My macbook pro won't load past the opening screen

i was using my macbook pro last night and it just froze, i turned it off and then tried to restart it. while restarting, i noticed that the screen had not changed for a couple of minutes. it was the screen when you first turn your computer on, before you log onto a user. i waited for about an hour and the screen wouldnt change. i've tried restarting it. nothing is working. any ideas?

Well, it would depend if your HDD has died. If you don't have a backup that would be unfortunate.
First, go grab your original install disk, stick it in, and restart & hold the C key.
That will bring up the install screen.
Select your Language.
Then go up the top to Utilities > Disk Utility > Repair Disk + Repair Permissions
Please take note of any errors it repairs / does not repair.

Similar Messages

My MacBook pro will not load past the grey screen with the spinning wheel. What do I do?

My MacBook will not load past the grey screen with the spinning wheel of death. Anyone have any solutions?

Invoke Safe Mode by holding down the shift Key as you restart. This will do a Disk Utility "Repair Disk" as it starts up (so it takes a few minutes longer) and then load with minimal extensions loaded, and request your login username and password, even if you normally do not use them to log in.
Safe Mode runs the screen using simple, unaccelerated commands. Most things are available in Safe Mode, but things that rely on extensions will not be.
Acomputer that works in Safe Mode, but fails again after you restart, often implicates your extensions and add-ons.

Macbook Pro won't load past a grey screen on startup!

I apologise for what will most likely be an essay ahead.
I have a Macbook Pro (2.16ghz) that is just over three years old. It is running on Leopard with all the up to date patches / updates. Over the past week or so, it has been 'playing up' in the sense that the spinning loading icon would appear at random intervals and stay there for a good 20 to 30 seconds or so, not allowing me to do anything. If I would be listening to music, the music would pause and then come back on.
It would normally appear when something was trying to load. For example, the final straw was when I was using Adobe Bridge and it was taking an extremely long time to load up the photos I had imported and in the end I gave up. Speed has never been an issue before and my MBP has 2GB of RAM.
So I backed up what I needed and proceeded to do an 'Erase and Install(Leopard) format. Once formatted, the MBP booted up and I completed the registration, took my User picture blah blah etc. Once done, the MBP booted into OS X - this is where the problems occurred. The spinning loading icon appeared and after about 30 seconds or so, the Finder window / toolbar at the top disappeared, as did the Macintosh HD icon on the desktop. All I was left with was my wallpaper and Dock with icons in. However, if I clicked on any of the programs, nothing would happen.
Naturally, I tried restarting it and the same thing happened again. I figured that because my MBP was connected to a second Dual monitor, that this might have been the issue so I decided to boot from the OS X Leopard CD and do another 'Erase and Install'. I once again got past the registration screen, but this time, instead of booting into OS X my MBP stuck itself on a grey screen. It would not go any further.
I then decided that the spinning loading icon issue may be a RAM problem. When I first got my MBP, I upgraded the RAM so I knew how to take it out and replace it. So I tried taking out the RAM stick (1GB) I put in orignally and booting it with the original 1GB stick. The same problem occurred. I tried the other way round, putting in my 1GB RAM stick and taking the original out - nothing worked. I tried every possible combination, even swapping the sticks around.
Eventually my brother tells me he has some spare RAM which I also try and once again, this does not solve the issue. So I figure it cannot be a RAM problem.
So next I try booting from the OS X Disc on startup and run Disk Utility. I verify and repair the Mac HD which comes up fine. No errors, no issues, nothing.
I finally scour the internet for info on what could be the cause of the problem and the biggest suggestion seems to be formatting. So I once again try formatting my MBP for a third time - however this time, I get the original problem. It boots up into OS X but then the Finder toolbar and Mac HD icon disappear, leaving me with Dock and Wallpaper.
The final thing I try is resetting the MBPs PRAM on startup. This does not solve the issue.
So here I am. If you could be bothered to read all of that, well done haha I'm not sure if I could have.
If anyone has ANY suggestions or advice, please post!
I do not have Apple Care so if I was to take it to the local Genius bar, would they look at it for free and diagnose it? Or would that cost me? I have never had to take my MBP in before.
Thankyou again

