MacBook Pro won't boot up past gray screen?

Okay, so I was running chrome and iTunes and spotify. Spotify was playing and Avast! Detected an infection and moved it to the chest. I quit chrome and opened up a Steam game called Garry's Mod, but it wouldn't open no matter how many times I tried it. So I tried to open chrome again and it bounced but didn't open. Tried to open system preferences and it opened but didn't show a window and wasn't responding. So I tried to restart but it wouldn't restart, so I force shut it down. Then it wouldn't go past the gray screen.
So I restarted the PRAM. Didn't work. Tried booting into safe mode. Didn't work. When into single user and checked the directories I think. Didn't work. Called apple and repaired permissions and that didn't work. Then I downloaded OS Mavericks and reinstalled it. Didn't work. So I'm redownloading to see if it might work if i do it again. Otherwise, he said I'd have to completely restore and lose my data, which would suck. I don't have a backup unfortunately.
What I'm wondering is if there's anything you think I could do that just might fix this?
Or, is there anyway to save my data if it won't boot up and I don't have a backup? I have lots of writing and music I really would not like to lose.

Your disk may be sick or dying. As you surmised the top priority at this point is to make a copy of your data.
First, check the health of the disk. Boot in Recovery Mode (Boot, Command-R). Run Disk Utility. Click on the upper left disk icon. Does the S.M.A.R.T. status say “Verified”? If not the disk/SSD is unhealthy and needs to be replaced. Click on the icon indented below, usually called “Macintosh HD” and Verify Disk. If it finishes with a green “OK” message then all is well with the disk. If it shows errors in red then you have found a problem to address once the system is backed up. Do not attempt software repairs until you have secured the data. Post back with the results of this test.
If the disk will not show up at all in Disk Utility to run these simple testes then it is probably already dead. A trip to an Apple store to confirm that would be in order.
If you have an external disk drive you can use as a backup drive then do so. If not I’m going to council you to purchase a drive you can use to replace your internal drive if need be. The silver lining is this new drive will be much faster than the old one. Google “Seagate 1 TB SSHD”. You should find a drive for about $100. Google “USB 3.0 enclosure”. That should cost $10 to $20. When they arrive plug the drive into the enclosure.
Assuming it is still breathing you can recover the data without booting from the sick disk.
Reformat the external disk Boot in Recovery Mode. Start Disk Utility. Plug in the new disk. Select it’s disk Icon (the second one down, left justified). Select the Partition tab.
Partition Layout > Single Partition
Name: Emergency Recovery 1 (or whatever name you wish to use)
Format: Mac OS Extended (journaled)
Options… > GUID Partition Table > OK
Apply
Select the Restore tab.
Drag the old system volume (Macintosh HD) to Source.
Drag the new disk volume (Emergency Recovery 1) to Destination.
Click on Restore.
If that will not complete post back for another emergency data recovery method.
If the backup succeeds use the First Aid tab in Disk Utility to select the old volume (Macintosh HD) and Repair Disk. If it repairs with a green OK message, will it boot normally?
Post back for further instructions. How to proceed will depend on what has transpired to that point.

Similar Messages

Macbook Pro won't boot and getting gray screen, help!

I have a Macbook Pro 15" from mid2011. The warranty just expired one week ago.
I was normally using it without any problem, when suddenly the screen started to freeze and get some horizontal line. I had to force shut down with the power button couple times. The next day, my MBP wasn't booting during the startup.
When I turn on, I can hear the chime, the Apple logo show up and the little wheel turns, but after those things the screen remaing gray without any thing happens.
I have tried some steps that I found on discussion, forums, and websites like:
- PRAM
- cmd-s (to verify and clean the HD)
- hold option and restore using a flash drive with Mountain Lion (after I choose the drive, I get a "blue" screen)
- Remove the RAM and put back
All those things weren't successful.
What do you guys think I should do now?
What are the main causes of gray screen or blue screen?
Should I replace my RAM or HD?
I'm avoiding to take to a technichian or a geek, because I have a lot of confidential work inside. Luckly, I have a backup of everything.
I appreciate every reply made.
Thanks!!

Hi Eric,
Thanks for your fast reply.
Yes, I've tried cmd-R. I get a "blue screen" with vertical lines. Pretty weird.
I'm unable to access the Disk Utility.
Do you think the HD is damaged?

