My macbook pro only goes to a gray screen with a blinking ?

when i turn on my macbook pro it goes right to a gray screen after about a minute a file folder comes up whit a ? in it

There are four general causes of this issue:
1. The computer's PRAM no longer contains a valid startup disk setting when there aren't any problems with the disk itself. This can be checked for by pressing the Option key and seeing if the drive appears.
2. The internal drive's directory structure has become damaged. This requires usage of an alternate bootable system to perform the repair.
3. Critical system files have been deleted. This requires usage of an alternate bootable system to reinstall them.
4. The internal drive has died or become unplugged. This is the most likely case if the computer took a sharp impact or there are unusual sounds coming from the hard drive's location.
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Macbook pro won't start up-gray screen(circle with slash)

My MacBook Pro 2008 gets to the gray screen with the apple logo and the loading wheel then the apple turns into a circle with a slash through it and the loading wheel just keeps spinning. Help please

Hi MichaelWoods514,
Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.
You may see a prohibitory sign, or a folder with a flashing question mark on it.
For more information on this, take a look at this article:
Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup
http://support.apple.com/kb/ts2570
Best of luck,
Mario

My MacBook Pro will not start. When I started it goes to a gray screen with the Apple logo and has the spinning dial. When I started in safe mode it will not start. In safe mode it as an error message that says MacBook Launch_msg():Socket is not connected

My MacBook Pro will not start. When I started it goes to a gray screen with the Apple logo and has the spinning dial. When I started in safe mode it will not start. In safe mode it as an error message that says MacBook Launch_msg(): Socket is not connected

If running 10.7 or later hold down Command-R at Startup.
This should invoke recovery Mode.
Choose Disk Utility.
Select your Hard drive. Inspect the SMART Status in the lower right of the window for "Verified".
Select the Mac OS X Volume (originally Macintosh HD) click (Repair Disk)
If errors, run again until it comes clean or gets stuck.
Report any error messages.

My Macbook starts up, goes to the white screen with the gray apple, the little loading sign loads, and color wheel appears, and DOES NOT STOP PEIROD!

My Macbook starts up, goes to the white screen with the gray apple, the little loading sign loads, and color wheel appears, and DOES NOT STOP PEIROD!
Even when I restart, shut it down; or when it runs down to no battery, when I plug in the power cord for a while, it loads up to the same stinking screen!
PLEASE HELP ME!

Restart the computer and immediately hold the option key down.
If the computer boots and you see two hard drive icons, use the arrow key to select the Recovery drive, and press Return.
You will get to a screen that looks like the image here:
http://www.apple.com/osx/recovery/
Select the fourth item and press Return.
In Disk Utility, select the hard drive in the left column, then First Aid, then click on Repair Disk.
When that is done, quit DU and restart the computer.

Last night I did an update and now when I turn on my macbook it just goes to the white screen with the apple and stays like that.

Last night I did an update and now when I turn on my macbook it just goes to the white screen with the apple and stays like that. How do I fix this issue?

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.

Why is my MacBook Pro **crashing** changing to a blue screen with lines or distorted screen when I open logic or Ableton Live

Why is my MacBook Pro **crashing** changing to a blue screen with lines or distorted screen when I open logic or Ableton Live. Then I have to restart by long pressing the power button. Can somebody plz help me

What you describe sounds like a hardware issue. Unfortunately, you'll need to get that checked out by Apple. If you have an Apple Store near you, make an appointment with the Genius Bar and take the machine in for evaluation.

I restarted my phone and now I am having problems with it. It will turn on but only goes to the black screen with the droid eye before shutting off again and trying to restart, what can I do to fix that?

I restarted my phone and now I am having problems with it. It will turn on but only goes to the black screen with the droid eye before shutting off again and trying to restart, what can I do to fix that?

