My mac is stuck on the grey loading screen?

My mac, is stuck on the grey startup screen. I have tried everything that everyone has said. Yes, I have reset the PRAM, I have tried a safe reboot, I'm NOT resetting it! It just won't start up, I have a seagate 3TB backup drive, but I have no way to get inside the computer, so I can't activate it.
Please help!

Not resetting?
Well that presents a problem because you need to check the startup disk, repair the disk if necessary, or restore OS X using OS X Recovery
You can resstore from a Time Machine backup using OS X Recovery if necessary.

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Ibook stuck on the grey loading screen

Stupidly i was messing around and accidentally unlocked the battery which fell out while my ibook was on sleep method. Now the ibook will only start up and get stuck on the grey loading screen.
I fear i have corrupted the hard drive, i have tried resetting the logic board by logging into the base router( i don't know if thats the right terminology), i did this by pressing power, then holding down apple key and v. But when i do this after the normal writing on the screen finishes, a message comes up saying
"Warning completing a zero block transfer"
I have reset my logic board before but this message has not come up.
Any help resolving this issue would be fantastic.
Thanks in advance!!!!!!!

Not resetting?
Well that presents a problem because you need to check the startup disk, repair the disk if necessary, or restore OS X using OS X Recovery
You can resstore from a Time Machine backup using OS X Recovery if necessary.

Ibook G4 freezes either when its on the grey loading screen or the blue screen. Sometimes I get it to my desktop but it always freezes in like a minute. Someone help I really need this computer!

I have tried everything online and my iBook g4 wont stop freezing. Safe Mode doesnt even help, it still gets stuck on the blue screen! It either gets stuck on the grey loading screen or the blue screen. Rarely I am able to boot past everything and get to my desktop but after about 30 seconds it freezes again. This laptop was passed down to me and I have no original papers or disks that came with this laptop. I am really trying to figure this out without buying a disk because if it doesnt work I wont be out $60. Someone help I have tried putting it in safe mode single mode holding c down during start up! I need more options.. Please this is the only computer I have right now! (PS: I know warranty has expired a long long time ago)

Hello,
Some information you may or may not have read.
Troubleshooting portables that won't turn on or start up
http://support.apple.com/kb/TA25686?viewlocale=en_US
Troubleshooting: My computer won't turn on
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1367
Without the disk you are limited on options. It could be an issue with the hard drive and would required the disk to run disk utility.

I accidently downloaded something that made my webcam flash on spuradically even once i deleted it. when i restarted my computer it got stuck at the white loading screen with the grey apple and wont go past there..what is wrong? will applecare cover this?

i accidently downloaded something that made my webcam flash on spuradically even once i deleted it. when i restarted my computer it got stuck at the white loading screen with the grey apple and wont go past there..what is wrong? will applecare cover this? my computer also slowed down drastically before it stopped working..thanks! HELP PLEASE!

