My Macbook wont start from the USB Lion Drive

Hi Guys!
I got a Macbook 3.1 late 2007 and bought a new SSD from OCZ. I put it in my mac, everything easy but when I start it, it shows the flashing folder with a questionmark. Well, I press the Option key during start and it wont even show the startup center. While I am booting, I got the OS Lion USB Flashdrive from Apple plugged in one of the USB slots. Could this USB drive be the problem?
Thanks for the help!

The best thing that you can do is purchase an enclosure for your internal drive (see -> http://eshop.macsales.com/search/2.5%22+usb+enclosures), use a Phillips #00 screwdriver and a Torx T6 screwdriver (also available in a kit from OWC/macsales -> http://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/TOOLKIT14/) and get the hard drive out and into the enclosure (it's quite simple to do and there are videos at OWC that will help -> http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/).
Once the drive is in the enclosure you can plug it into any Mac and retrieve your data. Probably the best thing to do would be purchasing an external drive and copying (or cloning, see -> http://www.bombich.com/) the data from your internal (now in the enclosure) to the external drive.
Then reverse the process, putting your internal drive back in place, and take your machine to your local Apple Store or an AASP. I know that it sounds rather convoluted, but you'll be able to use the external drive afterwards to make backups (see -> Most commonly used backup methods).
Make sense? Or am I just being confusing?
Clinton

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I have a time machine backup file on a USB hard drive. I bought a time capsule / airport extreme, flat 3TB. I wish to transfer the backup file from the usb hard drive to the time capsule hard drive. 10.6.8

I have a time machine backup file on a USB hard drive. I bought a time capsule / airport extreme, flat 3TB. I wish to transfer the backup file from the usb hard drive to the time capsule hard drive. 10.6.8

Unfortunately, Time Machine backups that are stored on a drive that has been connected directly to a Mac are completely different than Time Machine backups that are stored on a Time Capsule.
Frankly, it is not worth the effort and trouble to try to transfer the old backups to the new Time Capsule.....my opinion....having done this in the past.
It is possible though, but I would not recommend it due to the complexity and downsides involved with this. To give you an idea of how to do this, check out this support article.
http://pondini.org/TM/18.html
Even if you transfer the "old" backups over to the Time Capsule successfully, Time Machine will not simply "add on" to the old backups.
Time Machine will make a new complete backup of your Mac and then add incremental backups from that point.
My advice.....start a new backup on the Time Capsule and move forward. Keep the USB hard drive around for a month, maybe 2 or 3 in case you need to go back to an old backup for some reason. At that time, you will not likely need the old backups at all since you will have a current 2-3 month history of new backups. At that point, you can erase the USB drive and use it for another purpose.

SA30-414 boot from the USB floppy drive

Hi All!
I'm tryin to get my my satellite A30-414 to boot from the USB floppy drive and enter the dos mode, but all i get is a black screen (without a cursor, of course!!), and then the windows XP logon page directly. Can you tell me whether this model has a boot device menu hotkey?
Also, I may have permanently changed some boot configurations (namely by holding down the F12 at startup and then the F2 key at a later try) with my attempts to get the machine to boot from floppy drive: now even when the floppy drive is not connected i get this awkward black screen and then, after a few seconds, the windows logon page. How can I acceed the setup menu and check?
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Thanks to you all for your support!
Now I'll tell how this problem originated. I connected the standard usb fdd with a standard DOS boot disk to which I had added a firmware upgrade for my DVDrom unit. I powered on and held the F12 key down expecting to see the boot device selection menu, instead i got a black screen for a few seconds and then the winXP logon page. At this point i rebooted and held down the F2 key with the same purpose. But the computer went into some kind of hybernation and by pressing the power-on button it shut down.
From that moment on startup I don't see the BIOS POST page anymore: countless seconds of black screen and then the WinXP logon page. The most optimistic explanation to this is that i inadvertently changed the boot order, so it searches for floppy first, and when it doesn't find it then it goes to C:\. Does it sound logical?

Installed Optibay now Macbook wont start without the charger...

