My computer won't load pass the grey start up screen

    MacBook pro won't load pass the grey start up screen?

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
Sometimes a boot failure can be resolved by resetting the NVRAM.
Step 3
If there's a built-in optical drive, a disc may be stuck in it. Follow these instructions to eject it.
Step 4
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 5
Boot in safe mode. Note: If FileVault is enabled on some models, 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 corrupt 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 6
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 7
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.
Step 8
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 Time Machine or other backup.
Step 9
This step applies only to older Macs (not current models) that have a logic-board ("PRAM") battery. Both desktop and portable Macs used to have such a battery. The logic-board battery is separate from the main battery of a portable. A dead logic-board battery can cause a boot failure. Typically the boot failure will be preceded by loss of the startup disk and system clock settings. See the user manual for replacement instructions. You may have to take the machine to a service provider to have the battery replaced.
Step 10
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. If you can't get to an Apple Store, go to another authorized service provider.

Similar Messages

  • My powerbook won't load past the grey apple logo screen

    I had been away on business for a few weeks and yesterday I decided to run the latest updates for my powerbook. In the middle of it the computer froze for what I think is the first time since I bought it 2 years ago. I ended up having to shut the computer down with the power button. When I turned it on it wouldn't and still won't advance past the grey apple logo screen with the progress indicator. It just sits there for hours on end if I let it.
    So far I've tried the following, all to no avail.
    Booting in safe mode I get the same result.
    Zapping the Ram
    Resetting the PMU
    Reinstalling OS X, during which the computer either randomly shuts down or goes to sleep and then shuts down and requires me to reset the PMU in order to start again.
    Running the hardware diagnosis. I did this once and it froze during the logic board test, 1 minute 6 seconds in to it.
    Anyone have any ideas that don't involve spending 900 dollars on a logic board? Thanks a lot for any help.

    joeuu, thanks for the reply. i checked the airport and the ram and both seem to be seated properly.
    i ran the quick hardware diagnosis and it came back showing everything was fine.
    when i ran the extended one i got more progress than i did the first time. it got to the RAM diagnosis (about 6:45 seconds in) and then froze - i let it sit like this for an hour and a half to make sure it was actually frozen.
    i also tried to run the disc utility from the installation disc and it just sits there with the progress wheel spinning, but nothing else is going on.

  • Macbook won't get past the grey start up screen

    I purchased my Macbook in 2008, roughly July.
    My fiance unknowingly shut down my macbook in the middle of start up. Before that it was running perfectly fine, I had no issues.
    After my fiance stopped the start up, the macbook won't turn on. It'll load up to the grey loading screen (example here)... It doesn't make much noise as it starts up either. I have all original discs that came with the macbook, if that helps any.
    I'm frustrated, as I can't afford to replace my mac at this point.
    Any idea what I can do?
    Thanks..

    Hopefully, nothing permanent. Do the following:
    If you have Snow Leopard installed:
    Reinstall Snow Leopard without erasing the drive
    Do the following:
    1. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions
    Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list.  In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive.  If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.
    If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
    2. Reinstall Snow Leopard
    If the drive is OK then quit DU and return to the installer.  Proceed with reinstalling OS X.  Note that the Snow Leopard installer will not erase your drive or disturb your files.  After installing a fresh copy of OS X the installer will move your Home folder, third-party applications, support items, and network preferences into the newly installed system.
    Download and install the Combo Updater for the version you prefer from support.apple.com/downloads/.
    If you have Lion installed:
    Reinstalling Lion Without Erasing the Drive
    Boot to the Recovery HD: Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
    Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions: Upon startup select Disk Utility from the main menu. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions as follows.
    When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list.  In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive.  If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the main menu.
    Reinstall Lion: Select Reinstall Lion and click on the Continue button.
    Note: You can also re-download the Lion installer by opening the App Store application. Hold down the OPTION key and click on the Purchases icon in the toolbar. You should now see an active Install button to the right of your Lion purchase entry. There are situations in which this will not work. For example, if you are already booted into the Lion you originally purchased with your Apple ID or if an instance of the Lion installer is located anywhere on your computer.
    If you have Leopard installed:
    How to Perform an Archive and Install
    An Archive and Install will NOT erase your hard drive, but you must have sufficient free space for a second OS X installation which could be from 3-9 GBs depending upon the version of OS X and selected installation options. The free space requirement is over and above normal free space requirements which should be at least 6-10 GBs. Read all the linked references carefully before proceeding.
    1. Be sure to use Disk Utility first to repair the disk before performing the Archive and Install.
    Repairing the Hard Drive and Permissions
    Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger, Leopard or Snow Leopard.) After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer. Now restart normally.
    If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
    2. Do not proceed with an Archive and Install if DU reports errors it cannot fix. In that case use Disk Warrior and/or TechTool Pro to repair the hard drive. If neither can repair the drive, then you will have to erase the drive and reinstall from scratch.
    3. Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When you reach the screen to select a destination drive click once on the destination drive then click on the Option button. Select the Archive and Install option. You have an option to preserve users and network preferences. Only select this option if you are sure you have no corrupted files in your user accounts. Otherwise leave this option unchecked. Click on the OK button and continue with the OS X Installation.
    4. Upon completion of the Archive and Install you will have a Previous System Folder in the root directory. You should retain the PSF until you are sure you do not need to manually transfer any items from the PSF to your newly installed system.
    5. After moving any items you want to keep from the PSF you should delete it. You can back it up if you prefer, but you must delete it from the hard drive.
    6. You can now download a Combo Updater directly from Apple's download site to update your new system to the desired version as well as install any security or other updates. You can also do this using Software Update.