I'm sorry to learn that your phone is having problems starting up, marinema08. I'm sorry if this is incorrect, but are you using the original HTC Droid Incredible or a later Droid Incredible model? Please try placing your phone in Safe Mode to see if you are able to move past the Droid eye. http://vz.to/1kdQWVI If you are able to enable Safe Mode, please try deleting any recent applications you have added.
AndreaS_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

I just buy a imac 27inch when after intalling everthing for windows 7 and all the drivers i need and goes to the restard part my imac just goes to a black screen with a blinking cursel and it just wont proceed anyone can help me with this?

i just buy a imac 27inch when after intalling everthing for windows 7 and all the drivers i need and goes to the restard part my imac just goes to a black screen with a blinking cursel and it just wont proceed anyone can help me with this?

Support articles for things like this would be here:
http://www.apple.com/support/bootcamp

My macBook pro won't turn on, gray screen only

I turned off macbbok pro to reboot because options blanked out when using the curser. When rebooting, I just get the gray screen with the gear icon spinning. Any ideas to get it going??

Step by Step to fix your Mac

MacBook Pro won't get off startup screen with apple logo. Help?

Could someone please tell me how I can get my macbook to get off that stupid startup screen with the apple logo? It won't go past that screen and boot properly. I have tried reinstalling OS X didn't work. I tried running a disk utility test and no errors where found. I don't have the time machine thingy so I couldn't try that. Is there anything else I can do before taking it to Apple and l
paying hundreds of dollars???
thanks in advance!!!

Take each of these steps that you haven't already tried. Stop when the problem is resolved.
Step 1
The first step in dealing with a startup failure is to secure the data. If you want to preserve the contents of the startup drive, and you don't already have at least one current backup, you must try to back up now, before you do anything else. It may or may not be possible. If you don't care about the data that has changed since the last backup, you can skip this step.
There are several ways to back up a Mac that is unable to start. You need an external hard drive to hold the backup data.
a. Start up from the Recovery partition, or from a local Time Machine backup volume (option key at startup.) When the OS X Utilities screen appears, launch Disk Utility and follow the instructions in this support article, under “Instructions for backing up to an external hard disk via Disk Utility.” The article refers to starting up from a DVD, but the procedure in Recovery mode is the same. You don't need a DVD if you're running OS X 10.7 or later.
b. If Step 1a fails because of disk errors, and no other Mac is available, then you may be able to salvage some of your files by copying them in the Finder. If you already have an external drive with OS X installed, 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 you use a wireless keyboard, trackpad, or mouse, replace or recharge the batteries. The battery level shown in the Bluetooth menu item may not be accurate.
Step 5
If there's a built-in optical drive, a disc may be stuck in it. Follow these instructions to eject it.
Step 6
Press and hold the power button until the power shuts off. Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed to start up, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. Use a different keyboard and/or mouse, if those devices are wired. If you can start up now, one of the devices you disconnected, or a combination of them, is causing the problem. Finding out which one is a process of elimination.
Step 7
If you've started from an external storage device, make sure that the internal startup volume is selected in the Startup Disk pane of System Preferences.
Start up in safe mode. Note: If FileVault is enabled, or if a firmware password is set, or if the startup volume is a 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 past grey screen with Apple logo and then shuts off

This is a long story...
This morning, I would turn it on and it'd go to the grey screen with the Apple logo for a few seconds and then go to the icon that is a circle with a line through it. After reading online, I was able to boot it up in Safe Mode. I messed around a little bit in system preferences thinking I could fix it on my own, not really knowing what I was doing (I'm a *******). I went to Startup Disk in Preferences. I chose the MAC OS X, xxxx and then clicked the lock to prevent further changes and then clicked restart.
Now when I turn on the macbook, it goes to the grey screen with the Apple logo for at least two-three minutes and then just shuts off. Won't boot into Safe Mode now. Please help. I already tried the Command-Option-P-R keys trick like five times.

