MacBook Air, purchased 2011. Stuck on grey apple screen. Help!

MacBook Air purchased in 2011, never had any trouble previously. Grey Screen stuck in thinking mode, will not accept any commands.  Have let battery drain and re charged but no difference. Any thoughts? Thanks.

Being stuck at the grey screen generally means there's something wrong involving reading something from or writing something to the hard drive. Letting the battery die may be something that is sometimes useful for a phone or iPod, but never for a computer.
Step 1: try restarting in Safe Mode. Reboot and when you hear the chime and/or the LCD backlight comes on press and hold the shift key until you see the Apple icon. The bootup will take longer than normal because the hard drive is being examined and repaired.  If this works you'll get to the desktop but Safe Mode only loads a minimal number of drivers so some things won't work. Reboot normally and see if you can get to the desktop now. If Step 1 failed or if after rebooting you returned to the gray screen try step 2.
Step 2: try restarting in Recovery Mode. Reboot and when you hear the chime and/or the LCD backlight comes on press and hold the command and R keys. You should boot into a utility mode where you can a) check the hard drive directory and repair it if need be and b) download and reinstall the operating system and that's what you should try doing.
If step 2 fails reboot holding option, command and R. This is Internet Recovery mode which is similar to Recovery mode except the drive will probably need to be formatted or partitioned before the OS can be reinstalled. This will erase all your data.
And if this fails call AppleCare or make an appointment at the Apple store.

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  • MacBook Pro (late 2011) stuck at white Apple screen.

    Hi all. My MacBook Pro 13 inch (late 2011) is giving me the same problem over and over again. 
    Few months ago, I had sent it to Apple for repair due to faulty HDD. Now the same problem happened again. The MacBook will stuck at the white Apple screen with the circle turning when attempting to switch on.
    However, Apple had just replace a new HDD and why it's still happening again?
    Can anybody here please assist to advice me what is making my Mac unable to start up, stuck at the white Apple screen, even after replacing a new HDD?
    Thank you!

    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 boot failure is to secure your 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 your last backup, you can skip this step.   
    There are several ways to back up a Mac that is unable to boot. You need an external hard drive to hold the backup data.
         a. Boot into 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, boot 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
    Press and hold the power button until the power shuts off. Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed to boot, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. Use a different keyboard and/or mouse, if those devices are wired. If you can boot 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.
    If you've booted from an external storage device, make sure that your internal boot volume is selected in the Startup Disk pane of System Preferences.
    Step 3
    Boot in safe mode. Note: If FileVault is enabled, or if a firmware password is set, or if the boot volume is a software RAID, you can’t do this. Post for further instructions.
    Safe mode is much slower to boot 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 your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
    When you boot 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, your boot volume is damaged and the drive is probably malfunctioning. In that case, go to step 5.
    If you can boot and log in now, empty the Trash, and then open the Finder Info window on your boot 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 reboot as usual (i.e., not in safe mode.)
    If the boot process hangs again, the problem is likely caused by a third-party system modification that you installed. Post for further instructions.
    Step 4
    Sometimes a boot failure can be resolved by resetting the NVRAM.
    Step 5
    Launch Disk Utility in Recovery mode (see Step 1.) Select your 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 reboot as usual.
    Step 6
    Boot into Recovery again. When the OS X Utilities screen appears, follow the prompts to reinstall the OS. If your Mac was upgraded from an older version of OS X, you’ll need the Apple ID and password you used to upgrade.
    Note: You need an always-on Ethernet or Wi-Fi connection to the Internet to use Recovery. It won’t work with USB or PPPoE modems, or with proxy servers, or with networks that require a certificate for authentication.
    Step 7
    Repeat step 6, but this time erase the boot volume in Disk Utility before installing. The system should automatically reboot into the Setup Assistant. Follow the prompts to transfer your data from a backup.
    Step 8
    A dead logic-board battery in a Mac Pro can cause a gray screen at boot. Typically the boot failure will be preceded by loss of the startup disk and system clock settings. See the user manual for replacement instructions.
    Step 9
    If you get this far, you're probably dealing with a hardware fault. Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store to have the machine tested.

  • After Update to 10.5.8, stuck on Grey Apple screen with turning gear...

    After Update to 10.5.8, stuck on Grey Apple screen with turning gear... and it just stays there...
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    Started it in verbose mode and it say disk02 i/o error
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    *REBOOT NOW*
    I reboot and still the same problem.
    When I put in the install disk it says *cannot install in this drive* (was thinking about archive and reinstall, but I suppose not ) then when I repair and verify, it says All seems OK
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    Message was edited for additional clarity by: BrzrKrk

    Well, I brought to the Apple Store's genius bar. Can't say enough about the experience... they archived and reinstalled... tried everything else and like sometimes happens, transfer of data can become corrupt in a spot that just makes things go haywire. So the Archive and Reinstall worked like a charm.
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  • New iMac is stuck on grey apple screen after restart from Migration Assistant

    New iMac is stuck on grey apple screen after startup. It is a 3.4GHz Quad-core Intel Core i5 running OS 10.9.4. The problem occurred after a migration from my older 2009 iMac which is running Snow Leopard 10.6.6. When the restart occurred from Migration Assistant, the new computer will not boot up to the login screen. Disk utility did not solve problem. Followed instructions for a soft reinstall of Mavericks but that also did not solve problem. Any suggestions?