  • How to get past the grey start up screen after mavericks update

    I have recently installed a free update of Mavericks on the App store. However after installing this, the Macbook Pro that i've installed on will not boot beyond the Grey start up screen. I was running Snow Leopard on a machine with intel core 2 duo processors 4 Gb of RAM and over 100Gb of free memory.
    I have attempted a safe boot (holding down shift while while holding the power button down), and Reseting the NVRAM by pressing 'command', 'option', 'P' and 'R' at the same time.
    I do not have an installation disk or a time machine back up.
    Does anyone know how to get passed the Grey start up Screen?
    Any Suggestions would be mucho appreciated.

    I have recently installed a free update of Mavericks on the App store. However after installing this, the Macbook Pro that i've installed on will not boot beyond the Grey start up screen. I was running Snow Leopard on a machine with intel core 2 duo processors 4 Gb of RAM and over 100Gb of free memory.
    I have attempted a safe boot (holding down shift while while holding the power button down), and Reseting the NVRAM by pressing 'command', 'option', 'P' and 'R' at the same time.
    I do not have an installation disk or a time machine back up.
    Does anyone know how to get passed the Grey start up Screen?
    Any Suggestions would be mucho appreciated.

  • When i turn my computer ON the grey start up screen looks corrupted

    Corrupted might be an overstatement, but when i turn my computer on the grey start up screen with the white apple logo and the loading bar appears at an inferior resolution than the screen, and it's not even well proportioned because there's a black bar on each side. I have no idea why this happens or if it's even normal, mostly because i'm a recent mac user. I have a non-retina mid 2012 15" macbook pro, 1440x900 screen.
    i've also been having problems with the wi-fi connectivity. it looses connection more often than i would like, and sometimes i have a "Connection Timeout Occured", i have no idea why, but i've seen people complaining about it.
    thanks

    Your GPU could just be 'hiccupping' on start-up - if I were you, and since you're still under warranty, I would take the machine to your local Apple Store and have them run diagnostics to see if there's really anything wrong with the GPU.
    As to your wireless problems - so many things to trace down. Start by running the "Wi-Fi Diagnostics.app" found in System>Library>Core Services and see what those reports show. It could be anything at this point.
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  • I have zero out all data on my imac, as i brought it second hand and the disk the guy supplied dont seem capatable with my imac to install the operating system again so it is frozen at the grey start up screen. show i buy a new snow leopard disc fromapple

    i have zero out all data on my imac, as i brought it second hand and the disk the guy supplied dont seem capatable with my imac to install the operating system again so it is frozen at the grey start up screen. should i buy a new snow leopard disc from apple and install that as my new operating system. please help as had the computer a month now and still cant use it yet.

    You can call AppleCare and request a replacement set of the original DVD's that shipped with the computer for a nominal charge. You will need the serial number (look on the bottom of the stand) and a credit card. Click the AppleCare Contact Info link. Without knowing which iMac you have it's very difficult to say if a new SL disc would work or not.

  • I am experiencing some major problems with my MacBook Pro. I have had some issues with it turning on/off at random times, but today, when starting, I get the grey start-up screen and a recovery bar. After filling in approx 1/4 of the way, the machine dies

    I am experiencing some major problems with my MacBook Pro. I have had some issues with it turning on/off at random times, but today, when starting, I get the grey start-up screen and a recovery bar. After filling in approx 1/4 of the way, the machine dies. After starting it in recovery mode, it will not allow me to download OS X Mavericks- it says the disk is locked. Any ideas? I do not have a back-up and do not want to erase everything before I have explored my options. Help?

    try forcing internet recover, hold 3 keys - command, option, r - you should see a spinning globe
    most people will tell you to do both pram and smc resets (google) and if you still have issues, either clean install (easy) or troubleshoot (hard)

  • Ok so my MacBook Pro has begun saying the startup disc is full after importing photos, so I deleted done and the message went away. now my computer won't go passed the login page it gets stuck after I login and goes to a grey screen. Can anyone help?

    Startup disc full

    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
    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.

