Start up screen is gray with apple sign and won't start up all the way

My girlfriends 13" macbook was running fine and then the internet browsers went down and she had to force quit everything. But when we went to go start it back up it went to the grey screen and just had the spinning wheel and didn't go any further. If anyone knows how to fix this please let me know asap.

Put your install DVD into the optical drive (CD/DVD drive) and reboot. As soon as you hear the boot chime, hold down the "c" key on your keyboard (or the Option key until the Install Disk shows up). That will force your MacBook to boot from the install DVD in the optical drive.
Or if you are running 10.7 Lion, boot from the recovery partition (Command +R on boot) and use Disk Utility to repair your OS 10.7 partition.
When it does start up, you'll see a panel asking you to choose your language. Choose your language and press the Return key on your keyboard once. It will then present you with an Installation window. Completely ignore this window and click on Utilities in the top menu and scroll down to Disk Utility and click it. When it comes up is your Hard Drive in the list on the left?
If it is then click on the Mac OS partition of your hard drive in the left hand list. Then select the First Aid Tab and run Repair Disk. The Repair Disk button won't be available until you've clicked on the Mac OS partition on your hard drive. If that repairs any problems run it again until the green OK appears and then run Repair Permissions.
After repairing use Startup Disk from the same menu to choose your hard drive for restarting from your hard drive.

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MacBook pro bought in 2010 when u turn it on screen is gray with apple logo and spinning wheel and won't turn on???

When trying to turn on MacBook pro bought in 2010 (Mac OS X) I get a gray screen with an apple logo and a spinning wheel. Won't go any further. Any ideas? I have photos I haven't saved and don't want to loose them.

stevesurplus wrote:
and a few other suggested solutions and they have not worked?
What are the 'other suggested solutions'?
Ciao.

HT201263 my ipad give me the apple sign without running up it appears all the time in the screen , i tries to reset my ipad , but still in this problem , can you please help me?

my ipad give me the apple sign without running up it appears all the time in the screen , i tries to reset my ipad , but still in this problem , can you please help me?

You may want to look at this about using recovery mode to restore your iPad.
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4097

I recently updated my e-mail address with apple, but now it does not show all the "purchased" music that I purchased under my old e-mail address. How can I re-gain access to those hundreds of purchased songs?

I recently updated my e-mail address with apple, but now it does not show all the "purchased" music that I purchased under my old e-mail address. How can I re-gain access to those hundreds of purchased songs?

You are trying to find a loophole to circumvent a basic rule that prohibits the transfer of purchased content from one Apple ID to another.
Content tied to an Apple ID are bound to that Apple ID forever. You can not merge or trade accounts. Well, not (officially) anyway...

IBook won't start up all the way...

My iBook G4 has been great. But recently, I've experience a little trouble. Sometimes when it starts up, it seems to only startup part way.
Meaning, that none of my external connections work (iBook won't recognize any of my USB periferals like my printer and external mouse... and unfortunately my wireless internet connection is supported through a USB port, so when this happens, I can't log on to the internet!).
I've also noticed that when this happens, although I get my Mac OSX desktop, I don't see anything on the top-right-hand-side of the menu bar. So I do get my "apple" menu, and Finder, File, Edit, View, Go, Window, and Help on the left-hand-side, but nothing on the right (display control panel, volume indicator, Date/Time).
So, sometimes I start it and it starts up all the way and everything works fine. Other times I start it up, and I can't find my periferals, and I don't have anything on the right-hand sinde of the menu bar.
I have tried troubleshooting on my own by running Disk First Aid (everything checks out okay), and verifying and repairing my permissions. Doesn't help.
Any suggestions? Hopefully I can get some useful advice on this discussion board. If not, I will have to take it in for service.
iBook Power PC G4 933 MHz Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Hi mac824,
It sounds like some system corruption.
Download and reinstall the 10.3.9 Combined update. If that doesn't correct it, an Archive and Install should.

When i open my computer I get the white screen with apple symbol and there are vertical lines all over the screen with green pixels and after a few minutes the screen gets grey and I get message to restart my computer what happens

3 years ago I bought an IMac Desktop that I am using for a lot of things but the most important for dvd montage in Imovies and Idvd.
Now today when I opened my computer I get as usual the white screen with the Apple symbol but there were all over the screen vertical lines with green pixels and after a while the screen gets grey and I get message to restart my computer using the power button or the restart button and when I do so each time the same is happening somebody can tell me what is happening and what caused this. This computer is my work and now I have no income anymore.
On the Apple support site they are asking to enter the serial number and when I do so I get message it is wrong but it is the only one I have and I buy this computer in Cairo Egypt. I am living in Hurghada in Egypt for the moment. When I call the technical support of the shop where I buy it they are telling me that it is the hard disk or ram and that I probably lost everything on it and they are asking a big amount to repair.
Can somebody advise me on this matter. Thanks in advance