I just skimmed over this because the post is like a small novel! lol Try a Apple Hardware Test. I think it's probably a bad logic board.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1509
Don't take it to a Genius Bar until you've done this, saves time and you might have a little more info to give them. Also that way you won't feel pressured into anything. It's out of warranty, so sometimes I've noticed they can be a little pushy especially on a very high dollar replacement such as a new logic board on an out of warranty item. Also the "enhanced diagnostic" is around $100, so you might have to at least fork over a hard earned Benjamin and not get anything fixed. And whatever you do, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT tell them you upgraded the RAM yourself. If they are feeling in a good mood and decide to knock off any money or waive any sort of fees, this will kill it instantly. RAM is considered "user serviceable," but they normally try to plead "the part you installed is not Apple Authorized" or the "installation caused the issue and was not an ACHT." Put back in the original stick and leave it alone. Hope this helps you out!

MacBook Pro won't get past the apple screen on startup

The laptop won't startup. I get to the Apple logo and a spinning gear. I've tried starting it 3 times with the same result.

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.”
b. 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.
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
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 either of the techniques in Steps 1b and 1c 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 Fusion Drive or 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 10. 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
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 10
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 11
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 12
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.

My MacBook Pro won't go past the grey screen. It only shows that it's loading and doesn't go any further.

Okay well, to start off, I got my MacBook from a distant family member who got a new one so they let me have their old one. They got it from a pawn shop so I don't have the disk that we got the OS from but it hasn't had any issues UNTIL NOW. I need to use my laptop for a homework assignment so please help me quickly. Everytime I turn it on it'll just stay on the loading screen, I left it for 4 hours yesterday and it still wouldn't work. I reset the (insert acronym here) thing already, the thing where you press control, option, P, R keys at start up. I really need help because my assignment is on the laptop and it's due tomorrow. Please help. ={ And I'm not entirely sure which OS it's using because I've never really checked.

Boot from the OS DVD you have for the computer.
Repair 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 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.
You can reinstall OS X, but the procedure depends on the version of OS X that is installed.

My macbook pro will not get past the gray screen with the apple logo and a loading bar.

My macbook pro will not get past the grey screen with the apple logo after attempting to load for hours. I have already tried resetting the NVRAM/PRAM and a couple other tricks and no luck. Anyone out there have suggestions for my problem? Help would be much appreciated since i use my computer for everything at school and i am in desperate need to get this baby working again.

You didn't say which OS in your tag, but maybe you might find something here.
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2570
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH4191
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH7213
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4125
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2213

IMac makes a loud beep on start up, won't load past the blue screen and the black ticking dial appears every few seconds in centre of screen.

Urgent help!
Out of the blue my mac lost the mouse cursor even though it had connection so I rebooted only for the mac to make a loud beep on start up then get stuck at the blue loading screen. It won't load past the blue screen. I've tried to reboot holding down the shift key but no change. I've also shut down, unplugged the main for 15 seconds, re plug and wait 5 seconds before starting up again but no change. Does anyone have any suggestions?
PS: I'm not too sure which systems I am running without being able to check in about this mac. I bought my imac in January or February 2011 if that helps.

The power on self-test resides in the ROM of the computer. This test runs whenever the computer is turned on after being fully shut down (the power-on self-test does not run if the computer is only restarted).
If a fault is detected during the test, you will not hear a normal startup chime. Instead, the system will beep as explained below. If you experience one of these beeps, you may call your Apple Authorized Service Provider for additional troubleshooting assistance.
1 beep = no RAM installed
2 beeps = incompatible RAM types
3 beeps = no good banks
4 beeps = no good boot images in the boot ROM (and/or bad sys config block)
5 beeps = processor is not usable
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1547

My macbook pro won't load all the way when I start it up.

Lately, my mac book pro has been slow to use, and the colour wheel pops up often. I shut it down earlier today, and now when I try to start it up, it won't load all the way. When I do manage to get to the homescreen, the applications and toolbars won't load. Any ideas what the issue might be and how I can fix it?

