Startup Disk Won't Start, Disk Seems Fine

When I start up my computer using my main Startup Disk running 10.5.4, it sits at the Apple logo for a while with the dial rotating, and gradually the fan gets louder and louder. That's as far as it gets, it'll just sit there. Strangely enough, the computer works fine when I boot it from my other disk running 10.4.11, and I access all the information on the starup disk without any problems.
This all started an hour or so after I tried to update Quicktime, and had some kind of unarchiving error at the end. The computer would work alright, but locked up when using iTunes (which updated fine).
Thanks,
Michael

I never apply updates until and unless:
I have a cloned backup and both drives have been repaired with Disk Warrior;
And I apply combo update booted from 2nd drive to 1st. You might want to take it for a two-day test drive in some cases.
You do sound like there is problem with disk catalogue, directory, journaling, or more.
While Disk Utility may not find as many problems as Disk Warrior, even DW isn't a guarantee that you want to use the drive. Consider backing up while you can. It's possible to have a valid directory and journal, files are structurally okay, but the contents are not.
So I would avoid installing or updating a drive until I had cleaned it up and run more repairs. Delete the cache folders (System and Library) and the extensions.mkext file before repairs.

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Hi,
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Hello to you all,
My Macbook Air won's boot up and upon diagnosis, i realized my startup disk is full to 99% even with 2GB Hard Disk space. It wont also enable me boot into safe mode too.
when i power up, i get this prolong gray screen which wont change screen but remain so. Infact i am handicapped.
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On start up my MBA would not boot up the apple logo came on but only a blank screen appeared no fan i followed several start up recommendations but to no avail so I took the MBA to the nearest Apple repair centre again the same symptoms on start up ......very sorry sir you need a new mother board that will be $500 not feeling confidant in the product declined and was going to put it on ebay for spares.
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HELP! CD player suddenly won't boot any startup disk.

Help! I am being swamped with problems stemming from my attempt to upgrade to OS X. Can anyone help me plug the holes in my boat? I am including as much info as I can because I notice that requests like mine often generate a lot of questions about basic things. So, here it goes ... and thanks for your thoughts, Ed T. in Newburyport, MA. OK to send ideas to me [email protected]
Goal: install OX 10.3.5 (Panther) on my Mac G4 Ethernet Gigabit machine by booting from the CD install disk. I am using a full retail version (black with silver “X” v 10.3.5).
Problem: neither internal CD-Rom not external Fire Wire CD-ROM player/recorder will boot from 9.1 or 9.2 startup disks. These disks (DiskWarrior and Apple OS X insdatll disk #1) booted OK until I made upgrade preparations to get G4 and OS 9.2.2.
About two weeks ago I installed ViaVoice v2.01 Enhanced Edition and did a practice reading. I just mention this in case it might be relevant.
After installing the second HD I moved all of the document files off the original HD to the new one. I left all the applications on the original HD. I ran DiskWarrior and rebuilt the desktop for each drive. I check for fragmentation and optimized the disks which ran smoothly.
Hardware: G4 Ethernet Gigabit CPU (purchased new 2001 with RAM upgraded to 256 Mb and with an internal CD-ROM player) which uses the original processor, Que Fire external CD recorder/player connected via Firewire, Airport card upgrade and white domed Airport Hub, older HP 55M laser printer connected with an Assante Bridge unit, a cable internet box (Motorola) connected to the Airport unit. Monitor (an older SONY Multiscan 100ES purchased at SeaMUG swap meet). USB 4 jack hub (Netgear Dual Speed DS104). New external hard drive (an OWC Mercury Ultra AL 250 Gb USB/Fire Wire) connected via Fire Wire cable.
Upgrade preparations - I added some new items:
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2.) a new ATA internal 80 Gb Hitachi hard drive (also from OWC) fitted onto the “sled” atop the original 40 Gb HD. NOTE: both drives are format extended (HFS+).
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Hello! First, you know now that you should never do multiple upgrades at the same time. That said I'd first look at the most likely which is an error in the hard drives. Often cable select won't work. Make sure the drive jumpered master is on the end of the ribbon away from the motherboard and the one jumpered slave is on the middle connector. New drives are usually jumpered either master or cable select and if you installed it as a slave without proper jumpering then that's the most likely place to start. Post back when you're sure the drives are physically connected properly. Tom

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Mac OS X 10.4.4 Install CD Won't Read Startup Disk

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Thanks

You seem to know that an Intel Mac requires a drive formatted with a GUID partition table to boot from it, so that much of your scheme should work, even if you are formatting the drive from 10.4.4 via Target Disk Mode with a PPC Mac, as long as you are using a version of Disk Utility that offers the GUID partition table formatting option (in the Partition tab, in the "Options..." drop down sheet.)
However, it isn't clear if you are then trying to install the OS onto the Intel iMac while still in Target Disk Mode, or which installer you are using. As already explained, you can't install an Intel version of the OS from a PPC Mac while in TDM -- as far as the installer knows, the target is just a drive attached to the PPC Mac, so it will inform you that the Intel OS version can't be used with that Mac.
So, the solution is to make sure the drive is formatted with the GUID table & then install the OS onto the Intel iMac while booting it from the iMac's own installer disk. If necessary, you can access the installer's version of Disk Utility before you begin the installation by selecting it from the "Utilities" menu & checking or reformatting the drive before the install.
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You seem to know that an Intel Mac requires a drive formatted with a GUID partition table to boot from it, so that much of your scheme should work, even if you are formatting the drive from 10.4.4 via Target Disk Mode with a PPC Mac, as long as you are using a version of Disk Utility that offers the GUID partition table formatting option (in the Partition tab, in the "Options..." drop down sheet.)
However, it isn't clear if you are then trying to install the OS onto the Intel iMac while still in Target Disk Mode, or which installer you are using. As already explained, you can't install an Intel version of the OS from a PPC Mac while in TDM -- as far as the installer knows, the target is just a drive attached to the PPC Mac, so it will inform you that the Intel OS version can't be used with that Mac.
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I have a MacPro 1,1 with 2 hard disks and 3 volumes. Disk 1 has Tiger and disk 2 has Snow Leopard plus a windows partition for Boot Camp. I am the sole user in both versions of OSX and in both accounts I have the startup disk set to Snow Leopard. Recently when I start the machine it doesn't get past the blank grey screen unless I hold the Option key to show the 3 volumes when I can pick and go.
I've run Disk Utility and repaired permissions yet nothing is fixed.
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Startup Disk Won't Start, Disk Seems Fine

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