You can find the serial number either in About this Mc in the Menu bar under the , or it should be on a sticker under the foot of the machine.
If you have the install discs, try booting from them, holding down the c key and then using Disk Utility to check the drive.
You can also boot into Safe mode
To start up into Safe Mode (to "Safe Boot"), do this:
   1. Be sure the computer is shut down.
   2. Press the power button.
   3. Immediately after you hear the startup tone, press and hold the Shift key.
      Tip: The Shift key should be held as soon as possible after the startup tone but not before.
   4. Release the Shift key when you see the gray Apple and progress indicator (looks like a spinning gear).
During the startup in Mac OS X 10.2 through 10.3.9, you will see "Safe Boot" on the Mac OS X startup screen.
During the startup in Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you will see "Safe Boot" on the login window, which appears even if you normally log in automatically.
Please post back with results,
To leave Safe Mode in any version of Mac OS X, restart the computer normally, without holding any keys during startup.

My macbook pro laptop has a grey screen at start up and doesn't boot up all the way

to whom this may concern, i have a macbook pro and the computer on startup has a grey screen i get the apple symbol and a status bar but as the status bar is filling it only fills 1/3 of the way and the computer shuts down i tried turning back on several times and have had no luck. what could be the problem ?

mr.edsr wrote:
Where is the SMC located and how is this done? Thank you!
Please read this link:
http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295
Ciao.

I purchased a tv series and downloaded the first episode, when I went to download the next episode a message popped up saying "this computer is already associated with an apple id" and won't let me download the rest of the shows

I purchased a tv series and downloaded the first episode, when I went to download the next episode a message popped up saying "this computer is already associated with an apple id.....You can download past purchases on this computer with just one Apple ID every 90 days. You cannot associate this computer with a different Apple ID for 41 days" and won't let me download the rest of the shows even though I haven't changed accounts and I'm using the same account I purchased the shows with.

It's been months, so you may not care anymore, but you can't download songs from multiple Apple IDs over a 90 days period. Sorry, it's not allowed for legal reasons.

G5 won't start up all the way with new monitor

My employer was getting rid of two 22" Viewsonic CRTs, so I figured I'd use one to upgrade my 19" monitor that's connected to my dual 1.8 G5.
When I connect either of the 22" monitors, the G5 won't startup all the way. It just hangs (although the mouse is movable) before the desktop appears.
Both monitors are operational and work fine when connected (via a VGA adaptor) to my macbook pro.
The G5 works totally fine when connected to my old 19" monitor.
Here's what I've tried:
• zapped the PRAM (numerous times)
• plugged the 22" monitor into a different AC outlet (in case it was sucking too much power to allow the G5 to boot fully)
• swapped the video card in the G5 with an identical one from the same model G5 at work.
Nothing helped. This is really perplexing. Why would the monitor keep the computer from fully booting?
thanks!

Might give a try with Applejack...
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/19596
After installing, reboot holding down CMD+s, (+s), then when the DOS like prompt shows, type in...
applejack AUTO
Then let it do all 5 of it's things.
At least it'll eliminate some questions if it doesn't fix it.
The 5 things it does are...
Correct any Disk problems.
Repair Permissions.
Clear out Cache Files.
Repair/check several plist files.
Dump the VM files for a fresh start.
As long as you don't have a USB connection in tandem with a Universal Power Supply, which can cause problems. Unplug the USB cable if you do.

My Laptop Won't Start Up All The Way Anymore

Hi, I recently took a trip and stayed in a hotel room. On the coach bus on the way to the hotel, my laptop (and iBook G4) worked just fine (but couldn't access the internet, obviously). Once I got to the hotel, I realized they had free wireless. This didn't connect very well, so I plugged it into the Ethernet cable they had provided in the room. All was going well for a while. Then I restarted my laptop, and it wouldn't start back up completely. I can see my background, and if I move my mouse to the bottom of the screen, the Dock slides up as usual. But I can't run any programs from there, and my desktop still has no icons and the top menu bar won't come up. It's as if the operating system isn't loading all the way or something. Please help.
And in case this helps any more, the last thing I did was install a plugin pack for Quicktime. I got these off of the Quicktime website, so they should in theory be legit. I'm pretty sure they're compatible even though I have an old OS (I'm still running Panther), because I downloaded them BECAUSE of their use in Panther. So I don't know if this has anything to do with it. Did I maybe get a virus? I've always been told it's highly unlikely to get a virus on a mac.
Thanks.

