My imac won't start even while holding the options key
Can some one direct me to something to do. My iMac, about 3 years old using the latest operating system won't bot up. Initially I was geting the ?. but after tryint to restart while holding the "option" key, it just went to a bleank. but lit screen.
It sounds like your HD or main logic board has failed. Try running Apple Hardware Test in Extended Mode. If no errors are reported on the first pass run it 2-3x to be sure. Running in Extended Mode is the most thorough however it is time consuming, don't be surprised if each pass takes 40-60 minutes.
Similar Messages
-
Boot while holding the OPTION key doesn't work.
This is really dumb. I was thinking today my passwords were too weak, so I set out to put Keychains to use. First thing I did was reset my login password - but then changed my mind and reset it again. Didn't write any of this down and now I can't correctly type in an admin password.
SO I searched and found how to boot into the "Recovery Partition" by restarting while holding the OPTION key. This worked! I used the resetpassword in Terminal - and successfully reset the ROOT administrator password. I figured that was me. And my advisor (article I found on-line) didn't mention NOT to.
I still need to reset my admin user password, but now when I try to do the Recovery Partition trick my display remains blank. I can tell it's powered up, but no progress bar or apple logo... One further clue is that if I give up and let go of the OPTION key (because nothing at all is happening) five minutes pass (not 20 seconds or so like the time it worked) and the computer starts up as usual. No "OS X Utilities" window, just the everyday wallpaper and file folders.
So that's my situation. Many thanks in advance.
I should mention, I'm using a mac Pro and the latest version of Yosemite. And a hardwired keyboard and mouse...Is the key(s) stuck, or sticky or not very responsive?
try another keyboard, any usb keyboard for windows or another mac should work.
try flipping your keyboard over and letting it bang on the desktop, your r key could be gunked up and the contact might have failed. Depending on the model keyboard liquid or food or something else could be trapped, the older bondi-plastic ones do this more than the aluminum-plastic ones but the key could need a good smacking,. -
I have tried everything. I don't no y my computer won't turn on. I pressed the option key while turning the computer on clicked the hd icon and now nothing just a grey screen and my mouse icon
Chipmunk International BV | Home | Aanbiedingen | Produkt Overzicht
If you don't have an account but would like to open one click here.
1301...
Model introduced: 2009
Serial number: W89380AH9GU (cleaned up from 'W89380ah9gu')
Production year: 2009
Production week: 38 (September)
Production number: 357 (within this week)
Model Number: MB881
Group1: MacBook
Group2: nothing
Generation:
Machine Model: MacBook5,2
CPU speed: 2.13GHz
Family name: A1181
Screen size: 13 inch
Screen resolution: 1280x800 pixels
Colour: White
Memory - flavour: DDR2-S-800
Memory - number of slots: 2
Memory - maximum total: 6GB
Memory - largest module: 4GB
Toebehoren en uitbreidingen bestellen: Art# Prijs
2GB SO-DIMM geheugen Mac 200pin DDR2 800MHz A-3571 € 29,00 ex BTW
Power Adapter 85W voor MacBook (16,6v) A-4020 € 18,00 ex BTW
Factory: W8 (Shanghai China)
External link: Repair guide by iFixit
Uitbreidingen: Uitbreidingsmogelijkheden van dit apparaat
Please enter any (extra) information you have on this model in the box below. (Type of Mac, CPU speed):
If you like this service and it has been of use to you then please donate us a dollar (just one will do). All donations no matter how small are greatly appreciated! -
Starting iTunes 11 with the option key does not allow me to link my ipad with Remote
I am using my Macbook Pro as a pure music server with a 2TB external USB 3 HD where all my music resides in a single folder. Yet when I start iTunes by holding the option key (to allow iTunes to see the 2TB folder and not import all my music), the Devices tab is grayed out and hence my iPad3 is not recognised. As a result, I cannot use Apple's Remote App.
The same hardware, does allow my to import a small named Library when the iPad is recognised.
What gives? Any suggestions would help me to keep my hair!Try a Skype reset:
http://community.skype.com/t5/Security-Privacy-Trust-and/Skype-name-and-Skype-MS-accounts/m-p/293557...
You may also want to test it out in Safe Mode with Networking to see if anything changes. Since Skype uses IE in the background make sure you Internet Explorer is able to browse web pages without restriction or that it isn't in some type of forced offline mode. -
Acrobat Pro for Mac won't start, even after restarting the machine. Any suggestions?