Take each of these steps that you haven't already tried. Stop when the problem is resolved.
Step 1
The first step in dealing with a boot failure is to secure your data. If you want to preserve the contents of the startup drive, and you don't already have at least one current backup, you must try to back up now, before you do anything else. It may or may not be possible. If you don't care about the data that has changed since your last backup, you can skip this step.
There are several ways to back up a Mac that is unable to boot. You need an external hard drive to hold the backup data.
a. Boot into the Recovery partition, or from a local Time Machine backup volume (option key at startup.) When the OS X Utilities screen appears, launch Disk Utility and follow the instructions in this support article, under “Instructions for backing up to an external hard disk via Disk Utility.”
b. If you have access to a working Mac, and both it and the non-working Mac have FireWire or Thunderbolt ports, boot the non-working Mac in target disk mode. Use the working Mac to copy the data to another drive. This technique won't work with USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth.
c. If the internal drive of the non-working Mac is user-replaceable, remove it and mount it in an external enclosure or drive dock. Use another Mac to copy the data.
Step 2
Press and hold the power button until the power shuts off. Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed to boot, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. Use a different keyboard and/or mouse, if those devices are wired. If you can boot now, one of the devices you disconnected, or a combination of them, is causing the problem. Finding out which one is a process of elimination.
If you've booted from an external storage device, make sure that your internal boot volume is selected in the Startup Disk pane of System Preferences.
Step 3
Boot in safe mode. Note: If FileVault is enabled, or if a firmware password is set, or if the boot volume is a software RAID, you can’t do this. Post for further instructions.
Safe mode is much slower to boot and run than normal, and some things won’t work at all, including wireless networking on certain Macs.
The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
When you boot in safe mode, it's normal to see a dark gray progress bar on a light gray background. If the progress bar gets stuck for more than a few minutes, or if the system shuts down automatically while the progress bar is displayed, your boot volume is 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 4
Sometimes a boot failure can be resolved by resetting the NVRAM.
Step 5
Launch Disk Utility in Recovery mode (see Step 1.) Select your startup volume, then run Repair Disk. If any problems are found, repeat until clear. If Disk Utility reports that the volume can't be repaired, the drive has malfunctioned and should be replaced. You might choose to tolerate one such malfunction in the life of the drive. In that case, erase the volume and restore from a backup. If the same thing ever happens again, replace the drive immediately.
This is one of the rare situations in which you should also run Repair Permissions, ignoring the false warnings it may produce. Look for the line "Permissions repair complete" at the end of the output. Then reboot as usual.
Step 6
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 7
Repeat Step 6, but this time erase the boot volume in Disk Utility before installing. The system should automatically reboot into the Setup Assistant. Follow the prompts to transfer your data from a Time Machine or other backup.
Step 8
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 gray screen at boot. Typically the boot failure will be preceded by loss of the startup disk and system clock settings. See the user manual for replacement instructions. You may have to take the machine to a service provider to have the battery replaced.
Step 9
If you get this far, you're probably dealing with a hardware fault. Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store to have the machine tested. If you can't get to an Apple Store, go to another authorized service provider.

HELP! MacBook Pro won't turn on - loads up to the grey loading screen for a while then crashes., HELP! MacBook Pro won't turn on - loads up to the grey loading screen for a while then crashes.

Was using it fine then I rested my iPad mini on the keys and the screen went black and then came back but then froze for a little bit the audio went then after a bit it turned it self off and when I try and turn it on its loads to the grey loading screen loads for a bit then crashes - please help, I have got very important data on there that I need to access, thank you.
(PS I have booked a genius appointment for 3 days time but really need to use it before then)

No backups? Then I would, were I you, definitely order an inexpensive USB enclosure to try to rescue the files. Most companies in the US ship to the Phillipines, don't they? Where do you usually shop for computer gear? I don't know how much space/speed you really want but Seagate's 1 terabyte SSHD is an economic route to go for the 'feeling' of a SSD. I can also recommend Hitachi and Toshiba drives.
Just make certain that you get the right form factor - 2.5" x 9.5mm. You can get drives a bit thinner and a bit thicker, but I would stay close to that thickness range at any rate.
Good luck,
Clinton

Mac stuck on the grey apple screen startup? Follow these steps to re-boot....

So today I had a little scare with my Macbook. It was stuck on the grey apple startup screen with the loading icon. Switching it on and off did nothing and neither did waiting. I did a lot of browsing to try and find a solution but all the forums ended in 'looks like thats the end of my mac' or 'I think i've lost everything' or 're-install Os' blah blah etc. I DID NOT WANT TO LOSE ANYTHING!!! and I'm guessing neither do you! Ok so enough talking, in the end I found a solution which worked perfectly for me and I did not lose anything!!!!!:
Step 1
If the Mac is on switch it off.
Once it is off, switch it on again but this time as soon as you press the power button to switch it on, hold down the Apple cmd key + S.
Hold this down untill the 'safe boot' screen appears.
A black screen with white writing should now come up.
Step 2
Once the screen has loaded, at the bottom type:
/sbin/mount -uw /
[press enter]
then type:
chmod 775 /
[press enter]
then type:
exit
this re-boots the mac. As soon as you have done this the mac should load up again as normal!! Voila!!!
Hope it helps!

