Stuck on Gray screen at Startup help!!

So i recently had my imac freeze on me when i woke it up. I worked away for a while hoping that when i returned it would be unfrozen-but it was not. So i restarted the system by holding the power button, and now everytime it turns on, it just gets stuck at the gray screen and then the fans turn on really high.
Im not sure what to do...especially since its not covered by apple care anymore :/

Your hard drive may have failed. If you can, replace it. You can also try to access it from another computer using Target Disk Mode to get your data off.

Similar Messages

Gray screen at startup - Help needed

Last night during a boot-up on my MacBook Pro, I powered the system down by holding down the power button. (I had wanted to boot to Windows and had forgotten to hold down option) When I restarted with the option key pressed, all I saw was a gray screen.
I've tried seemingly everything - putting in install CD and holding down C; install CD and holding down D; safe mode, verbose mode, single user mode; SMC reset; NVRAM reset.
All of these just give me a gray screen. The only two exceptions: holding down option upon startup does put a moveable mouse arrow on the screen. Also, when trying to reset the NVRAM, I never heard the two beeps -- the computer just started turning itself off and on (over and over until I released the keys).
Any suggestions for other things to try?
thanks!

I recently had the same problem. I was playing a certain MMO, when it suddenly froze. I was in fullscreen mode, and none of the key-combos would exit or minimize, so I held down the power button to shut it off. When I tried to turn it back on, it made the "ding" noise and got stuck at a gray screen, no apple logo.
I did everything I could think of, even tried booting from the CD, even plugging the HD into another computer(which failed to recognize it).
Anyway, what I wanted to say was, I got frustrated and left the CD in the drive when it was stuck on the gray screen for about 5 minutes, and when I came back, it had booted from the CD. Why it took so long, I have no idea.
I managed to run the disk utility and did a "verify disk." Here's what it said:
Verify and Repair disk "disk0s2"
Checking HFS Plus volume.
Invalid node structure
Invalid B-tree node size
Invalid node structure
Invalid B-tree node size
Volume check failed.
Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit
1 HFS volume checked
1 volume could not be repaired because of an error
Sounds like a messed up HD to me. Is there any way to salvage the info on it? Or is the file structure too messed up for that? Also, I'm hoping this isn't a physical problem...
I'll postpone reformatting and reinstalling until I try to salvage what I can.

Stuck in gray screen

Im stuck in gray screen at startup with a spinning gear. Dont have a os disk, worried because i have tons of pics that are not backed up. :"O(

HI
My Macbook Pro also struck in gray screen at startup . I have Mavericks OS on the MAC. Don't have OS Disk.

Mac mini stuck at gray screen HELP!!!!!!!!!

Hi,
i have my mac mini stuck at a gray screen can you help me

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
Sometimes a boot failure can be resolved by resetting the NVRAM.
Step 3
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 4
If there's a built-in optical drive, a disc may be stuck in it. Follow these instructions to eject it.
Step 5
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 6
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 7
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 8
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 9
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 10
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 11
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 Mac is producing gray screen at startup and crashes. I'm afraid that everything explode and disappear, and can no longer connect and work with my Mac. Can anyone help ?? Thank you.