Hi Patrick,
Can you please mention the version of Adobe Acrobat that you are using and on what OS version. Also mention whether this problem has started recently and was running fine earlier or is it a fresh install and has never worked for you.
Have you tried uninstalling and reinstalling the product after you started facing this issue.
-Shashi -
My iMac won't start, it only has the apple sign with the timer and downloading bar at the bottom and then switches off.
Hi Paula2808,
I’m sorry you are having trouble starting up your iMac, that must be quite frustrating. There are some troubleshooting steps I would suggest in order to get you up and running again.
First I suggest using the steps in this article for the Apple logo appearing -
Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2570
If things still are not working correctly, you may want to continue with the steps in this article -
Troubleshooting: My computer won't turn on
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1367
Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.
Best,
Brett L -
Why my Startup Manager does not appear when I hold the Option key when starting to boot.
I no longer have the Startup Manager appearing when I hold the Option key when starting to boot.
Instead, the system just boots into whichever OS was last selected in the Startup Disk Preference.
How to get back my Startup Manager so that I can boot up from my external hard disk.
Thank you.Can you please run the following in terminal and post the output in your reply:
diskutil list; echo; nvram -p | grep boot-args; echo -
I need to re-download Lion and install it, after re-formatting my hard-drive to "journaled" as requested. Holding the Option key while clicking on "purchases" does not work.
Thanks Smokemonster. I found that the Lion install app was in in my applications folder already. Worked fine.
-
Anybody can help me? I'm trying to start my computer and it shows this question mark. Then i restart it holding the option key and it shows a padlock with a password field. What password should i put? I would appreciate any help
Contact Apple, or if you bought the computer secondhand, the previous owner.
(118258) -
I just created a new iPhoto library with holding the option key down and then opening iPhoto with version 7.1.5. I changed the name of the first library to iPhoto library 1 and now I all my photos are gone. My operating system is Mavericks.
launch iPhoto wile holding down the option key and select the original library - when you create a new library of course it is empty
And you seriously need to backup your iPhoto library and purchase and install iPhoto '11 version 9.5.x from the App store and download and run the iPhoto library upgraded \then run the new iPhoto - 7.1.5 is not fully compatible with Mavericks
LN
PS you also need to update your profile - it states that you have OS X 10.6.8 -
Hello.
I have a MacBook Pro 13-inch (mid-2010):
Processor: 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory: 4GB 1067 Mhz DDR3
Running Mac OS X 10.7.2
Yesterday I opened my computer (was sleeping as usual) and the screen just flasehed white and the computer powered off. The magnetic electricity thingy was connected and was green, so it was fully charged, and connected to the electricity.
Since it powered off, I tried turning it on again, and again, one second after starting to boot up, screen flashed white and the computer powered off.
I read somewhere I should hold down the power button longer, so I did, and it booted up. That's why I am able to write this. But every time I turn it off or put it to sleep, it does the same thing when I boot up.
If I don't hold the power button for 10 seconds or so, the computer won't work.
Then today, I did a backup of my entie hard drive, just in case. Later, I started using Excel, and about 1 hour after I was on it, suddenly it got really slow. Like I would click on a program like Safari, and it would take over 30-45 secs to start and be ready. And my computer is usually really fast!
I went on the Internet again, started in safe mode, boot up with option+command+P+R to reset PRAM, and nothing worked. Then suddenly on one turn-off/turn-on (since I can't restart because the computer only starts if I hold the power button for 10 seconds), again it is working at normal speed.
What can this be? Any ideas?
I really appreciate your time and help in advance
GabyGabyBA wrote:
I forgot to say I had already tried that as well. Just in case, I just tried it again and there was no change :S
Are you running the Apple-supplied RAM? Have you run Apple Hardware Test? I don't know what else you've tried, but this may be time to do a fresh install of Lion if you have not done so since installing Lion. -
IMac won't start; I only get the spinning wheel
iMac (probably 3 to 4 years old)------I don't think this is an Intel.
I have a password to enter upon turning on iMac
What I did:
I backed up my files on an external drive.
I ejected the external drive & unplugged it from the iMac.
Selected Shut Down. Screen went blue (I think) then did NOT shut down. I waited 10 minutes or so. Still didn't shut down.
I pressed power button to shut off. Waited a few minutes then turned on. The grey screen with Apple logo and spin wheel appeared and that's as far as I can get.
I tried turning off and on but never got past the Apple logo/spin wheel.
I unplugged power, mouse and keyboard, replugged them in. Turned on but still no luck.