Hey Guys,
Yesterday I installed an SSD along with an optibay drive in my Late 2011 macbook. I have installed my own hard drive before and the process of installing the Optibay was fairly similiar and simple.
After everything was installed I noticed my macbook does not start when the charger cable is plugged out. I have reset the SMC (Did not get any feedback from the laptop, so im not sure if anything is happening.) as well as disconnected the battery for a few seconds, still nothing. Without the charger the laptop is now dead.
If I go to system support I, my laptop has had 256 cycles and the battery status is Normal.
When I boot up with the charger plugged in, I can see that the laptop is charging and the percentages are going up.
What do you guys reccomend I do? I need the latop so it would be great if we can find a solution where I dont have to send it in for a few weeks to get repaired.
Kind Regards,
Herco van Dyk.

Hi LowLuster,
I pressed the battery indicator. When the laptop is on charge, it runs to the appropiate light. When it is not on charge, none of the lights light up. The laptop behaves like there is no battery inserted.
I also checked the battery cable and it was snug. I plugged it out and back in just for peace of mind but the problem persists.
I sent in the latop for repairs a short while after my initial message. So let's hope they can get it sorted by the weekend. (Their claimed repair time.)

Emac wont boot from cd or hard drive & display qeustion mark ?

Hello, if someone can please help me.
I have an emac which is purchased in 2003, it has ran OSX 10.4 for around a year. Recently i clean installed the hard drive, but the installation kept failing.
When I restarted the computer a flashing qeustion mark in a folder alternating with the mac face logo appeared. If _ hold C down during startup - it wont start from the original OSX 10.2 that came with it either.
I dont know what to do, I've searched every corner of the web looking for a solution.
Thanks,
P.S I've even attempted removing the hard drive - then trying C at startup - still the same qeustion mark flashing!

If you have access to another Firewire-equipped Mac, it would be easier to use FireWire target disk mode with the other Mac as the Host and the eMac as the target. If the eMac's HD appears in target disk mode, first use the host Mac's Disk Utility to check the drive status in the eMac. If the eMac drive's SMART status is reading anything in red, your obvious next step is a replacement hard drive.
If you were attempting to boot from a retail black-label OS X 10.4 install disc, the eMac certainly should have recognized that unless the optical drive has gone bad as well. Have you checked the eMac's PRAM battery? It should read within 0.1v of the nominal 3.6v value while under load (e.g., still in the eMac battery holder). A failed or weal PRAM battery is a classic reason for a Mac failing to start up properly.
Replacing a failed PRAM battery should suffice in itself to revive the Mac. In some cases it may be necessary to carefully reset the PMU (see step 6 in eMac: How to Replace the Backup Battery).
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How to launch Apple Hardware Test from a USB optical drive?

Hi all!
First off, and before you guys starting proposing solutions I can't implement, I don't, repeat DON'T have a Firewire optical drive, nor am I going to buy one: I recently had to buy a USB LG optical drive to compensate for my SuperDrive going AWOL on me. I used said drive to reinstall OSX about a month ago, so this LG drive works just fine, thank you.
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I'll sum it up for you:
1) My SuperDrive isn't working, stopped working about the same time I installed this EFIng (guffaw, guffaw) Security Update 2009-001;
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4) Booting with the OSX CD in my USB optical drive and keeping D, C or alt keys didn't help.
I read in another forum that you could somehow copy the content of the OSX CD on a flash drive, then boot from the flash drive and conduct an AHT, but I'm not sure how it can be done.

Hi!
Looks like we posted at exactly the same time, Glynn! LOL
Anyway, I did just what you said, drag'n'drop and all. The problem is, when I boot from the USB hard drive, it's exactly as if I were booting from the CD: first I'm asked to choose a language, then the install screen appears, and I can either reinstall on my startup disk from the USB hard drive (that's kinda cool, but I don't think I leave in on my USB hard drive, which can only content 40Gb, because I've almost 25Gb worth of data to retransfer soon...
So, in a nutshell, I couldn't find Apple Hardware Test anywhere. I even explored the CD content, but there are so many files...
What's my best option now? Could AppleJack help me here? Can I install AHT on my startup disk and boot on it using a special set of keys?
Almost time to go to work. A 5 minute walk, though...

How do install Windows 7 from a USB optical drive?

