Macbook not starting up, spinning on grey screen

Hi,
Before Christmas, I was entitled to a free battery from Apple. They told me to take my laptop to one of their external mechanics and they'd fit it for me while I wait. I did that and when I got home that day, I turned on the laptop but I was unable to get past the initial grey screen with the apple logo. The wheel would come up and just start spinning and spinning forever. I left it on for hours but still nothing.
Eventually, I discovered my hard drive may have got corrupted. How, I don't know, I'm inclined to blame the people who changed the battery as the minute they gave it back to me, it stopped working, but they're refusing to take any responsibility, neither are Apple.
I backed up the hard drive using disk utility and making a dmg of it but I'd left my laptop down in London for a few months so I didn't get around it sorting it until now. I've deleted the hard drive and re-installed OS Lion and the laptop began as if I'd just bought it. So I restored the dmg and now I'm back to square one, the spinning wheel and only being able to access disk utility by pressing CMD + R on startup.
I have so much stuff that I can't afford to lose on that dmg, what can I do to ensure I can get my laptop back to the way it was? If it's a lost cause, is there a way I can access the files and back them up one by one instead of as a dmg?
I have an appointment at the Apple Store on Wednesday but ideally I'd like to get this sorted myself so any help would be appreciated!
Thanks!
EDIT: Should also add, I'm trying to load it up in safe mode by holding shift but when I do this, the spinning wheel doesn't even appear, instead, the laptop just turns off after about 20 seconds.

Just an update on this...
The guy at the Apple store felt it could have been a corrupt file on the hard drive that triggered after the battery swap. Personally, I don't buy this as it was working fine before and I did regular checks and scans on all my files to ensure nothing like this would happen but there you go.
Anyway, somehow he made it so I could access my files, something to do with partioning the hard drive and whatnot. So I dragged the files onto my external, restarted everything (i.e, clean OS reinstall) and dragged them back on. Not the most ideal way as I have to install all my apps again but it could be worse.
Moral of the story is: when all else fails, complain to Apple in-store and don't take no for an answer!

Similar Messages

My mac computer was frozen,then it had a question mark ? and does not start, still at the grey screen blinking with the mac logo,dont know if it is a lion,leopard or tiger

my mac computer was frozen, so my son turned off the computer and restarted again, then a questin mark showed on blank grey screen, then the mac logo comes up blinking and nothing happens. Don't know if it is still in the frozen stage. Please help me, don't know what to do?The version not too sure but i know it is more than 10.5 and 6. I turned off the computer many times and left it off for a while and turned it back on and it remains at the white screen with the mac logo blinking.

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1440
http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/8517/cant-boot-mac-only-shows-a-folder- with-a-question-mark
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2570
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3926554?start=0&tstart=0
How old is this Mac? It is also possible that the hard drive has failed. If nothing works, take it to the  Retail Store

Macbook wont start up, stuck on grey screen

I need some help, I woke my computer from sleep then decided to restart it because it wasnt restarted for a while and now when I try to turn it on it just loads a grey screen and nothing else.
I need someone to help me asap, I have a few assignments due tomorrow that are on this computer.
Thanks in advance
Oh I also dont have the Mac OS X CDs so I cant do anything that involves those, they are in a different country at the moment so its not an option...
EDIT: If I leave it on it seems to get REALLY hot
EDIT2: followed this: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2570
Turns out one of my peripheral devices is making it happen....which is extremely odd since I use the same devices daily and I have never had a problem
Oh well I guess I just have to look into getting a new laptop
Message was edited by: Jamilv

Without the Software Restore discs there's nothing you can do but take it in for service. The problem requires reinstalling OS X, and that requires the installer disc.

My macbook pro will not start up. stuck on grey loading screen and spinning dial. HELP

my macbook pro will not start up. stuck on grey loading screen and spinning dial. i shut it down last night and now when i try to turn it on it will not get past this page. lights and sounds work but nothing happens. please help

Power it down by holding the power button down. Then try to power it up again. Post back. It would help if we knew what OS you are running, the model MBP...

When I boot up my macbook pro, it takes forever to start and I got grey screen...Help Please.

Just a minute ago I tried to boot up my macbook pro...normally the grey screen pops up with the whirring wheel, and then my Lion log-in screen comes up and all is well. This time, however, the whirring wheel spun forever on the grey apple screen. Then the wheel stopped and it went to a solid grey screen with apple...and nothing for about 10-15 seconds. Eventually it came up. BTW, this was the 2nd time I tried to boot because the first time, the grey screen with the whirring wheel stayed up for several minutes so I rebooted.
Anyone know what might be wrong? Thanks so much for your input!