If you have a full retail DVD for 10.6 you can boot from that by holding the C key during startup...but you will then be in install mode if that is what you want to do. At least go ahead and see if it will boot ok from the 10.6 disk and then you can decide what you want to do further.
Apple does not have 10.5 for sale anymore from what some other users have said on here so if you want to go that route you will have to find a copy for sale such as from eBay or one of the Mac resellers.
Before taking the machine to someone, try booting from 10.6 and see if that works...that way you can narrow down problems the machine may be having.

Start up goes to a black screen with a blinking underscore in the left top corner

Hello, im using a HP Pavillion Elite e9220y with Windows 7 as the OP. Last night it was working fine, but this morning i turned it on and the HP logo screen comes up and then it goes to a black screen with a white underscore blinking in the left top corner. And it stays this way. Ive tried to enter the system recovery option with pressing the correct button but it does nothing. How do i fix this issue?

Look at the directions in the last category (Standard steps to resolve most startup problems) on the page here:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01884928&lc=en&cc=us&destPage=document&dlc=en&j...
******Clicking the Thumbs-Up button is a way to say -Thanks!.******
**Click Accept as Solution on a Reply that solves your issue to help others**

New MacBook Pro, fan goes crazy on iPhoto screen saver

I just got a new 15in MacBook Pro (running Lion of course) with the following specs:
   - 8 gigs RAM
   - 2.2 GHz
   - 500 gig 7200 hard drive
I had my screen saver set to cycle randomly through 350 pictures from my wedding. Within 1 minute of the screensaver activating, my fan kicks in full speed. When I go into Activity Monitor (while the fan is still going nuts) no processes are using more than 7% CPU. Within a couple of minutes of resuming work, the screen saver dies down and everything is fine.
Does anyone know why this is happening? I'm a programmer and even having multiple applications in active use, the fan doesn't kick on. If I switch to Arabesque screen saver, the fan doesn't act crazy. I suppose it's not a big deal to use a different screen saver but there's no logical reason for my fan to go insane when all it's doing is cycling through some pictures.
I did try the steps to reset the SMC but it did not seem to solve the issue.
Any help appreciated!

You were right One of my other iPhoto albums must have corrupted pictures because I went to a backup that contained only the wedding pictures and everything is fine. Always nice when the answer happens to be something simple!
Thanks!!

Why would my MacBook Pro be stuck on a Gray Screen?

Today when I went to start up my MacBook Pro the screen was completely black (it appeared to be lit but still a lit black), then I called Apple support and they walked me through a few steps, which just made the screen white. Along with the white screen it displays the Apple logo, then a circle with a line through it (like a do not enter sign), then a gray file with a question mark in it. These 3 images just kind of scroll through on repeat.
I am not really looking for ways to fix it, I do have an appointment with the Genius Bar, however I was hoping to just understand a little behind why this would be happening... And if you had any ideas on what the cost I'm looking at for the fix. I have a mid 2012 MacBook Pro that has been updated with the latest software. It was working perfectly fine yesterday, and I have never had any problems with it until this right now.
Please help and thank you so much!

Any one of these problems can cause Mac to not start properly.
Cannot finish checking the startup disk.
Cannot find the System folder.
OS X is corrupted.
Standard Troubleshooting steps are:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ts2570
Startup in Safe mode
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH14204?viewlocale=en_US
Repair Disk
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH5836
Reset PRAM: http://support.apple.com/kb/ph14222
Reinstall OS X
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH13871
Taking the computer to the Apple store.
Mac/ Intel Startup sequences:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2674

Macbook Pro does not start. Grey screen with logo and status bar going on forever.

I have a Macbook Pro, late 2010 running with OS Mavericks. Lately it became very slow but never had major issues like crashing. Lat night, I tried a hard restart because it was stuck and I cannot get it to restart ever since. I get sound and grey screen with logo. The status bar is going on forever but does not boot. Can anyone help, please?

Try a safe boot:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1564
If no success, boot into recovery:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1310
Select the recovery partition and then from the 4 option menu select Disk Utility.
Open Disk Utility>First Aid and run Verify and Repair.
What are the results?
Ciao.

My macbook pro only goes to a gray screen with a blinking ?

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