MacBook Pro won't boot up past grey screen! Help!

Long story short, my Mac was working fine yesterday and then it froze. I held down the power button and didn't think twice about it. Now it won't start up past the grey screen. Actually, I just recently held down the "d" key before it started up and now I'm at Apple Hardware Test but I'm not sure what I'm suppose to do. My hardware is testing for something. Does anybody have any troubleshooting things I could try to help make it come back? I am very depressed it's not working. I tried calling Apple Support but the guy only sent me an e-mail telling me how to fix it.

AHT test can take up to 4 hours...
Intel-based Macs: Using Apple Hardware Test
You can also try Disk Utility (fsck)
Resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance with Disk Utility and fsck

Attn: macbook pro won't start up past grey screen NO MATTER WHAT

my macbook pro won't start up past the grey screen, NO MATTER WHAT I DO. i've searched all the discussions on this, and NOTHING WORKS. nothing caused this either - i was just browing the internet and using ichat, and my computer shut down, and that is when this started.
I am EXTREMELY disappointed with this bullstein. My computer works great, etc., and I support mac and apple to the nth degree, but then some stupid crap like this happens and I can't use my computer at all. I have to use my sister's **** ibook g3 to even do this.
PLEASE HELP. do NOT post what you have already posted in the other discussions, and i've already been welcomed to the boards. I can't go to an apple store because i'm on vacation in new mexico for the summer, and there no stores anywhere near here. is there any real advice around here? I need to use my computer. That is why I spent close to $4,000 for it with upgrades and software.

where can i get an install disc for the macbook pro?
You really need to use the one that came with your MBP. If you don't have it, a retail Tiger OS X disc should work.
also, could an archive/install potentially free up some harddrive space on my computer?
No, it will actually use more space, so you will need at least 6G of free space. To clean your hard drive, use WhatSize.
WhatSize >>
-Bmer
Mac Owners Support Group
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TS2570 My MacBook Pro won't start up.only gray screen

Hi there,
My MacBook Pro won't start it show only gray screen (with apple logo )
And I have tried these solutions none of them worked
1/ Reset PRAM and NVRAM
2/ Restart in safe mode
3/Run Disk Utility in Single User Mode
After I tried third option it shutdown by itself
Please I need data inside the laptop , i have no backup
what should I do ?
I need some kind of solution does not contain formatting or deleting my data
Thank you in advance

..Step by Step to fix your Mac
Create a data recovery/undelete external boot drive
My computer is not working, is my personal data lost?

MacBook Pro Won't Boot Beyond Grey Apple Screen - Mystery Partition Found

My MacBook Pro, which suffers from appalling overheating (94 degrees C in each core last week) won't boot beyond the grey apple splash screen. I booted from a Developer's disk and ran Repair Disk/Disk Permissions. Both verified AND said the repairs failed. The drive (as opposed to the volumes) said it had no valid files and thus couldn't be repaired even though it verified. I target-disked it to one of my G4s and took off a bunch of apps and lightened its load, waited a while and tried again--it's been grey screen gear turning for 20 minutes now. I have Remote Desktop but it won't respond to that. Of course, Windows XP boots up perfectly normally on its Boot Camp-created partition, dumbly unaware of the general chaos on the other side.
While I had the Disk Utility from the boot disk on, I noticed my partition scheme had changed somehow. The big partition with the system was now in position #2, set between #3 (Windows--formerly #2 of 2) and a new one of only 200MB called #1 which is formatted OS X Journaled. I didn't make that partition and it couldn't be erased. I think the cpmputer is looking in the #1 spot for a system and can't find it because some renegade partition with no brain has pushed its way to the front. How do I annihilate that thing and get on with it? How did it get there?
Has anyone tried that alter the Apple Blower/Fan hack said to turn the fans on permanently?
For the record, I'm in L.A. and the ground has been rocking and rolling for the past 3 minutes on and off.
MacBook Pro 2.0/2GB/100GB Mac OS X (10.4.8) TiBookG4 1.0/512K/60; PowerMacG4 Quicksilver 933/1G/160; PowerMacG4 450/512K/30