I have a 27" 2013 iMac with no optical drive so I borrowed an Apple USB portable optical drive. How do I install Windows on BootCamp from the USB Optical drive?

iirc, you won't be able to or at least you shouldn't, it will take much longer than using a usb install
CHECKLIST
use only a +8gb USB2 flash drive
disconnect ALL devices except kb, mouse
STEPS
do a PRAM reset
open disk utility, confirm you have 1 partition (‘mac HD’ unless you renamed it) and repair permissions TWICE
dl a windows ISO
insert your usb flash drive and open boot camp assistant, choose all options making sure you used the new ISO just dl'd
if you get an error that the windows support software is unavailable, manually dl it here, put it on a separate USB2 drive and install by clicking setup.exe after windows is installed
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht5634
w7 ISOs
http://techverse.net/download-windows-7-iso-x86-x64-microsofts-official-servers/

My macbook wont start the screen turn blue and stay like that for hrs. It only work when i use safe mode, i try to use disk utilities to fix it but the disk utilities keep saying error and a bunch of other stuff. I dont the cds the comp came with, help.

my macbook wont start the screen turn blue and stay like that for hrs. It only work when i use safe mode, i try to use disk utilities to fix it but the disk utilities keep saying error and a bunch of other stuff. I dont the cds the comp came with, help. i've tried the command s command p command v but nothing i've tried to the safe mode then a quick restart but nothing
disk utility give me this:
Process:         Disk Utility [371]
Path:            /Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility.app/Contents/MacOS/Disk Utility
Identifier:      com.apple.DiskUtility
Version:         11.5.2 (298.4)
Build Info:      DiskUtility-2980400~60
Code Type:       X86-64 (Native)
Parent Process: launchd [86]
Date/Time:       2013-11-05 03:29:41.247 -0500
OS Version:      Mac OS X 10.6.8 (10K549)
Report Version: 6
Interval Since Last Report:          9522 sec
Crashes Since Last Report:           29
Per-App Interval Since Last Report: 981 sec
Per-App Crashes Since Last Report:   25
Anonymous UUID:                      F6B8E263-76C8-4C7D-AA58-48134BF4BA78
Exception Type: EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGSEGV)
Exception Codes: KERN_INVALID_ADDRESS at 0x0000000000000020
Crashed Thread: 0 Dispatch queue: com.apple.main-thread
Thread 0 Crashed: Dispatch queue: com.apple.main-thread
0   libobjc.A.dylib                         0x0000000100c62fbc _read_images + 312
1   libobjc.A.dylib                         0x0000000100c79721 map_images_nolock + 1266
2   libobjc.A.dylib                         0x0000000100c62761 map_images + 115
3   dyld                                    0x00007fff5fc039c5 dyld::notifyBatchPartial(dyld_image_states, bool, char const* (*)(dyld_image_states, unsigned int, dyld_image_info const*)) + 853
4   dyld                                    0x00007fff5fc0c849 ImageLoader::link(ImageLoader::LinkContext const&, bool, bool, ImageLoader::RPathChain const&) + 201
5   dyld                                    0x00007fff5fc04d54 dyld::link(ImageLoader*, bool, ImageLoader::RPathChain const&) + 118
6   dyld                                    0x00007fff5fc08f7c dlopen + 490
7   libSystem.B.dylib                       0x0000000100a14e40 dlopen + 61
8   com.apple.CoreFoundation                0x0000000100d78ef7 _CFBundleDlfcnLoadBundle + 231
9   com.apple.CoreFoundation                0x0000000100d77e97 _CFBundleLoadExecutableAndReturnError + 1191
10 com.apple.Foundation                    0x0000000101008355 _NSBundleLoadCode + 638