Anthony:
Welcome to Apple Discussions.
To reiterate what have always been told, it is very unlikely that it is a virus. There are no known viruses for Mac OS X in the wild.
Next, I don't think the software you downloaded is responsible for what you are experiencing.
First, try this:
• Shut down the computer.
• Locate the following keys: Command, Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously later.
• Turn on the computer.
• Press and hold the Command + Option + P + R keys immediately after the startup chime.
• Hold keys down until you hear the startup chime for the third time.
• Release the keys and immediately hold down Shift key to start up in Safe Mode.
• Log in and empty Trash.
• Restart normally and log in.
If that does not help try Repair Disk
Insert Installer disk and Restart, holding down the "C" key until grey Apple appears.
Go to Installer menu (Panther and earlier) or Utilities menu (Tiger) and launch Disk Utility.
Select your HDD (manufacturer ID) in the left panel.
Select First Aid in the Main panel.
(Check S.M.A.R.T Status of HDD at the bottom of right panel, and report if it says anything but Verified)
Click Repair Disk on the bottom right.
If DU reports disk does not need repairs quit DU and restart.
If DU reports errors Repair again and again until DU reports disk is repaired.
If DU reports errors it cannot repair you will need to use a utility like Tech Tool Pro or Disk Warrior
A few questions:
You have an iBook G4. What is the processor speed?
How much RAM do you have installed?
What is the total capacity of your internal HDD?
How much available capacity/free space do you have?
Is your internal HDD the one that shipped originally with the computer?
Do you have an up-to-date backup?
Do you have the original install disks?
cornelius

My computer does not start up all the way

When i start my computer up, it goes through all the steps, but my hard drive never loads and just the wallpaper and the spotlight show up. I have to force quit and start the computer in safe mode and then restart the computer to get it to start all the way. Is there any thing that can be done so that my computer starts right all the time the first time?

annie1977-
Greetings and welcome.
Try booting from the system install CD/DVD by putting the disk in the drive and starting up while holding down the c key.
After boot-up find the Disk Utility, either on the desktop or under the Apple menu. Select your startup drive and the repair permissions on that drive. See if that helps.
Luck-
-DaddyPaycheck

My iphone 4s is stuck on trying to restart. screen is black with apple sign.

my iphone4s is stuck on trying to restart. black screen with apple logo. going on 2 days???

Ignore sandeep. Don't use DFU mode. You need to use recovery mode.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1808
Placing your device into recovery mode
Follow these steps to place your iOS device into recovery mode. If your iOS device is already in recovery mode, you can proceed immediately to step 6.
Disconnect the USB cable from the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, but leave the other end of the cable connected to your computer's USB port.
Turn off the device: Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button for a few seconds until the red slider appears, then slide the slider. Wait for the device to turn off.If you cannot turn off the device using the slider, press and hold the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons at the same time. When the device turns off, release the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons.
While pressing and holding the Home button, reconnect the USB cable to the device. The device should turn on.
Note: If you see the screen pictured below, let the device charge for at least ten minutes to ensure that the battery has some charge, and then start with step 2 again.
Continue holding the Home button until you see the "Connect to iTunes" screen. When this screen appears you can release the Home button:
If necessary, open iTunes. You should see the following "recovery mode" alert:
Use iTunes to restore the device.

HT3964 My MacBook pro starts to come on with apple sign and turning wheel but does not go past that

Please help urgently

Sojiwoye wrote:
Thank you. I used the command and R buttons and tried reinstalling Os with disk supplied because Internet speed very slow to reinstall from Internet here. With CD inside it is showing the apple logo and then three beep sounds in succession and not going further
That is becaause the disc you are using is for an older version of OS X, more then likely Snow Leopard, and will not install because you are now running a newer version of OS X, Lion.
Your only option is to download Lion frim the internet to re-install it or buy the Lion install USB thumb drive from Apple.

My macbook shows a only white screen with apple logo and spinning wheel when i on the power button? How can i correct that?

Any help!!!

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 on some models, 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.

Macbook won't start up all the way, just gray screen then shuts off...

When I turn my mac book on, it starts up and has the apple logo and the spinning gear thing. then after about 30 seconds or so, it shuts off. I tried the install disc and held c, then tried to repair my hard drive thing, but it said it had an error like this: "the underlying task reported failure on exit" and then under that it said something about 1 volume like not working or something and that was in red. anyone know anything else I could do to fix it? thanks

Hey man,
I regret to inform you that I am having the same issue. And I have found that EVERYTHING I have tried has not worked.
You can try all the things that are on the troubleshooting forum right here in the support section. But it didn't work for me. I even tried some further stuff.....to no avail. Some poeple have told me that I need to take out the RAM and try switching that. Haven't gotten to try that yet.
But from what I can tell right now, I'm gonna end up having to loose all my data and send it in and get a new computer. Which I like the sound of "a new computer"....but DON"T like the sound of "lost data." I'm a writer and musician...and I've archived my files on that of my music and writing....alas, the mourning process has begun.
But I hope that you end up in better shape! And do let me know if you find anything that works!!

Start up screen is gray with apple sign and won't start up all the way

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