    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.
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    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.
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    Step 4
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    Step 7
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    Start up in safe mode. Note: If FileVault is enabled, 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
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    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.  
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    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.
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    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.

  • 2012 MB Pro 13" came with Lion - nearly new, second owner. Stopped responding yesterday in the middle of work. Forced quit, booted up single user, ran fsck -fy, mount -us /, reboot. Stuck on grey apple screen with spinning wheel forever now. Please help

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    Run through this list of fixes, your solution is there
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  • MacBook stuck at grey apple screen with spinning logo

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    Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Continue button.
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    • Tried booting up from external firewire drive
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    • Reseated the RAM
    • Replaced the RAM
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    I'm concerned, with you creating and using all the discs. Only the right one is supposed to be used, refer to http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1237
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    Based on your computer description, the Correct RESTORE CD appears to be V1.3 or 1.7. the applicability is at the bottom of the page.
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    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2213
    You might want to try 1.7 again. If you don't get a complete code, your computer could already be at the correct firmware status. I'm am not familiar with any other reasons for why it would provide an incomplete installation. My guess is the software checks the Boot Rom and SMC version and stops, if it sees the right version. My computer reacted similarly when I upgraded recently. Now that is working, I can see the Boot Rom and SMC version are correct. At the time I never got to a choice of where to startup. refer to previous posts.
    Which means this firmware update doesn't solve the problem.
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    You reseated the RAM, Did you perform the hardware test? http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2341
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    I know that my disk utilities CD said my HD was good, but when I ran it with my new Snow Leopard utility it said there was a problem that required reformatting. If you were considering upgrading, I would do it now.
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    I like the free demo of SuperDuper to make clones. It's free, Tiger ready and is easy to use. If you buy the full version you can do incremental backups.
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  • MacBook Pro: Tiger wont boot past grey apple screen w/ spinning gear, HELP!

    Hey everybody,
    I have a 1.83 Ghz MBP with 512 mb of RAM (lame I know). The other day someone was using my computer to burn a CD on iTunes when all of my programs began failing. On instinct I rebooted my computer to solve the problem. Alas, now I cant boot past the grey apple screen, and the gear is spinning away. Saddest part of the story is that I had time set aside to back up my computer the day after this happened . Anyway what is the best thing to do from here? I haven't made any moves to fix it yet really, so what is the best thing that I can do to try and get my files back?
    Thank you,
    Sam A.

    Hi, I posted to you in yoour other thread.
    I very much doubt Disk Utility or fsck will fix an +Invalid Node Structure+ error. That's a pretty serious error and DU is just not robust enough of a utility to repair it.
    If Disk Utility can't fix it, you'll need a more robust utility for the repair. I would recommend DiskWarrior. It is the best at directory repairs. It rebuilds then actually replaces your old directory. I feel every Mac owner should have a copy. Make sure you get the disk so you can boot up on it to run repairs. You can also install it on another drive and run it from there to repair this one. DW works faster that way.
    I use DW once a month to try and catch errors in my system from getting too far out of hand.
    If you have a good backup, hopefully a clone of your system before you had issues, an Erase and Install will also rid you of this issue. But, beware! You will lose everything on the drive with this procedure. Let us know if you need help with that!
    Cheers! DALE
    p.s. If the +Invalid Node Structure+ is real bad, there's a risk even the mighty DiskWarrior will not be able to help. Normally it will come thru; it's only in the severe cases it won't be able to do it. If you don't have a backup, and need the data bad, it's worth the try!

  • Yosemite Stuck at Black Apple Screen - HELP Please

    Tried to install Yosemite on my Macbook Retina Pro stuck at Black Apple Screen Progress bar is about a third done. Beach Ball is spinning been more than five hours. Tried a reboot, zapping Pram etc. still no go. Should I reinstall old system and if so should I use my Time Machine back up or do a fresh install of Mavericks?
    **** everything was working so nicely before I tried the Yosemite update.

    Hi,
    Do you mean that you're unable to logon to Windows no matter via normal start or safe mode, and startup repair doesn't work with the disk?
    For this error "gets stuck at 'Loaded: \Windows\system32\DRIVERS\avgidsha.sys' every time", hope this link can help you
    http://forums.avg.com/ww-en/avg-forums?sec=thread&act=show&id=94159
    I also suggest you try other advanced boot options such as Using Last Known Good Configuration, see this link
    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-in/windows/using-last-known-good-configuration#1TC=windows-7
    NOTE
    This
    response contains a reference to a third party World Wide Web site. Microsoft is providing this information as a convenience to you.
    Microsoft
    does not control these sites and has not tested any software or information found on these sites.
    Yolanda Zhu
    TechNet Community Support

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