I called Apple's Tech Support and they had me do perform sevral procedures I had done already, none of which worked. They suggested that the mystery partition (which has since ceased to reappear in the Disk Utility's view of the partition scheme) was an anomaly caused by the still-Beta Boot Camp--nothing was said about Windows XP booting, but I think you're right because whenever installing Windows, it always reserves a small "free space" on the PC's drive for its own purposes. Anyway, I'mre-installing now but very unhappy to hear I have suspected all along--the overheating is killing the computer. I know this from experience because Ihad a Powerbook G4 with a at-that-time-not-yet-recalled battery that overheated to such an extent that it fried the logic board and the harddrive. After a year of arguing with Apple, they replaced the computer with this MacBookPro--and overheating laptop that also had its battery recalled, has already been sent back to Texas for over heating (they replaced the superdrive which of course had no effect on the heat issue) and now has hard drive problems. I have two old PowerMac G4s sitting here plugging along--maybe I'm over laptops. Thanks
MacBook Pro 2.0/2GB/100GB Mac OS X (10.4.8) TiBookG4 1.0/512K/60; PowerMacG4 Quicksilver 933/1G/160; PowerMacG4 450/1GB/100

My Macbook Pro won't get off of gray screen, can't get to recovery screen either.

My Macbook Pro 15" early 2011 (not even two years old darn it) decided to not play nice. It was going slow and then it just went blank to the gray screen after rebooting. I have done EVERY step that I have been told to do. I have been reading everything I could find on this since last Friday. I have 2 back ups now from CCCloner but no time machine. I was able to get into the recovery screen yesterday but could not get in it today. I tried to click option on start up and run recovery 10.8.2 but then it just goes to the dark blue screen with lines. I even put in my snow leopard disc to see if it would start up and no go. It just shows apple and then wheely thing.. and then either dark blue screen with lines or gray screen. Ive reset pram, fsuk,single user mode, etc etc... all the steps except going to a "genius" and now I have an appt in the am. I am comfortable with my back ups.. wish I had a time machine back up but that was corrupt. Oh and I did the disc utility on friday and it said that my permisions were not correct.. etc etc. so i did a repair and everything is fine. I have since done that 3 times while in T mode during my back up and it says my hardrive is ok. I can not access disc utilty unless its in T mode and I access it from my hubby's computer.
Bottom line is this... nothing is working. I have done all the steps that I have known or read about. Even my techie is stumped. Is there anything else that I should do before going in to the darn "genius bar" ? I live in Key Largo and its not easy to just make a trip to the mainland to Miami. Of course I am willing but I am hoping I can atleast install mountain lion myself. Oh I also made a mountain lion recovery assistant with my usb... and tried to boot from that.. no luck.
Again its always the blue screen with vertical lines or gray screen.
Any ideas? Suggestions?
I'm a loss and NEED to start working again. I've lost almost a weeks worth of work and I am a wedding photographer. My brides will be bridezilla's before long.
thanks!

Hey Man I have the same problem, One day the screen just went black and from then onwards it has been reall problematic, I went to the apple store but they wanted about 100 bucks to have a look at it, although they did a diagnostic for free, but it didnt reval anything.
They said it was either the screen or the graphics card, and each one cost 750USD but 100USD to find out which........ I didnt fork out the cash though, a bit expensive!!!!!!!
However I did get the computer back up and running, by holding Opt on start up, mostly it goes to the f**king dark blue screen with the vertical lines. But every 10 to 15 goes I can get to the disk utility, If you run the repair disk and repair premonitions, then start up again it should boot up, you may get a day or two out of it before BOOM back the blue screen of vertical death.
I believe its the graphics thats busted, (which is soldered to the logicboard) so the only to fix it according to the apple guys is to get a new one at 750USD and about 2 weeks to get it done. here is a app called gfxCardStatus, and it tells you which card ur using (there is 2) when the card switches the computer crashes, you can set the app to only use the "Intrergrated card" but you cant watch movies or iweb, camera, just web browsing and text stuff....... the other HD card does all the other heaver graphic processing............
I hope this helps, but all in all, lots of people have had the same problem and Apple have not declared it a fault on there part, they boast about the quality of there products but in essence my last macbook died suddenly........ I invested in a macbookpro (early 2011) the graphics card is broke, the trackpad doesnt work properly and the screen has screenburn all over the edges and sides........... Seriously!!!! and the reply was buy another computer from the apple guys!!!!!! Pretty disappointed.