My Mac is producing gray screen at startup and crashes. I'm afraid that everything explode and disappear, and can no longer connect and work with my Mac. Can anyone help ??
Thank you.
Problem description:
gray screen at startup and crashes
EtreCheck version: 2.1.1 (104)
Report generated 6 de dezembro de 2014 13:29:43 BRST
Hardware Information: ℹ️
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Early 2011) (Verified)
MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro8,2
1 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7 CPU: 4-core
4 GB RAM
BANK 0/DIMM0
2 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok
BANK 1/DIMM0
2 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok
Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported
Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n
Video Information: ℹ️
AMD Radeon HD 6750M - VRAM: 1024 MB
Color LCD 1440 x 900
Intel HD Graphics 3000 - VRAM: 384 MB
System Software: ℹ️
Mac OS X 10.6.8 (10K549) - Uptime: 0:31:56
Disk Information: ℹ️
TOSHIBA MK7559GSXF disk0 : (698,64 GB)
S.M.A.R.T. Status: Verified
- (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB
Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / : 749.81 GB (378.70 GB free)
MATSHITADVD-R   UJ-898
USB Information: ℹ️
Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub
Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
Thunderbolt Information: ℹ️
Apple, Inc. MacBook Pro
Problem System Launch Daemons: ℹ️
[not loaded] org.samba.winbindd.plist [Support]
Launch Agents: ℹ️
[running] com.babylon.activation.plist [Support]
[loaded] com.divx.dms.agent.plist [Support]
[loaded] com.divx.update.agent.plist [Support]
[loaded] com.hp.help.tocgenerator.plist [Support]
Launch Daemons: ℹ️
[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Support]
[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist [Support]
User Launch Agents: ℹ️
[loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist [Support]
[loaded] com.facebook.videochat.[redacted].plist [Support]
[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist [Support]
[running] com.skype.c2c_service.plist [Support]
User Login Items: ℹ️
iTunesHelper UNKNOWNHidden (missing value)
FaceboxPro Aplicativo (/Applications/FaceboxPro.app)
Safari Aplicativo (/Applications/Safari.app)
Octoshape Aplicativo (/Users/[redacted]/Library/Octoshape/Octoshape.app)
uTorrent UNKNOWN (missing value)
Dropbox Aplicativo (/Applications/Dropbox.app)
Inkscape UNKNOWN (missing value)
RealPlayer Downloader Agent Aplicativo (/Users/[redacted]/Library/Application Support/RealNetworks/RealPlayer Downloader Agent.app)
HP Product Research Aplicativo (/Library/Application Support/Hewlett-Packard/Customer Participation/HP Product Research.app)
Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️
OVSHelper: Version: 1.1 [Support]
Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 7.1 [Support]
Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 2.4.4.2 [Support]
RealPlayer Plugin: Version: Unknown [Support]
AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 10.1.12 [Support]
FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 15.0.0.239 - SDK 10.6 [Support]
DivX Web Player: Version: 3.1.1.9 - SDK 10.6 [Support]
Silverlight: Version: 5.1.30514.0 - SDK 10.6 [Support]
Flash Player: Version: 15.0.0.239 - SDK 10.6 [Support]
QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.6.6
iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0 - SDK 10.7
SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.1.2 [Support]
AdobePDFViewer: Version: 10.1.12 [Support]
JavaAppletPlugin: Version: 13.9.8 - SDK 10.6 Check version
User internet Plug-ins: ℹ️
npsf_uni: Version: sf 3.3.2.1 [Support]
OctoshapeWeb: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.8 [Support]
Safari Extensions: ℹ️
Searchme Adware! [Remove]
Skype Click to Call
iSkyDeluxe
TED HTML5 video playe
Audio Plug-ins: ℹ️
iSightAudio: Version: 7.6.6
3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️
Flash Player [Support]
Flip4Mac WMV [Support]
Skype Click to Call [Support]
Tuxera NTFS [Support]
Time Machine: ℹ️
Time Machine information requires OS X 10.7 "Lion" or later.
Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️
      5% WindowServer
      4% DivXMediaServer
      1% fontd
      0% RealPlayer Downloader Agent
      0% WebProcess
Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️
296 MB WebProcess
202 MB FaceboxPro
185 MB Microsoft PowerPoint
163 MB Safari
137 MB Microsoft Word
Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️
843 MB Free RAM
1.76 GB Active RAM
706 MB Inactive RAM
978 MB Wired RAM
577 MB Page-ins
0 B Page-outs
Diagnostics Information: ℹ️
Dec 6, 2014, 12:58:24 PM Self test - passed
Dec 6, 2014, 12:23:11 PM Kernel_2014-12-06-122311_MacBook-Pro-de-...panic [Details]
Dec 6, 2014, 07:08:28 AM PluginProcess_2014-12-06-070828_MacBook-...crash
Dec 5, 2014, 05:24:39 PM WebProcess_2014-12-05-172439_MacBook-Pro...crash
Dec 5, 2014, 10:45:59 AM Kernel_2014-12-05-104559_MacBook-Pro-de-...panic [Details]
Dec 5, 2014, 10:18:14 AM Kernel_2014-12-05-101814_MacBook-Pro-de-...panic [Details]
Dec 3, 2014, 08:28:35 PM locationd_2014-12-03-202835_localhost.crash
Dec 5, 2014, 10:25:44 AM Kernel_2014-12-05-102544_MacBook-Pro-de-...panic [Details]

Startup - Gray, Blue or White screen at boot, w/spinner/progress bar
Startup Issues - Resolve
Startup Issues - Resolve (2)

Mac Mini Stuck at Gray Screen

Hi, I have an Intel based mac mini running 10.4.6 I believe what ever is the latest tiger version. Upon restarting after installed updates computer can not go past the apple logo with the spinning wheel underneath it. I have restarted and tried all of the different key combinations the only one it will recognize is the option key. I have used the option key to select the c drive where the operating system is installed but it goes right back to being stuck at gray screen. I have used the option key to also let me use the install disc to run disk utility and repair the disc which said volume is verified and repaired and good to go. Only thing I haven't tried is firewire boot but at this point I don't think thats the right answer. Im thinking its hardware issue any ideas or thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for taking the time to help me out- Ryan

Will it start up in Safe mode?
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1455
If it can start up in Safe mode, that would point to a problem specific to your account, and probably a Login Item given that it hangs the way it does at the gray screen with spinny wheel. In that case, take a look at this procedure, too.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.6/en/21210.html

My imac is stuck in gray screen with spinning wheel

My iMac is stuck in gray screen with spinning wheel. I'm running Mountain Lion, any idea how to fix it. Pls help.Thx.