11 com.apple.Foundation                    0x0000000101007c78 -[NSBundle loadAndReturnError:] + 742
12 com.apple.Foundation                    0x000000010101960c -[NSBundle principalClass] + 38
13 com.apple.framework.DUSupport           0x0000000100082080 -[DUModuleManager(_private) findDUModules:] + 405
14 com.apple.framework.DUSupport           0x0000000100081ed9 -[DUModuleManager orderedModuleListOfModules] + 40
15 com.apple.DiskUtility                   0x0000000100006082 0x100000000 + 24706
16 com.apple.DiskUtility                   0x0000000100005f59 0x100000000 + 24409
17 com.apple.AppKit                        0x0000000101444625 -[NSWindowController _windowDidLoad] + 538
18 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00000001013e1f77 -[NSWindowController window] + 112
19 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00000001015f61d9 -[NSWindowController showWindow:] + 47
20 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00000001015c7c5c -[NSDocument showWindows] + 98
21 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00000001015c64bb -[NSDocumentController openUntitledDocumentAndDisplay:error:] + 340
22 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00000001014f7b44 -[NSDocumentController(NSInternal) _openUntitled] + 111
23 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00000001014f79ab -[NSApplication _doOpenUntitled] + 257
24 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00000001014f733b -[NSApplication(NSAppleEventHandling) _handleAEOpen:] + 185
25 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00000001014f6fd9 -[NSApplication(NSAppleEventHandling) _handleCoreEvent:withReplyEvent:] + 77
26 com.apple.Foundation                    0x0000000100ffd0d6 -[NSAppleEventManager dispatchRawAppleEvent:withRawReply:handlerRefCon:] + 360
27 com.apple.Foundation                    0x0000000100ffcf06 _NSAppleEventManagerGenericHandler + 114
28 com.apple.AE                            0x0000000104d7332b aeDispatchAppleEvent(AEDesc const*, AEDesc*, unsigned int, unsigned char*) + 162
29 com.apple.AE                            0x0000000104d73224 dispatchEventAndSendReply(AEDesc const*, AEDesc*) + 32
30 com.apple.AE                            0x0000000104d7312b aeProcessAppleEvent + 210
31 com.apple.HIToolbox                     0x00000001028a0619 AEProcessAppleEvent + 48
32 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00000001013fc095 _DPSNextEvent + 1191
33 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00000001013fb801 -[NSApplication nextEventMatchingMask:untilDate:inMode:dequeue:] + 155
34 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00000001013c168f -[NSApplication run] + 395
35 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00000001013ba3b0 NSApplicationMain + 364
36 com.apple.DiskUtility                   0x0000000100002009 0x100000000 + 8201
37 com.apple.DiskUtility                   0x0000000100001db8 0x100000000 + 7608
Thread 1: Dispatch queue: com.apple.libdispatch-manager
0   libSystem.B.dylib                       0x0000000100a27c0a kevent + 10
1   libSystem.B.dylib                       0x0000000100a29add _dispatch_mgr_invoke + 154
2   libSystem.B.dylib                       0x0000000100a297b4 _dispatch_queue_invoke + 185
3   libSystem.B.dylib                       0x0000000100a292de _dispatch_worker_thread2 + 252
4   libSystem.B.dylib                       0x0000000100a28c08 _pthread_wqthread + 353
5   libSystem.B.dylib                       0x0000000100a28aa5 start_wqthread + 13
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Reset the PRAM
Reinstall the operating system from the dvd (you will not loose your data)