I hope you can help.it sounds very much like your hdd has died, however, if it has, at least you have the good fortune to have backed up your system.
try booting by holding the alt key. if you can get to utilities perhaps you will have a better understanding of what is going on there.
the reason you cannot get past the spinning wheel is that the mac cannot access the startup volume which is your hdd.
if this is the case then dont be too disheartened, take this opportunity to consider a ssd for your machine it will give it an especially good new lease of life. -
I've got remote disk sharing set up so I can upgrade my operating system from my desktop using snow leopard CD. My Macbook is able to read disk remotely and all goes well following directions for installation until I am supposed to hold down option key while restarting computer. When I do this, only my hard drive is an option for start up, not the hard drive and the disk as it shows in the instructions and pop up menu for start up. Why? What am I doing wrong with the start up? Also, it says I should be able to choose the Airport network, but my computer automatically connects and anyways, that is also not an option from the pop up menu (to choose a network and enter password), that pop up menu section doesn't show up at all, it goes right to choosing disc icon where only mac hard drive, not mac os x install, is an option. Does this make sense? I'm giving up for now.
Thanks.The only known way to make it work on an external drive is by first installing Windows onto an internal drive, then cloning the install to an external Thunderbolt drive. Thunderbolt is seen as an extension of the internal bus, so Windows doesn't see it as an external device.
-
Okay so first things first this isn't the newest macbook pro. When I open about my mac and go to system report it says it is a Macbook Pro 3,1 and the Boot Rom Version say MBP31.0070.B07. Originally when starting up Boot Camp Assistant there where only two options, the "create windows 7 bootable usb" was not there at all. So after some editing and helpful tutorials I was able to get the option show up and created a bootable usb with windows 7 and downloaded the support software onto a separate flash drive. Finally I did the last step and created a second partition for windows. Once the process is complete my computer automatically restarts.
This is where the problem is. Once my computer makes the booting up sound it doesn't load up windows it gets stuck on a apple logo as if it's trying to reastart normally and can't. So I shut down and this time I hold down the option key during start up. It brings up the main partition and some recovery thing but no windows partiton and no bootable usb.
I forgot to mention that I am running OS X 10.9.3. Okay any body want to help me out? Iv'e been at this for hours and can't get an inch closer to having windows. Please and thank you!
P.S. If I missed a discussion that answer my question just point me to it. Iv'e been looking for a while, but who knows i might have missed one.The only known way to make it work on an external drive is by first installing Windows onto an internal drive, then cloning the install to an external Thunderbolt drive. Thunderbolt is seen as an extension of the internal bus, so Windows doesn't see it as an external device.
-
Ran Parallels and Windows XP in Boot Camp for over a year. No problems. Pretty well filled up the hard drive. Uninstalled Parallels and wiped out the Windows Partition. Since then, when I boot, I get a message that says it's looking for a boot device (probably a windows message) and I have to hold down the Option Key to see the Mac HD. Everything else appears to be working fine.
I'm suspicious it's a Master Boot Record (or whatever the Apple equivalent is) but I don't know how to fix it.
It's not pathological ... just mildly irritating ... since you don't have to reboot a Mac very often:))).Thanks so much. I was looking for something much more complex, I guess:)). Have a great day and thanks for the help!!
Maybe you are looking for
-
Cannot Shuffle Music Playlist from Apple TV
When I go into my homeshare libray from the apple TV, then go into Music->Music Playlist and then choose any of my playlists that my music videos are in, I can play my music videos one by one. There is always the option to shuffle at the top, however
-
Using one program Application on both Lion and Snow Leopard
I have to constantly reboot/restart between Lion on my New Thunderbolt Mini and Snow Leopard off and External Drive. What is the recommendation for using programs (which are built to run on both) such as iwork pages. Should I use one program off the
-
Fonts hard to read at small font sizes in browser.
Hi! Recently i switched to Arch 64-bit and everything seems fine but the fonts at some places. This is what they look like: This is my .fonts.conf: <?xml version='1.0'?> <!DOCTYPE fontconfig SYSTEM 'fonts.dtd'> <fontconfig> <match target="font"> <edi
-
Using ethernet port on range extender: faster??
I have an extender is the room with this computer for a wireless connection. This extender is v3 with the ethernet connection. Just for fun, I plugged my computer into that connection and disabled my wireless and found that I had a "wired-like" conne
-
Dear rep I've lost all contacts from my iPhone I've backed it up but still no contacts. What can I do?