you skip over all the refurbished and repaired old graphics cards and install nothing older than the Apple-Firmware 5770, about US$250. It works in every model Mac Pro, and drivers are in 10.6.5 and later.

Similar Messages

MacBook Pro Won't Boot, Hard Drive Full

Ok so recently my Hard Drive became full and I thought that I would clear up some space eventually but I wasn't going to delete files just yet so I switched my laptop off.
Now when I go to turn my MacBook Pro (2012 model, 13-inch, 4gb ram, 500gb hard drive) on it gets stuck on 50% of the load bar and it simply will not budge from there. I have gone into recovery mode with cmd R and verified and repaired my Disk which wasn't even damaged in the first place. And I tried to reinstall Yosemite but couldn't because of the lack of free space needed.
I reset the nvram (pram) multiple times and it still wouldn't start.
Then I tried to boot into safe mode which still didn't allow the bot sequence to finish.
Finally I went into single user mode and run the code: fsck -fy and the hard drive was fine. So finally, I felt like I had to delete files using the single user mode, but I have no idea about the entire UNIX system so I am really stuck.
I used this blog to get started: http://www.curphey.com/blog/2012/10/24/mac-wont-boot-full-disk/
first of all I didn't get the log into your root account bit at the start because mine just went straight to the terminal like black page and so I mounted the disk so that it was writable with the sudo /sbin/mount -uw / code. However, now I am completely lost. How do I navigate to the downloads folder and actually delete the files
?? Could anyone please give me line by line code to do this? Or otherwise is there any other way I can start my Mac up again? I need it for Uni desperately.

From single user mode:
cd /
cd /Users
ls <-- (a lower case L)
cd <youraccountname>
cd Downloads
ls
Then: delete <filename> , if it won't let you try: sudo delete <file>

My MacBook pro won't recognize hard drive I put in it. It boots only to a white screen unless I boot to my recovery USB. If I do that then I can select my USB and my external time machine drive in the disk utility, so no problems there. But what do you

My MacBook pro won't recognize hard drive I put in it. It boots only to a white screen unless I boot to my recovery USB. If I do that then I can select my USB and my external time machine drive in the disk utility, so no problems there. But what do you think it is? It won't recognize any hard drive I put in the machine, so might it be the sata cable?

Boot the Recvoery USB, use Disk Utility to select the internal drive makers namea and size on the left.
Now select erase and select the midde option and click erase, it will take a bit to complete but it's best for the drive.
Now select Partiton tab, click the big box and Options: GUID and then Format: OS X Extended journaled and click apply.
Quit and you should be able to install OS X now with your Apple ID and password.
see
http://osxdaily.com/2011/08/08/lion-recovery-disk-assistant-tool-makes-external- lion-boot-recovery-drives/

Mac Pro with Lion had hard drive replaced, left me with 10.5

My late 2007 Mac Pro with Lion had hard drive replaced by Genius Bar at Short Pump, VA, Apple Store. They left me with 10.5, I have gotten back to 10.6.8 but how can I get back to Lion? Any tips? On-line advice to hold OPTION key down while clicking "purchases" doesn't work. The 2007 Mac Pro can't take Mountain Lion. Am I stuck with Snow Leopard?

Don't know what OS I was at when I saw the purchase, but there was no install button and the layout of the app store was weird. I had over 100 apps there for my ipad, and it let me download them all, but not Lion. Now that I am finally up to 10.6.8, I only see 4 apps, not Lion. One (iphoto) ironically says "requires OS X v10.7". Where is Lion now? It is not there in my purchased list, whether I hold "option" while pressing "purchases" or not.

Mac Pro won't boot if firewire drives attached

New Mac Pro (OS X 10.4.8) won't boot if my two daisy-chained LaCie hard drives are attached (firewire 800).
I can upnplug 'em and the computer cranks right up; can then plug the drive back in and everything's fine. Wazzup?
Thanks, Bob
Mac Pro 2.66 Mac OS X (10.4.8) User since Apple IIe

Similar problem with iMacG5 - if two firewire drives on bus wouldn't boot. Worked with one but erratic, also long delays opening files, finder erratic and hanging. Decided it was probably a chipset problem with the firewire bus. Since upgrading firewire enclosures problem gone away (I hope). How old are the drive enclosures. Oxford911 firewire bus has some problems with newer macs and OS. May get information on bus in "about this mac/moreinfo/firewire", or in disk utility window ("applications/utilities/disk Utility") WHEN computer is booted up with drives running.
OK, a Plug for Macpower's IceCube enclosures, bloody expensive but since I upgraded no problems. Also wiebetech.com have some cool stuff including internal SATA adaptors/cages etc.for older G5's and dual cores

My mac pro won't boot. It clicks and then clicks off

My Mac Pro won't start. I press the "on" button, it clicks and about 2-3 seconds later it clicks again. Tried every trick I knew, but nothing will work.
Help!