MacBook Pro won't boot - stays on black screen and beeps every few seconds

Hi,
My MacBook Pro has been having issues - when powered on wont boot past the white screen and more recently will just stay on black screen and beeps every 5 seconds. I had someone look at it and it seems apparently the motherboard is the problem
and either needs fixing or replacing. As I am traveling in Nicaragua the closest apple store is in Managua (capital). Would I be able to get the motherboard looked at and replaced if need be at this apple store? Also, does anyone know the approximate price for the motherboard to be replaced? Up until a few days ago the laptop was still turning on and working every now and then but now stays on black screen and beeps.
Any advice would be very helpful!
Thanks

Welcome to Apple Support Communities
It means that your Mac's memory is damaged > http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2538?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US
First, replace the memory modules. You can buy more memory at OWC or Crucial. It can also be replace by a reseller.
If it doesn't work, the RAM slots are damaged, so your logic board has to be replaced. It costs more than a half of the price of your MacBook

MacBook pro won't start up past grey screen

Ive tried a PRAM reset four or five times- nothing. Won't boot into safe moDe. Tried the command line with fsck-fy and it says there is no problems with my had drive but still won't load up.
it shows the grey screen with a clear spinning cog, then a blue screen, then the grey screen again, then blue, then grey before it goes to blue and stays there. I can move the cursor
any help would be appreciated. I can't get a Genius Bar appointment for a week :/

Please read this whole message before doing anything.
This procedure is a diagnostic test. It’s unlikely to solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
The purpose of the test is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party software that loads automatically at startup or login, by a peripheral device, by a font conflict, or by corruption of the file system or of certain system caches.
Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards, if applicable. Start up in safe mode and log in to the account with the problem. You must hold down the shift key twice: once when you turn on the computer, and again when you log in.
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. Ask for further instructions.
Safe mode is much slower to start up and run than normal, with limited graphics performance, and some things won’t work at all, including sound output and Wi-Fi on certain models. The next normal startup may also be somewhat slow.
The login screen appears even if you usually login 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.
Test while in safe mode. Same problem?
After testing, restart as usual (not in safe mode) and verify that you still have the problem. Post the results of the test.

MacBook Pro won't boot up past the Apple logo! Help! :(

I had to force the computer to shut down as it refused to force quit.
I Have tried everything I can (Disk Utility - Repairing the disk.. even though the results came up as OK.. Ive re-installed Mountain Lion..) and had no luck!! The grey screen with the Apple logo and spinning wheel just stay there!
Also, it refuses to go into Safe Mode, after holding shift the loading bar only loads up to almost half-way and then it disappears.
Please help!!

I'm having the same problem with my macbook. Apple logo and spinning wheel. I saw a video on youtube that said to reset prm and also to remove both sticks of ram and trying to boot one stick at a time (due to problem possibly being caused by faulty ram) I also tryed booting from disk and booting from safe mode, but everything has failed. All I get is the Apple logo and spinning wheel. Does this mean the hard drive has failed? Or is there another fix that I might try? If it is the hard drive it would suck, but I could go buy another one and replace it, but what would really suck is if it wasn't the hard drive to begin with. Can anyone please help?
Thanks....

Macbook Pro won't start up past blue screen

I'm running OS X 10.5.7 on my MBP, along with a boot camp partition. My superdrive has been playing up for the past few months, and upon learning that the 2.1 firmware update could be responsible, I obtained the update and attempted to re-flash the firmware myself. To do this I had to edit a system file and spoof my version number to 10.4.9; I couldn't flash the drive otherwise.
I used textwrangler to edit the file /System/Library/CoreServices/SystemVersion.plist - I had to unlock the file to do this. I saved it, used the flashing utility and rebooted as instructed, and then encountered the issue. The screen turns from grey to blue, and the "loading" indicator appears briefly before disappearing again - this happens repeatedly until I power my computer off.
I started up in single-user mode and performed a fsck - this repaired some filesystem issues I wasn't aware I had, but did nothing to fix the problem. Running in single user mode, however, did reveal that the loginwindow.app was crashing repeatedly, and crash reports were being saved in a log directory.
Attempting to start in safe mode results in it sitting on the loading indicator at the grey Apple logo screen for upwards of twenty minutes with no results (save my computer getting increasingly warm).
I've long since mislaid the discs bundled with my MBP as well as my Leopard disc.
Windows XP still boots with no problems.
What exactly is the cause of this issue? I wouldn't have thought the file I edited and not being able to get past this blue screen were connected. Is there any way I can restore it?
I also have a Macbook at my disposal - are there any feasible solutions which would involve booting another machine in target disk mode?
Message was edited by: fnool
Message was edited by: fnool