Someone suggested this to be risky. worked for me but DON'T DO IT WITHOUT RESEARCHING FIRST and if in doubt CALL APPLE!!!!!

My Mac Won't leave the grey apple screen at start-up.

Hey,
My macbook, when it starts, will just stay at the grey apple screen with the loading thing under it. I've tried turning it off, turning it back on, Doing the Command COntrol Power thing, and nothing seems to work.
How can I fix this?

yes, i have the same problem exactly, and according to another thread, it seems to be happening to macbook users who upgrade to the latest itunes. my fix can get you macbook up and running, tho it requires an external drive. your 'can't install' message may be a sign of something more serious now tho- it could be your internal drive's data is lost.
anyway, plug in an external fw/usb2 drive so the leopard install disk can see it for installing on to. my internal drive showed up as an option, but i chose to install to the external. after this was finished, i booted off the external, and there was all my data, available from the internal drive (still couldn't boot from it tho) after saving what i wanted to save, i then used the install disc to do a reinstall using the 'archive and install, preserve user and network' option, under the option/custom button.
back to macbook! btw, the external need to be formatted using a 'guid' flag (it's for intel booting), so if your external's not in this format, it will need to be repartitioned. (it's always something!)

After updating to Lion my macbook pro does not startup, it is stuck to the grey apple screen

After updating to Lion my macbook pro does not startup, it is stuck to the grey apple screen

See Here for Troubleshooting Grey Screen on Startup:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2570

My ipod touch is stuck in the apple loading screen

my ipod is the 3rd gen it was frozen so i had turned it off than i turned it back on to find the appe loading screen its been on for thw past three hours i tried to connect it to itunes but its lock and i cant put my passcode in to unlock it help please

Try here:
iOS: Not responding or does not turn on
Also try placing the iPod in recovery mode and restoring via iTunes. For recovery mode:
iPhone and iPod touch: Unable to update or restore

Macbook stuck at the gray loading screen

Now when i try to turn on my Macbook, it goes to the gray loading screen with the Apple in the middle and stays there until i turn it off, so obviously, i can't use it right now. i'm just wondering what i've done and how i could possibly fix it...

This could mean several things, so let's just throw them all out and give you the chance to try them out?
== PRAM. Reset the PRAM by restarting while pressing Apple-Option-P-R, and wait until you hear the chime. Then let go of the keys.
== SAFE MODE. You can probably use your Macbook in Safe Mode. While booting, hold down the S key. You'll have access to the minimal keyboard in case you want to try a diagnostic.
== DIAGNOSTIC. If you can get there, update permissions. If you can download MainMenu free from the web, you'll get an all-purpose diagnostic of your computer.
== STARTUP DISK. Put in your startup disk (if you can) and reboot, pressing C. This will bring your your installation page, where you have other diagnostic options. Sometimes, starting up from the Startup Disk is all you need to reset things
There's a start!

TS2570 My Mac stays stuck on the grey screen. Doesn't boot up. I've tried everything the shift key to safe boot still doesn't boot. I've tried the option key n only has one option to go into. please help. problem Is I bought off a friend so I have no disk

My Mac stays stuck on grey screen. I've tried the option key. The shift keys. Nothing helps. The problem is I bought the computer off a friend and I don't have any disks. Any suggests would be great..

Can you see a serial number anywhere? Don't post it here, just let me know if if you have it.

Mac pro stuck at apple logo loading screen after software updates

I have an older MBP from 2008 - was prompted to do updates tonight and let it update and restart. It gets stuck at the gray apple loading screen and does nothing else. Have tried resetting PRAM and booting in safe mode. Safe mode works fine but nada on normal. Also tried giving it plenty of time to boot but it continues to load (with the little circle animation under the logo) and nothing ever happens.
Any ideas or suggestions? grateful for any help!! :(

Try starting your computer with the original DVD that came with your Mac Pro then run disk utility on your hard drive to repair it. If you are running Mac OS X 10.7 then start your computer in Mac recovery mode (command + R) then run disk utility on your hard drive.