Just a minute ago I tried to boot up my macbook pro...normally the grey screen pops up with the whirring wheel, and then my Lion log-in screen comes up and all is well. This time, however, the whirring wheel spun forever on the grey apple screen. Then the wheel stopped and it went to a solid grey screen with apple...and nothing for about 10-15 seconds. Eventually it came up. BTW, this was the 2nd time I tried to boot because the first time, the grey screen with the whirring wheel stayed up for several minutes so I rebooted.
Anyone know what might be wrong? Thanks so much for your input!

On start up I get grey screen with wheel turning but it goes no further

On start up I get grey screen with wheel turning but it goes no further

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.” 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, boot 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 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
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.

Imac will not start up - no fans, no screen display, nothing

My imac G5 is about 10 months old. Today, after trying to wake it up from sleep, it would not wake, and it was as if it was switched off. It would not start up when I pressed the power button.
I disconnected the computer, pressed power button for 5 secs, and plugged back in directly to the wall supply. It did start up, but within 2 mins suddenly switched off, and has remained resolutely unresponsive since then. Pressing the power button does not start up anything - no fans, screen display, bleeps - just nothing.
I would be very grateful for any advice.

Hey AM,
This doesn't make sense here:
"My imac G5 is about 10 months old."
You're in the iMac G5 forum but if this is true you have an Intel iMac and if it's truely about 10 months old it's still under warranty so take it in.
Richard

MacBook not starting even after charging

MacBook not starting after charging

Will the MBP operate with the power adapter attached? If not, make an appointment with an Apple store genius bar.
Ciao.

Hi my iMAc 27 inch starts up to the grey screen with apple logo and loading bar underneath it loads halfway then freezes up and shut down after a while please help

Hi my iMAc 27 inch starts up to the grey screen with apple logo and loading bar underneath it loads halfway then freezes up and shut down after a while please help

Try the tips listed here Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup - Apple Support

TS1411 my desktop Mac OS X is not starting, I get the gray screen with the apple logo and a bar below and then shot off by itself.

My Imac is not starting , I get a gray screen with the logo and a bar below and about one minute the bar desapier and shot off by itself. I try evething that I can think of and not luck. I did disconect all accesories and still the same, I use the start up disc and same.. now I can not get the disc out.
Please advise what I need to do to solve the problem. Recently this computer was upgraded from 10.4 to Mountain lion and add more memory.

Thanks for your help.
Same thing happen when I hold the button, it idle for a while and then turn off by itself. Any more suggestions?
I got the disc..

My imac won't start up past the grey screen, apple and spinning clock

Hi there. First time posting - usually either apple support website or previous threads solve the problem. Alas, not this time.
I have an intel imac - can't tell you much about the details as I can't get any info out of it. I installed snow leopard about a year ago - no issue since then other than occassionally the screen goes black but nothing major.
Yesterday, I backed up to my usual passport backup and then today, it froze. I couldn't turn it off or restart at all so resorted to the power button. Since then, I can turn it on, it goes to the grey screen (no blue screen) and I get the apple logo and the spinning clock/wheel. For hours and hours....
So, I tried one of the apple support pages and worked through - peripherals, safe boot, NVRAM, PRAM, tried to reboot with mac osx disc (the original not snow leopard) - nothing. Absolutely nothing changes - same old grey screen, apple logo and spinning clock/wheel.
HELP - do I try and reboot with the snow leopard disc? I don't know what to do next - I am no techie so half the threads don't even sound like English to me.
Thanks in advance, hope you geniuses out there can help me out.
abcvic

Thanks for the reply.
I had tried to reboot with the original disc but it never worked. The imac just spits out the disc and eventually, I am back at the grey screen, apple logo and wheel spinning. I tried it one more time following your reply. Same outcome.
My instal disc 1 had the instruction re hardware test which I have also tried with no success. I can't remember if it came with a disc 2 though I seem to have a couple - I also have a macbook and that seems to be still alive even if it is slow.
I tried to reboot with Snow Leopard disc - power on, chime then hold down C key. Same old - grey screen, apple logo and wheel spinning. Disc spat out eventually.
Any other suggestions welcomed or I am off to Apple tomorrow.