Welcome to Apple Support Communities
Press Shift key on boot and check that the computer starts. Finally, restart

Boot stuck at gray screen

I have a 24" silver iMac. Boot gets stuck at gray screen with gray apple showing and wheel continuously spinning. Never gets to blue screen. I have tried booting from system CD and running disk repair and repair permissions. They are fine. I have tried zapping PRAM. I have tried booting with everything disconnected except keyboard. (all recommended elsewhere in these discussions.) So, for the THIRD time in the 5 months I have had this iMac, I am in the process of reinstalling the system from the CDs. THEN, as you know, I'll have to do all the updates. I AM GETTING TIRED OF THIS! (My G4 and MBP don't have these problems (I shouldn't have said that.)) Anyone else having these problems or have any other ways to deal with this? I wonder if it has anything to do with my trying to install, via software update, the latest update for QT. It wouldn't install, saying I didn't have permission or authority or something.

I hate to disagree, but I have had this happen at
least 4-5 times.
1. Happened (Before) I had an external HD attached, as Well as (After.)
(so HD not the issue.)
2. I had only the bare essentials installed on Tiger OS 4.10, B4 buying leopard.
(No other Software Installed, and NOTHING from 2nd install disk. No Optional Programs)
(Makes me rule out Quicktime.
3. I also Had same Grey Screen, Tried Disk Utility from cold boot (DVD)
Removed 1 Simm Chip And reset Pram. (Yes, I waited for 2nd chime.)
No Other OS or ANY Windows Products on this system.
Tried Cold Boot With DVD,
(made sure Active Boot Drive was DVD, NOT HD)
In Addition, Booted While Holding;
a. Shift Key - (Safe Boot)
b. Opt Key - ( I've forgotten )
c. C - Key (Password Change - No Help)
d. D - Key (verify/repair disk or permissions useless.)
Two recurring questions seem to be raised by level 2 Phone Support
to help me recover access, Without Formatting. I refused to do it, and insisted
they walk me out of this problem.
One suggested the Parse file was corrupted. Another Seems to feel that having
once forgotten firmware & or Master Password was the problem.
I disagree, I was able to recover that time by dropping to unix prompt, once I
got in, created root user, deleted My User Account,
then Recreated it, using Same Name ) Then deleting Root Account. (for Safety)
I no longer set Firmware or Master Password, It HAS Happened since.
I'm inclinrd to believe the corrupted Parse image, for all the reasons above.
It can be recovered, without Format Or Time Machine Restore. However several different
methods were used by different tech support people, so I have Messy notes on
what the actual steps were. Due to so much back tracking & Holding, And Different
methods used by different Phone Guys. NEVER attempt to try with level 1, INSIST
on level 2 support or you will not recover. Solution seems to have been successful
Most often, after working at unix prompt, and executing various commands.
If I find the Most Efficient notes, I kept from the 1st guy, who was Very Good.
I will post them. Sorry I couldn't be more specific on the recovery steps.
I remember running: fsck -?? & mount -???? , navigating to root, and not mush else.
Good Luck
PantherSherry

Mac G5 Freezes on gray screen on startup.

I've been noticing a problem of a freezing computer on the gray screen on startup in the last month. I simply re-start my computer, and it goes back to normal and boots up fine. I've not installed and programs, utilities, or new hardware. My computer still has over 200 gig of free space.
Is this an indication of a worse problem? If not, is there something I can do to fix this? I regularly used the Disk Utility program to check and fix permissions, so that should keep it somewhat clean.

Update your os. Your profile confirms you still using OS 10.6.6! You should be using OS 10.6.8 the last version of SL.

Help =( Mac got stuck on gray screen

Hi
Update went ok a couple of days ago.
Tonight it suddently got "stuck" and after rebooting it, it is now stuck on a gray screen.
Impossible to reboot from the installation disk or from my Lacie disk or from the HD.
When attempting to reboot from the Leopard installation disk, I then get a message telling me that the Mac needs to be restarted, but when I restart, I get stuck again on the gray screen with the Apple logo in the middle.
I am at a loss as to what to do.
Help, please!!! I am now on a friend's computer to access help. So a quick response from someone would be fantastic.
Anyone?

update on current situation:
i took my macbook to be repaired first thing this morning.
it is apparently a small part that is damaged and therefore preventing the macbook to reboot.
hence why the hardware test indicated that it found no problems and that when attempting to reboot from a disk or a drive, it finds them, but cannot reboot from either.
the part should be here tomorrow afternoon and i should get my macbook back either tomorrow or thursday.
apparently, it is nothing serious and no loss of data should occurr.
but they will only know this for sure once the part has been replaced and they can actually reboot it. they say this is not linked with the leopard update.
just sheer bad luck from a defective part.