Is there any way I can restore it?
Did you make a backup of the file? Always a wise thing to do when messing with system files.
Not sure if pico works in SUM but it would be worth a try to edit the file again to revert it to its proper version. If that fails, you will need to get your Leopard disc for an Archive and Install. Might be able to get a replacement one from Applecare at little cost.
Good luck and let us know what happens.
Edit:
Just saw you have another Macbook available. If both machines were running same OS you might be able to copy the file from one computer to the other. I would do this as root though then run a Permissions Repair in Disk Utility afterward
Message was edited by: theonlydean

MacBook pro won't boot up with the screen after Yosemite

since updating to Yosemite my Mac book hasn't woken up from sleep
i can hear it turn on when I hit the power button but no screen or keyboard lights up
really need some help please
my Mac book pro is only 2-3 years old

Hi Bizzlewood,
Welcome to the Apple Support Communities!
I know it can be both frustrating and concerning when your computer doesn’t seem to wake from sleep. There may be a few different troubleshooting steps I would suggest in this situation. Please refer to the attached article for troubleshooting information.
OS X: When your Mac doesn't sleep or wake
Your computer cannot wake from sleep
Make sure your computer isn't powered off by pressing the power key for one second.
If you're using an external display, make sure your display is not powered off or unplugged.
If you are using a Mac notebook:
Make sure the computer's battery is charged. Try connecting the power adapter to the computer, then press the power button for one second to see if the computer powers on.
Make sure the AC power cord is connected securely to the power outlet, and that the outlet it is working correctly. Confirm the power adapter or cable is attached firmly.
If your computer is plugged into a power strip, make sure the power strip is not turned off. Check to make sure other items connected to the power strip are receiving power.
Confirm the right power adapter is connected on Mac notebook computers. If a lower wattage power adapter is used than the one that came with your Mac, it may not provide enough power to charge the battery while the computer is powered on. Make sure there is no debris in the MagSafe port that might prevent charging. When your MagSafe cable is connected properly, you should see a green or orange light on the connector.
If the issue is still not resolved after verifying the above information, please be sure to follow the steps listed at the bottom of the article in the Additional troubleshooting section.
Cheers,
Joe

MBP won't boot up past gray screen

Stays at the gray on gray apple logo screen with the rotating dial. Tried resetting PRAM, etc. Saw a similar post but it had no response. Hopefully I'll do better.
thanks

Boot from your system CD, run Disk First Aid from your Disk Utility and repair your permissions. If that does not work, try an Archive and Install.
Mac OS X: About the Archive and Install feature >>
-Bmer
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MacBook Pro won't boot after trying to install 10.7.3 update. Start up stalls at Apple logo and spinning gear.

MacBook Pro won't boot after trying to install 10.7.3 update. Start up stalls at Apple logo and spinning gear. Computer won't even start in safe mode.

My daughter's MacBook Pro was doing exactly the same thing. I don't know if it had anything to do with the latest update. She called me about a week ago saying that her MacBook began running slower by the day . She then called me Friday and told me that it wouldn't get past the gray screen and the gear just kept on spinning. I did everything I could over the phone including Safe mode which it wouldn't go into and thought maybe it was the hard drive. She took it to the Apple store. Originally, they also thought it was the hard drive. It ended up being a corrupted operating system (Lion). Apple genius simply re-installed Lion and she's back up and running. Good thing she backed up right before it crapped out. She'll be restoring everything tonight. Don't know if re-installing Lion will help your situation, but it did the trick for my daughter.

My MacBook Pro won't go beyond a white screen, after I pushed the restart button. How can I get it to a login? I have routinely backed it up, but don't know how to bring that up, nor if I have a boot file on that external disk. Help!

My MacBook Pro won't go beyond a white screen, after I pushed the restart button. How can I get it to a login? I have routinely backed it up, but don't know how to bring that up, nor if I have a boot file on that external disk. 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.

MacBook Pro won't boot up past gray screen?

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