  • Computer won't load past the password screen

    When I turn on my computer, it immediately goes to the screen where I enter my password. I enter my password, and it goes to a gray screen where there is a progress loading bar. The bar loads about 1/4 of the way and the computer just shuts down. I can't restart it in safe mode, and I even tried to re-install Yosemite, and I can't do that either. I have no other id

    Resetting SMC as well as NVRAM(PRAM) could solve the problem.
    Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC) - Apple Support
    Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup - Apple Support

  • My Macbook pro won't get passed the grey startup screen

    My apple macbook pro is not getting passed the gray screen with the apple and spinning circle. I have tried pressing comand-R or shift-command-v, and nothing happens what so ever. I listened to my hard drive, and it sounds fine. It sounds like it is running, and there is no clicking sounds from it or anything, and haven't been any at all. Nothing seems to make it respond

    Direct you to the proper forum for MacBook : 
    MacBook Series Forums
    https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks?view=discussions
    https://discussions.apple.com/community/mac_os?view=discussions
    http://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro

  • MacBook Pro freezes at blue screen after the grey start-up screen.

    I was installing the latest updates including the os x. But my mac froze while it was doing so. And now when I try to start my baby up, she freezes after that first grey screen with the logo on it. (Sometimes the power-button won't even take any effect at all, no matter how long I hold it down or whatever)
    Please help.
    -Lucas

    hi there--
    the first thing you need to do is to try a safe boot. do this by holding the shift key during startup until you see the spinning cog under the apple. keep in mind it can take up to 10 minutes or more to go into safe boot. if you get into safe boot the first thing i would do is open disk utility and repair permissions. then i would try for a normal restart. if it still doesn't work, do another safe boot and remove items from /library/startupitems folder and from system preferences > accounts > login items. and then restart the computer. if that doesn't work or there is nothing for startup items or login items, try removing the com.apple.loginwindow.plist and restarting the computer. also, try booting to the install disk and running disk utility. http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214. if none of these things work, then try a pmu reset. http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303319. hope one of those things works for you. [ 8 ) ]

  • My computer won't load past the Gray screen with the apple, what do I do?

    Does anyone know how to get my computer to turn on? I used it on Friday and had a normal shut down but when I went to turn it on yesterday, it gets the the gray screen with the apple and the loading bar and loads half way and then just stops and sits there until it eventually shuts itself off. I have tried turning it off and then back on and holding the D key but nothing happened.

    Resetting SMC as well as NVRAM(PRAM) could solve the problem.
    Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC) - Apple Support
    Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup - Apple Support

  • It won't get past the grey start screen.

    I had a new logic board put in last year. Now it seems like it running hot fan spinning and just sits on start screen before you see the logo. Any ideas on what to do. I cooled it off. Unplugged it. Removed the battery and still same result.

    I'm having the same problem everynow and then... I'm running mac osx lion. I have reinstalled lion to see if that will work. now it is starting again but not sure for how long. The problem is that I'm getting small interruptions while running itunes or a movie... it's a like a second cut every minute or so... strange. Never had any problems before.
    If it keeps on behaving weird I'll do a clean install.
    I suggest you run disk utility and AHT (apple hardware test) before you do anything, AHT should be in the CD you got when you purchased your machine and the disk utility should be initiated by holding option while booting (chose recovery HD if you're running lion). Hope that helps.

  • Am stuck in the grey start-up screen

    Any ideas about what I can do to resurrect my Air?

    Reinstall OS X without erasing the drive
    Do the following:
    1. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions
    Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list.  In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive.  If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.
    If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
    2. Reinstall Snow Leopard
    If the drive is OK then quit DU and return to the installer.  Proceed with reinstalling OS X.  Note that the Snow Leopard installer will not erase your drive or disturb your files.  After installing a fresh copy of OS X the installer will move your Home folder, third-party applications, support items, and network preferences into the newly installed system.
    Download and install the Combo Updater for the version you prefer from support.apple.com/downloads/.

  • How do I back up my MacBook Pro from an external hard drive if my macbook won't boot up from the white start up screen? HELP!

    I went to the Genius Bar a week ago, and the guy helping me there was nice enough to help me save some money by telling me I could replace the bad hard drive my MacBook Pro had by myself. I bought everything I needed (hard drive, screws, external hard drive) and my computer won't boot past the white start up screen. It doesn't even show the Apple sign at the start up screen. How do I back up my computer so I can save all my music, school files, etc.? Could really use someone's advice on what to do! Thanks!

    Ok, to be sure I understand what's going on. You were able to boot the Macbook from the existing "damaged" internal drive, and it has been backed up to the internal.
    If that is correct, your internal drive is working. Just to be sure, try booting with the R key down. Then run Disk Utility to repair the internal drive. That drive may in fact be useable.
    You should be aware that you cannot boot the MBP from a Time Machine back up.
    Please post back so I am sure I am understanding the situation.

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