The traditional way to debug this is to remove EVERY item that could be pulling too much power, and try to get the CHIME. Then add an item at a time to get it working fully, or discover what is causing the problem.
Remove AC power and Remove:
All external devices
All PCIe cards including the graphics card.
All Hard drives
All Optical drives
All RAM DIMMs (note where they go)
With NO RAM DIMMs, you should get a Mac Pro that powers up, runs the fans, and flashes the power light (" Help I have not enough working RAM to continue").
Power off, then restore some RAM, and next Startup you should get the CHIME. The chime is generated in Software when the Power-On Self Test has completed without Error. If a source of software can be found, Booting is likely.
Then build up one item at a time.

Why can't I copy my photo files from my Mac Pro to the External Hard Drive?

Whay can't I copy my photo files from my Mac Book Pro to my External Hard Drive?

Are you trying to copy the actual files or the iPhoto Library? Are you tryuing to do it in iPhoto or in a finder window?

How do i save files from mac pro to an external hard drive

how do i save files from mac pro to an external hard drive

Your external drive is formatted NTFS which OS X can read from but not write to. You can either install third-party software on the Mac to enable writing to the drive or repartition and reformat the drive for exclusive use with the Mac. If you don't need to move files between a Mac and a PC, then I would recommend the latter solution.
Tuxera NTFS 2012.3.2
NTFS for Mac OS X 9.5.3
To repartition:
Drive Preparation
1. Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.
2. After DU loads select the external hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.
4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Security button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.
6. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to several hours depending upon the drive size.

Mac Pro won't boot when a hard drive is in drive bay 1

I have a 2006 Mac Pro with a slight issue.
Whenever I put a drive in bay #1, the system will no longer boot.
I've removed all of my hard drives except my boot disk.
Placed it in drive bays 2,3 or 4, and it boots no problem.
When I place it in drive bay 1, the system won't go past the grey screen.
When I hold down the option key when booting with the drive in bay #1, the arrow pops up like I will have a choice of selecting the boot disk, but then no choices appear.
It's super strange. The computer is still working great, it is just a little annoying that one of my drive bays is no longer functional.
Any ideas?

It seems the problem is not with the hard drive(s) since they work in another bay. So the thing to check is the power and SATA cabling from the bay to the motherboard. The SATA cables from the bay plug into the motherboard and perhaps has come loose, gotten dirty, or tarnished. Likewise the connector on the drive bay may be dirty or tarnished.
So my only suggestion is to check the cabling and connections.
Tom

Mac Pro won't boot after adding new hard disk.

I have 2 SATA back up disks which I want to install in my Mac Pro. But when I install them into my mac and hit the ON button, I hear a "click" and nothing happens. When I remove the hard drives the Mac will boot. I also tried it with only one of the two hard drives but no luck.
What could this be ?

There is a lack of just what these are, outside of assuming 3.5" SATA
Did you erase or format them? what make/model and bought from where?
Tried booting OS X DVD?
also, if this is Early 2009 and you are still on 10.5.8, you should strongly consider if you use ANY audio program or deivce, to upgrade to 10.6.5+
PS: unplug? after shutdown? or in order to shutdown?
That can add trouble to your boot drive.
Try safe boot also. And check the directory of all your drives.

Mac Pro won't power optical drive or internal hard drives?!?!?!?!

I'm in a strange predicament. I've acquired a used 2006 Mac Pro that I've gotten to power up just fine. I get the start up chime and the screen goes grey. The problem is that it will stay on that grey screen for 5 minutes or so until a flashing folder appears. It never loads the OS. So I've loaded the OS on an old Firewire external HDD and the computer will boot fine off of that. When using the external, I've noticed that System Profiler is not detecting my internal HDD or optical drive. I do not think they are receiving any power. They both show no signs of activity, functionally or audibly. I've tried reseting the SMC, zapping PRAM- even swapping power supplies. Nothing. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Hi Grant Bennet-Alder. The HDD and optical drive are both installed and all the cables are connected to both the logic board and the devices themselves. The reason I think they aren't receiving power is usually you can hear some activity from them. These seem completely dead but work fine in a different computer.

Early 2008 Mac Pro won't boot after installing 2nd DVD drive

All,
I purchased a Pioneer DVR-117D from Mac Sales and after installing it in my new refurbished 2008 Mac Pro it won't boot. My MP will boot if I remove the drive. According to the Mac Sales website this drive should work fine in my MP. Any ideas as to why this is happening. I literally just got my MP today and installed the drive. Is it the drive or the Mac Pro. Thank you all.

The drive was set to master, I switched it to CS before I left for work but haven't tried reinstalling it. I will try when I get back and let you know if it worked. Thank you again.