Startup unsucessful stuck on gray screen with spinning gear-type thing

I think it may have been because i tripped over my macs powercord and it shut down that my computer wont start anymore, i tried safe boot etc... but nothing works it's just stuck on the startup screen, if anyone has any clue as to how i can resolve my issue, i'd be extremely greatful

Shturts,
Welcome to the Apple Discussions!
How long did you give it to Start Up in Safe Mode? It can take upwards of 20 minutes for an eMac to start in Safe Mode as a faceless version of Repair Disk runs in the background at the gray screen / Apple logo / spinning gear stage.
If Safe Boot isn't finishing after 30 or more minutes, use your OS X install disk to boot the computer and run Repair Disk, as described in Using Disk Utility and fsck. If any errors are reported repaired, repeat Repair Disk until it either reports no erros found or unable to repair, in which case you should consider investing in a copy of DiskWarrior.

IMac G5 gray screen on startup and fan maxes out!! Help!

I've heard this problem quite a bit on several forums, but have yet to find an answer. I Need help!! My iMac G5 delays on startup ( i hit the button, and startup doesn't actually start for a minute or 2), and when it does, i get the gray screen, and then after another minute, the fan goes crazy and maxed out until I manually shut down. I reset the memory, and check the LED lights, (all came on normally). What's going on here!? I appreciate any help

If the troubleshooting solutions listed in Mac 101 were of no help & you found no solutions to your problem(s) listed in the various Knowledge Base Articles see if the following suggestions are of any help:
Except for the keyboard & mouse, disconnect all devices/peripherals from your computer.
Step 1: Restart into Safe Mode by holding down the Shift key during startup. The comp will run a complete & lengthy file systtem check, then start up w/only the required kerenel extensions & w/o running any Startup items tthat you installed.
If you are running OS 10.4 it will also perform some font finagling.
Try starting up normally again. If you are still stalling, restart in Safe Mode & move on to Step 2...........
Mac OS X: Starting up in Safe Mode
Step 2: Open Library>Startup items folder-the root level Library, not the one in your user name folder.
Look for potentially problematic 3rd party items such as virus scanning software components, etc. Remove 1 or more items to a location outside the Library folder, such as the Desktop, then restart normally & see if your Mac stalls. It it does, try removing all the items in the Startup items folder & restart. If all’s now well, place the items back into the Startup items folder 1 by 1, restarting each time you put one back. If and/or when the stall resurfaces, you just identified the faulty component.
If the above does not work, then it’s time to move on to Step 3.................
Step 3: WARNING-This step can be tedious-removing .plist files from the /Library/Preferences folder.
Remove the entire Preferences folder from the Library folder on your startup drive then place the files back 1 by 1 until you see the problem return. *The Mac will automatically create a new Preferences folder in the Library folder*
Alternatively, you can take half of the items out (all non-Apple .plist file, for example), restart to see if your Mac stalls, then move to a smaller set of items, repeatingn the process until the culprit is found.
Or you can use Preferential Treatment which is a FREE utility that does all the work for you.
Hang in there & good luck!!!!

Mac stuck at grey screen after startup sound. Help

Help

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.

HELP! my MacBook 13 inch stuck at white screen on startup

My Mac book 13 inch, running ox leopard, hung on startup with a white screen. I tried holding option, it come up only my mouse pointer, no windows partition nor my apple partition, next I tried holding shift, it's just stuck forever,! After that I tried inserting my ox leopard disk into the com, and Tried holding option again, it's shows my ox leopard cd and I try boot from cd, from there it just stuck in booting from cd. Help me please. Ty!!

For clarity, bringing up the Apple hardware test isn't booting to the operating system on the OS X DVD. You should use the original OS X DVD that came with your system that says 'AHT Version x.x' in small print on the label. Insert, boot holding the alt/option key, and choose the Apple hardware test. If that works, you want to run the extended test, which can take over an hour.

Help Please.. Mac is stuck on gray screen

I am tring to install tiger and when I put the disk in the only thing that happed is, the gray screen and the spinning thing. It won't let me get the disk out or any thing. I have tutned the mac on and off but it seems to just get stuck there. What can I do to by pass this?

It would be helpful to know which Mac model (specifically) you are trying to install Tiger on. Please provide as much information on the computer to identify the specific model, amount of installed RAM, size of hard drive, what OS is currently installed, if any.

Stuck on Gray screen at Startup help!!

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