It could be a number of issues, Fred.
Have you optimized your photos to no larger than 1000x750 pixels, per the FAQs to the right of this forum? Oversized photos are the chief reason for these types of failures.
http://forums.adobe.com/thread/431851?tstart=0
You also say your videos are MP4s. Are these AVCHD video or are they from a "webbie" camcorder, such as the Flip cam? Flip video uses a proprietary codec that often jams up video editors. This is also covered in our FAQs.
http://forums.adobe.com/thread/437535?tstart=0
Finally, have you ensured that the drive you are saving your video to has adequate free space and is freshly defragmented? You should always have at least 30 gigs of free space on your drive plus 30-50 more for each hour of video you're outputting.
And, if you are exporting to a drive other than your C drive, you should ensure that the drive is formatted NTFS rather than FAT32. FAT32 drives have a file size limit that often chokes video output.

My MacBook Pro won't go past the white apple page

My computer won't go past the white apple page with the spinning wheel when you turn it on.

This should fix the problem:
Reinstalling Lion/Mountain 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/Mountain Lion: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Continue button.
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

Macbook pro won't go past the apple logo (Lion)

I've installed Java Runtime, and after that tried to use "software update" but the application quit.
Tried to restart, but it stays stuck on the apple logo (with the wheel turning) for ages. Restarted in recovery mode, ran disk utility, repaired permissions and verified disk. no problems found. Restarted again, still the same thing - won't go past the apple logo.
If reinstall is the only way to go, is there a way to access this hard drive to back up files (it is a recent computer, still hadn't made any backups...)
Thank you all, help would be much appreciated!

Shut down and startup holding command-r keys into Recovery Disk from there choose Disk Utility and Repair Disk.
polymolly wrote:
I've installed Java Runtime, and after that tried to use "software update" but the application quit.
Tried to restart, but it stays stuck on the apple logo (with the wheel turning) for ages. Restarted in recovery mode, ran disk utility, repaired permissions and verified disk. no problems found. Restarted again, still the same thing - won't go past the apple logo.
If reinstall is the only way to go, is there a way to access this hard drive to back up files (it is a recent computer, still hadn't made any backups...)
Thank you all, help would be much appreciated!
Ooops you've been there, done that. You can use Target Disk Mode if you have another Mac.
EDIT: Was the Java Runtime from Software Update?

MacBook Pro won't get past grey startup screen

I have a late 2011 15 inch MacBook Pro running Mavericks. Around a month ago, maybe more, it began to sometimes completely freeze or just turn off while Inwas using it. Sometimes it would start up again, sometimes it wouldn't and would beep three times. Eventually it wouldn't start up at all and would just beep. I started it up in recovery (holding command +R) and ran a disk repair, it said the disk couldn't be repaired. I had it backed up on Time Machine so I replaced the HD and restored from Time Machine. It was fine for a couple days after that, then the old symptoms returned. I took the RAM out and replaced them with some RAM of the same size (2 chips, 2GB each) taken out of a Windows laptop that I had. Again, it was fine for a few days then started turning off and beeping. Then it would turn on but not boot up, i.e. get stuck on the grey screen with the spinning circle. I tried booting in recovery, booting into safe mode, holding option and choosing a disk; in all cases it would just stay stuck on grey screen with the spinning thing. I tried PRAM and SMC reset, no result. At one point, it got through boot up in safe mode but took like an hour to do so. I restarted from safe mode and it took another hour and booted up normally. Then it turned off again and wouldn't turn back on. I opened it up, reseated the RAM and cleaned he fans, which were filled with dust and build up. It turned on and ran normally for a couple days in which I wasn't doing much on it, just watching stuff on VLC or reading, so not really using it and clicking and stuff. Next day, I open it (from sleep, it hasn't been shut down at all since I got it to run again), and try to open Firefox and actually work; it keeps freezing and being incredibly slow, to the point where it was totally frozen and I couldn't force quit or anything. So I held the power key to shut it down; since then it's back to not getting past the grey screen, even when I leave it for over an hour. No idea what to do, anyone have an idea? Thanks in advance.

You have to use Mac specific RAM chips.
You have to buy new RAM modules, I guess.
If you have extended AppleCare, contact Apple.
Best.