New Mac Pro - won't boot up with SSD drives attached

I have a new Mac Pro. It came with the stock 1TB HD. I installed two OWC SSD drives in the two optical drive bays. I booted up and the MacPro saw the two new drives. I set up the two new drives into a RAID0 setup with Disk Utility which worked fine. Then I cloned the 'Macintosh HD' drive so that I could use the two new SSDs as my boot drive.
When I removed the stock 1TB drive the machine will not boot up. I am stuck on the gray startup screen and it never even makes it to the Apple logo.
Even worse, when I reconnect the stock 1TB drive the machine will still not boot up if either or both of the SSD drives are connected. When I remove the SSD drives the machine boots fine.
Very weird - must be some weird RAID stuff going on.
Any ideas?
David

Hi dschamis
Just out of interest, what application did you use to clone from your HDD to the OWC SSD?
I had the same problem, but I was using only one SSD, when I cloned from a VelociRaptor 300GB HDD to an OCZ Agility EX SSD in December 2009.
The SSD "bricked", and when I contacted OCZ they told me that they did not recommend cloning from a HDD to a SSD. In fact they definitely advised against doing so.
I had used SuperDuper to clone from the HDD to the SSD.
When I received the replacement SSD ( OCZ sent me their top of their range Vertex EX), I didn't take any chances, and I did a clean install of the Mac OS and all my applications.
Everything was 100% OK, and I have not had a single problem with the SSD since then, but I never clone to it or from it. I just use Time Machine to back up to a WD My Book SE II 2T external drive, but I do have the original 640GB Apple (WD) HDD as a backup/emergency system boot drive in an external enclosure.
I have just ordered, and received, an OWC MercuryExtreme Pro RE SSD, which I will be using as my system boot drive solely for my photography related applications, and I will use the Vertex EX for the remainder of my applications.
However, I am not even going to risk using SuperDuper to clone the OS or any of the applications from the Vertex EX to the OWC SSD, although OCZ said it was OK to clone from SSD to SSD, and I will do a clean install of the Mac OS and the photography related applications on the Mercury Extreme Pro RE SSD.
Hope all goes well when you receive your replacement SSD.
If in doubt do a clean install of the Mac OS!
Regards,
Bill

Mac Pro won't boot to disk array after Mac OS 10.6.8 combo update. Array two partition are there, just won't start off them anymore. Help, please

My 2009 Mac Pro with Highpoint RocketRAID 3522 would no longer boot of the disk array as it had before. Boots off internal HD (still running 10.6.2), sees the array in the Finder, both volumes there pass Disk Utility Repair Disk tests, they show up in System Preferences - Startup Disk. TechTool Pro 5.0.7 sees nothing wrong with the primary boot partition. (didn't try the clone still with 10.6.7) **** frustrating. Tried reinstalling latest firmware for card. Nothing reported by the drives in way of any failure. zapped the PRAM, tried booting with option key, it doesn't show the array but two copies of the internal HD. Running out of ideas. Any out there?

I am having the same problem with my HPT 4321. After upgrade, wont boot. Shows up everyone as bootable disk (even when holding option at startup) but Mac will not boot off it. I installed a fresh 10.6.8 copy onto a usb drive and HPT drivers work so might just be something to do with the main drive being bootable. To complicate things, the Snow Leopard DVD doesn't have the drivers to see the array so cannot use it for troubleshooting. It will not start in safe mode. Downloaded combo updater to try and re-update but it doesn't let you install it on another drive. HPT driver installer doesn't allow you to install on another drive so also can't re-install driver. Only choice seems to be install OS on new disk and recreate everything from scratch, then SuperDuper back to HPT drives and hope that it was a corruption during the update but not sure that it will boot even after all that work.
Anyone have a working computer with 10.6.8 and booting off a Highpoint RAID card?

Radeon 5770 in 2008 Mac Pro, won't boot - hangs at Apple logo screen??

Okay, so I had the Radeon 2600 XT and it kept giving me issues with pink & white checkerboards and freezing, then eventually wouldn't let me boot past the white/grey apple logo loading screen. Now, today I installed Apple Radeon 5770, just installed, got the MiniDisplay to DVI-D adapter and everything, but it STILL won't let me get past the white/grey apple screen! I can't seem to get the DVD drive to open either. Both of my hard drives have been working fine and I've even swapped slots and i still can't get past the white screen! What gives? I just dropped over $300 for this, so you can imagine my dismay and frustration. Can someone please help me with some ideas? Would be GREATLY appreciated.
It's a 2008 Mac Pro dual 2.8Ghz (3,1), running 10.5.8
M

Yeah, ok thanks for the response about the screen! So, I don't have 10.6.5. I'm running 10.5.8, which the Radeon 5770 says it needs 10.6.5, but -finally- I got my computer to boot up with the 5770 in it, on 10.5. Al I did was hold OPTION+ Power button and it took me to a blue screen, then to my 500 GB new HD. I then switched over to my other username on Macintosh HD (drive that came with the MacPro) and OSX loads fine! I can tell that it still needs to be on 10.6.5, so I can download the drivers because the text is ever so slightly fuzzy, and the color isn't tuned well (too much contrast) and images take a little longer to load/ are a bit laggy. I'm just glad it's up and running! No more pink transparent checkerboards, and loud *** fan sounds! I am wondering though, what was causing this hold up? Is it only booting up because I have the 10.5.2 install disc in the SuperDrive? I almost don't want to take it out and try without it, after the trouble i've had, just in case lol. I'd like to have an idea as to why, because I don't want to mask a problem, and have it eventually turn into a catastrophe.

Mac Pro Won't Boot, Hard Drives Are Fine, Passes Hardware Test

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for