Brand new MacBook Pro doesn't get past grey screen (with spinning gear)

Hello,
I'm a new Apple customer - I bought a new 15" MacBook Pro during the Black Friday sale last week. Since purchase, I've installed the software I needed (Office, CS4) and have used it to browse the web and write emails.
Today when I tried to use it, I simply got to the grey screen with the Apple logo on it and the spinning gear device underneath - got absolutely no further.
I have done the following (running from mains adaptor - but the battery indicator is reporting 7 lights anyhow):
1. Boot from the OSX Install Disc, and run the disc repair utility. It reported no problems found. Restarted... same problem.
2. Boot holding down SHIFT to go into safe mode. Underneath the spinning gears, a progress bar filled up to 100% and then disappeared; leaving the grey screen, logo, and spinning gears. Nothing further.
3. Boot holding Option, P, R as per the manual to reset the PRAM. According to the manual there should have been a chime/beep - there wasn't. It just sits on the grey screen, logo, spinning gears. Nothing further.
Right now I've got a £1300 MacBook Pro less than a week old and it appears to have just packed up.
Am I missing anything here, or should I just return it?
Thanks,
Chris

Definitely take it back!
My friend bought a new iMac from the Regents St. store a few weeks ago, just before the update to the new models came out, and after a week she couldn't get it to boot. I felt very embarrassed as I had persuaded to her to switch to Mac after years of PC woes, so a broken mac after a week didn't look do me any favours. The genius guys didn't mess around, they took back the dead one and gave her a new one, this time she got the new version, they also threw in iWork free as a good will gesture. New one is running fine.
If you haven't already got Applecare, I highly recommend buying it within the next 12 months. I have needed it on a couple of occasions after the standard warranty ran out and the tech support has been brilliant, got me working again no quibbles.

My macbook pro doesn't bootbeyond the grey screen with apple icon and spinning wheel.

My macbook pro doesn't boot beyond the grey screen with apple icon and spinning wheel. I used the "Option" button to access the Disk Utility function and run Repair Disk and Repair Disk Permissions. Should I restart my computer?

The following support article is somewhat outdated. Where it refers to booting from an installation disc, you should boot from your recovery partition (if running 10.7 or later) by holding down the key combination command-R at the chime.
Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup

First gen Macbook pro will not turn back on after grey screen of death

Hi, i have a first generation Macbook Pro. As i was browsing the web, my computer all the sudden froze and the "grey screen of death" appeared and shut of my computer. After, it tried to restart, but it wont get past the CD rom or hard drive noise it makes once you press the power button. I hear the noise fully cycle once, then it restarts the noise and keeps skipping. Once its done, the computer IS on, but the screen is black and I cannot do anything. Please help! Ive never dealt with thins kind of problem and Im sort of a noob with computers. Is the computer fried? It is after all 7 years old, and I use it daily.

After the startup sound (be precise) after the sound press the shift Key until the apple appear.
If that wont work. Try an SMC reset
Then try a PRAM reset
This procedures are on apple webpage

My macbook pro wont get past the grey screen at startup. Help!!

After doing a run of the mill software update on my macbook pro (running snow leopard) it froze during the "moving items into place" stage. I forced a shut down and now it wont get past the grey screen with apple logo and spinning wheel. I have tried booting from the original DVD but it still freezes. When I boot it in verbose mode it seems to stop at "jnl: unknown-dev: update_fs_block: error reading fs block # 3597880! (ret 5)", the Apple AHCD Disk Queue manager :: set power state is timing out and there is a disk I/O error. I have tried to reset the power manager (not sure if it worked or not) and I have also tried clearing the PRAM (again, not sure of that worked). When I try to look at the hard drive using target mode on my imac the hard drive doesn't come up but the DVD does. I'm concerned that my hard drive is fried. Any suggestions?

It would help to state in your post which remedies you tried that didn't work.
Start here > OS X Lion: If you see a gray screen at startup
If nothing there helped, try Starting up in Safe Mode
Safe Mode deletes some system caches that may help.
A Safe Mode boot takes longer than a normal boot so be patient. Once you are in Safe Mode, click Restart from the Apple menu.
If a Safe Mode boot didn't work, since your Mac has OS X v10.7 installed, restart your Mac while holding down the Command + R keys so you can access OS X Recovery built in utilities. The startup disk may need repairing.
Tip: Hold down the Eject key while starting up your Mac to eject a disc.

Macbook not starting up, spinning on grey screen

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for