MacBook Pro won't get past gray start screen - RunTime corruption error

Hi, I am a novice when it comes to fixing things, so I will make a Genius Bar appointment, but I thought I would consult this community first in case anyone has experienced this same issue:
I was using my 13 in. MacBook Pro this morning after not using it for a couple weeks. (It was running fine last time.) It started up fine, and the few applications I was using worked OK. Then I got an error saying I needed to update my Java in order to access my work VPN. I didn't think twice about downloading the Java upgrade. Once the Java download was complete, I thought I might need to restart to get the VPN to recognize the update. And that was the last time I was able to see my desktop. I restarted, and the could not get past the gray screen. I did this twice. Then I did a safe boot (showing the status of the progression), and that when I saw this message over and over and over:
hfs: RunTime corruption detected on MacIntosh HD, fsck will be forced on next mount.
hfs: BlockMarkFreeInternal () trying to free unallocated blocks (10865570,8) on volume MacIntosh HD
(I snapped a pic with my phone - that's how I transcribed it.)
This ran for about 20 minutes before I suspected it wasn't actually doing anything, and I forced it to shut down by pressing the power button.
I just tried to start it again (fingers crossed, hoping for a miracle), but no such luck. Does anyone have any ideas? Is all lost? Thank you in advance for any recommendations!
Jennifer

I should add that I don't know if the Java download is responsible - could just be a coincidence that it was the last thing I did/downloaded before restarting.

Macbook Pro won't get past admin login screen

2.53 ghz 13" MBP osx 10.6.4
It starts up and gets to the login screen where it usually has the box to put in the password. But now it just shows the account name and little icons below in that window for sleep, restart, shut down. But it's not responsive to any clicks. I can move the cursor, but nothing else. All I can do is hard shut down but then it does the same thing whenever I restart.
Any ideas? Thank you.

I figured it out. A track pad option was deselected in System Preferences that messed it all up. I got past the login screen with key commands then used my 17 MBP to share screen and changed the track pad settings on the 13 MBP. Phew, that was weird.
It was nice having this exchange with myself in a public forum though...

Macbook Pro won't load past white loading screen when turned on after kernel panics

Hello,
I have a Macbook Pro and recently its been having repeated kernel panics. In the past few days its been turning off every few minutes or so. yesterday it had one and now when I try to turn it on it doesn't load. I get the white loading screen with the apple logo and a loading bar underneath. But after the bar fills about 5% of the way (if that) the bar just disappears and the spinning loading icon just keeps going without anything happening (however long I leave it).
Please can someone give me some suggestions to fix this. Just a few things to note:
a) I'm not great with computers so any fixes please explain in the most simple terms
b) I have VERY important work files on there that are NOT backed up (big mistake I know), so please only suggest fixes that will not remove these Microsoft Word files. Guaranteeing the safety of my work is paramount with any suggestions.
c) I may not have any of the disks which came with the Macbook Pro originally (though I may somewhere)
d) I've read some other forum posts and it seems that I need to know the details of my operating system. I don't know these and have no way of accessing them on the computer (for obvious reasons). Its a late 2011 Macbook Pro if that is of any help.
A massive thank you to anyone who can suggest a fix to these, I shall be eternally grateful.

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
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. The easiest way to deal with the problem is to boot from an external drive, or else to use either of the techniques in Steps 1b and 1c 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 boot 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 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.
Step 7
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.
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 6.
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 8
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 9
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 10
Repeat Step 9, 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 11
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 boot 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 12
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 get past the flashing grey file screen?

Ok, so tonight I try turning my MacBook on as normal, it then froze and I saw the rotating umbrella appear. So I restarted it. When trying to turn back on, the system did not load, instead a flashing grey file shape came up with a question mark inside. I have tried restarting with a number of key combinations, Option; option, ALT, P, R. Everything, yet it's not getting past this screen. Whenever I try to do an Internet recovery, it just stays on the wifi selection screen and I select mine, enter the password and then it just goes back onto the selection screen. Nothing is work yet! Incredibly annoyed as it has so much stuff, photos, music everything. I don't even know how I reinstall software as it's stuck... Can someone please help? My software is 10.7 I believe.

Hi PHXSuns,
If you are seeing a flashing question mark on startup, you may find the following article helpful:
Apple Support: A flashing question mark appears when you start your Mac
https://support.apple.com/kb/TS1440
Regards,
- Brenden

My macbook pro won't load past the opening screen

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