Can't get past the grey loading screen with the apple

My ibook was working fine for a while and then all of a sudden I turned it on one day and the desktop came up but none of the icons or toolbars came up. I talked to a few people about that and they seem to think that is was the os going out of whack.
So, I tried to install tiger and when i did that it would only come up to the blue screen that said it was loading os x.
So i thought maybe it installed funny so I tried to reinstall it, but it wouldn't let me. I kept getting a bunch of different errors.
So now, when I try to turn it on it just stays on the grey screen with the apple on it and sometimes the apple goes away and turns into a white square that has dots and lines in it.
Can anyone PLEASE help me out???

Hi, and welcome to Apple Discussions.
Which model iBook is it? (What is its processor's MHz rating?)
Which version of the OS is installed on it now?
If OS X 10.2 or above is installed on it, you can try booting into Safe Mode. This will take quite awhile longer than a normal startup because it does a file check and repair of the hard disk.
If this works you will see your normal desktop. Once completely started up in Safe Mode, try to restart normally, and go to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility. Click on the top hard drive icon in the left sidebar and note the S.M.A.R.T. status at the bottom right of the pane. What does it say?
Select the named boot volume in the left sidebar, ("Macintosh HD" unless you've renamed it). What is the hard drive capacity and how much space remains available on it? Repair permissions on it.
See if you are able to do a little hard drive maintenance to help things out.
I hope it works for you.

My MacBook pro is stuck at the gray loading screen. How do I fix it?

It's only a month old!
I have tried resetting parameter ram, restarting and holding option to. Load the lion recovery, but nothing seems to work.
Thanks for any help you can offer. This is very frustrating.

Resolution
Note: Some steps below may reset preference settings or registration settings.
Disconnect, test peripheral devices and network cables
Note: "Peripheral devices" refers to external devices other than what came with your Mac, such as hard drives, printers, or hubs that you connect via a USB or FireWire cable.
Shut down your Mac. If necessary, hold your Mac's power button for several seconds to force it to power down.
Disconnect all peripheral devices such as external hard drives or printers (leave only the display, a keyboard, and mouse connected).
Disconnect any Ethernet cables.
Start up your Mac.
If you can start up this way, one or more of your peripheral devices (or installed software related to the device) is probably causing the gray screen issue. Connect one device, then restart your Mac to test for the issue. Repeat the process until you locate the device at issue. Make sure the device is powered if it needs to be to operate correctly. Check with the manufacturer of the device for support or possible software driver or firmware updates that may be available for the device. Try a different cable with the device if possible (such as a different USB or FireWire cable).
Note: If you have multiple peripheral devices and the issue only occurs when they are all connected, but not when each device is the only peripheral connected, see the Additional Information section below.
If you are using a desktop Mac with a third-party keyboard and/or mouse device, and the issue still occurs, try starting up with an Apple keyboard and mouse connected instead. Try starting with no keyboard and mouse connected, then connect them after start up. Also, try a different USB port on your Mac.
If the gray screen issue persists with no devices connected, go to the next section (with the peripherals still disconnected).
Perform a Safe Boot
Simply performing the Safe Boot may resolve this issue.
Shut down your Mac. If necessary, hold your Mac's power button for several seconds to force it to power down.
Start your Mac, then immediately hold the Shift key. This performs a Safe Boot. Advanced tip: If you want to see the status of a Safe Boot as it progresses, you can hold Shift-Command-V during start up (instead of just Shift).
Note: A Safe Boot takes longer than a typical start up because it includes a disk check and other operations.
If your Mac starts up as expected, immediately try restarting.

My iPhone is stuck in the apple loading screen

My iphone is stuck on the apple boot logo with the loading bar under it, and my computer doesn't say that it is plugged in. I've already tried holding the home and power button trick to turn it off, but my home button had been broken before this so it dosent do anything. I dont know of any other ways to get it out of this screen and working again.

NVM... broke down and called Apple Care. Pressed on/off button and held it for a few minutes before pressing home button. In recovery mode, but at least it is doing something now!

My mac is stuck on the grey loading screen?

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