HT201250 i am using for first time the time machine and an external hard drive because I want to erase my macbook and start from zero files. do i keep my files in the portable hard disk when I connect it again with the macbook or the time machine will era

i am using for first time the time machine and an external hard drive because I want to erase my macbook and start from zero files. Am i keeping my files in the portable hard disk when I will connect it again with the macbook or the time machine will erase all?
I would like to know if after I erase all my data, empy hard drive inside the macbook, the time machine will erase all my files that I have saved in my "WD "My passport" external hard drive

Welcome to Apple Support Communities
Time Machine has to erase the external disk in order to make backups. Before setting Time Machine up, copy the files of your external disk to the hard disk of the Mac in order not to lose them, and then, set up Time Machine. The first backup will start automatically.
If you want more information about Time Machine, read the Pondini's site > http://pondini.org

MacBook Pro i5 with retina will not recognize WD Passport even though I successfully used it to transfer programs and files from my older MacBook ten days ago. It receives power from the USB, but when using Time Machine I receive the message that there is

MacBook Pro i5 with retina will not recognize WD Passport even though I successfully used it to transfer programs and files from my older MacBook ten days ago. It receives power from the USB, but when using Time Machine I receive the message that there is not an external device connected.

If the modem is also a router, either use the modem in bridge and run pppoe client on the TC.. that is assuming ADSL or similar eg vdsl. If it is cable service.. and the modem is a router, then bridge the TC.. go to internet page and select connect by ethernet and below that set connection sharing to bridge.
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I have a MacBook pro late 2011 version it's not booting up so I am trying to boot from a USB recovery drive but when I select it nothing happens it jus goes to the restore options

I have a MacBook pro late 2011 version it's not booting up so I am trying to boot from a USB recovery drive but when I select it nothing happens it jus goes to the restore options

Bahamaguy wrote:
I have a MacBook pro late 2011 version it's not booting up ....
So what you want is to be able to boot from OS X and retrieve your files
Create a data recovery/undelete external boot drive
Of course if it's not booting up, it's easier to fix in place
..Step by Step to fix your Mac
https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_pro?view=documents#/
...so I am trying to boot from a USB recovery drive but when I select it nothing happens it just goes to the restore options
"Recovery HD" is a partition on your boot drive which you option or commnad r key held at boot time to get into and then repair the Macintish HD partition.
If you have this on a external USB thumb drive, then that's all it is, no OS X, programs or files.
If your talking a USB external drive, it has to be a OS X bootable clone made with Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper and the option key held at boot time gives you that boot option.
Most commonly used backup methods
So what your saying is you have a external clone and by holding the option key down at boot all you get is it directly going to Recovery HD?
There is no Startup Manager option to choose what to boot from?
This could mean Apple changed something, or your external bootable clone isn't one, or the wrong software used so it's not being recognized by Startup Manager as a bootable option.
What did you use to make the external OS X USB bootable drive?

My macbook wont start. it just comes to a black screen that sais no bootable device. -asian gal

My macbook wont start. it just comes to a black screen that sais no bootable device.

Ok then either the drive has failed or the cable from the drive to the logic board has failed or the drive is so corrupted that the computer doesn't see the OS on it.
Boot the computer from the original install DVD that came with your system. If your system is new and came with Lion then at startup hold down the Command+r keys and that will either boot you to the built in Recovery HD or to the internet recovery system. From either of those you can check the drive for error and or see if the computer even knows there is a drive in the system.

Macbook wont start up

My macbook wont start up.
When I try to go into Single User Mode, I get the following error:
.Loading for kernel cache file 'System\Library\Caches\com.apple.kernelcaches\kernelcache.BB12B6EE'
Loading 'mach_kernel'...
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Loading drivers...
Loading System\Library\Extensions.mkext
........Read Error 0x80000007
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Not saying you have to reinstall...
"Try Disk Utility
1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc that came with your computer, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.
3. Click the First Aid tab.
4. Click the disclosure triangle to the left of the hard drive icon to display the names of your hard disk volumes and partitions.
5. Select your Mac OS X volume.
6. Click Repair. Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk."
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214
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Hi i am having a big trouble. MY mac wont start past the gray screen. I tried starting on safe boot, single user user mode , recovery mode. Everything it gets stuck on the gray screen i even tried reinstalling it , same thing what should i do?

MY mac wont start past the gray screen. I tried starting on safe boot, single user user mode , recovery mode. Everything it gets stuck on the gray screen i even tried reinstalling it , same thing what should i do? it lets me reinstall sometimes Sometimes.... it is weird.

orshikhfromsc,
boot from the Mac OS X Install DVD that originally came in the box with your MacBook Pro (by holding down the C key as it starts up). When the desktop appears, select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu and erase your internal disk. After it’s been erased, reformat it. After it’s been reformatted, exit Disk Utility and reïnstall the version of Mac OS X from that DVD onto your internal disk. After that version of Mac OS X has been reïnstalled, boot from your internal disk and run Software Update to get it up-to-date within that version; that should allow you to redownload and reïnstall Mavericks, if desired. If Mavericks is reïnstalled, run Software Update again to get it up to date.
If you no longer have the two grey installation DVDs, you can purchase a replacement set from either Apple or iFixit.

Macbook wont start and makes ticking noise

The subject line says it all. My macbook wont start and it makes clicking noises from inside the case, kind of like a watch. The display turns on and the chime goes when it starts, but the screen stays white and nothing happens.

You can run diagnostics from the OSX disc. Insert disc one and while it is booting hold down the d key. This should take you into diagnostics.
You might also try to reset PRAM AND PMU first.
SMC/PMU Reset
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303319
PRAM Reset
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=2238
Mort

My Macbook wont start from the USB Lion Drive

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