White screen during start up

I shut down my 21 inch desktop the proper way and when I went to turn it back on I end up with a white screen. You can hear the chime like usual, but then I get a white screen. When I shut it down, it was working properly. What could wrong and how can I fix it?  Any help will be greatly appreciated.

First boot into Safe Mode, if this does not work boot into both a SMC and PRAM reset several times back to back. Follow the instructions in Intel iMac SMC and PRAM resets. If that does not work then please carefully read the rest of Apple's instructions in Gray screen appears during startup

Similar Messages

  • White screen during starting

    When I switch on my mac mini the display just shows a white screen and nothing happens afterwards and it just won't start from there. The problem remains for a few days and then it miraculously disappears.
    Then my mac mini works fine for a few months and then the problem starts appearing after a few months.
    Well if someone could please provide me with some information as to this strange occurrence I would be grateful.

    I'll elaborate further on and I think I have found a grotesque solution for it.
    My mac mini works fine lets for for a few weeks and when i disconnect the cords for cleaning the mac mini and when the cords are reconnected and it is switched on that's when the problem occurs.
    Once again I could not contain my anger and let out a stream of swear words.
    After that I took the mac mini and holding on to the sides of it with my hands I moved it upwards and downwards against the air in an inverted position(the DVD slot downwards) and after that I attached the cords and **** everything worked fine.
    A week later I again removed the cords for cleaning and after having the same problem I again did as before and wow it just resolved.
    A couple of weeks later the same problem erupted after disconnecting the cords for cleaning.
    This time it took longer than before for the problem to correct itself but yeah it eventually did after trying for half an hour. Try this I don't think you have anything to lose.
    The problem that you are mentioning, I also hear the gears revving up but my friend tells me that's the hard drive start up noise ( sleep the mac mini and after a few minutes wake it up you will hear a similar noise that's the hard disk starting up). I do get that infamous tone, strange as to why you do not get it.
    Do you get what's sounds like three separate beeps and if its that then it could be a memory problem, I had it when I just it purchased over two years ago. The machine was under warranty so It was taken care of by the service people.

  • I can't get past white screen when starting up, any ideas?

    I Can't get past white screen when starting up, any ideas

    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2570 Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup
    ===============
    When posting in Apple Communties/Forums/Message Boards.......It would help us to know which Mac model you have, which OS & version you're using, how much RAM, etc. You can have this info displayed on the bottom of every post by completing your system profile and filling in the information asked for.
    CLICKY CLICK---> https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3602
    CLICKY CLICK-----> Help us to help you on these forums

  • HOW DO I CORRECT A WHITE SCREEN UPON START-UP?

    HOW DO I CORRECT A WHITE SCREEN UPON START-UP?

    Festus,
    I'm getting you have a MacBook rather than an iMac, if so you may want to request to have your post moved to the correct forum. However please read Gray screen appears during startup to begin troubleshooting your problem.
    Also when posting please do not type in all caps, it is considered shouting. We can "hear" you fine.

  • Older Version MacBook White Screen During Use

    My MacBook (early 2009) keeps getting a white screen during use for anywhere from 15-90 seconds. Is this normal? What can I do to fix it? Or is the computer just too old and I should get a new one?

    I have 24 inch iMac and I get either an almost black screen/white screen or sometimes a green and white vertical pinstriped screen. This happens suddenly with no warning & I have to hold the start button in to shut down. It then starts up fine with apparently no harm done. It is very annoying but I need to know why my Apple is doing this. Computer is around 2-3 years old and now running 10.6.8. I had to buy this as when I inherited the machine know one knew where the OS software was.
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  • I'm getting the grey screen during start up and can't boot the computer. I did a cmnd R but worried it would automatically wipe my hard drive and reinstall OS.  Is there a risk at cmnd R will result in wiped HD without me actively making that choice?

    I'm getting the grey screen during start up and can't boot the computer - MacBook Pro with lion.
    I did a command r after doing some research but got nervous that it would automatically wipe my hard drive and reinstall OS.
    I was nervous because it asked me for language for software use before any options were presented (such as repair via disk utility). It looked similar to an OS install.So I powered off....Is there a risk at command r will result in wiped HD without me actively making that choice?

    Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions - Mavericks, Lion/Mountain Lion
    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
    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 then click on the Repair Permissions button. When the process is completed, then quit DU and return to the main menu. Select Restart from the Apple menu.
    Reinstall Mountain Lion or Mavericks
    OS X Mavericks- Reinstall OS X
    OS X Mountain Lion- Reinstall OS X
         Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is
                    three times faster than wireless.

  • What would cause a prolonged blue screen during start up?

    I have an iMac desktop.  Recently I've had trouble with a prolonged blue screen during start up (approx. 10 mins) before it finally takes me to the login screen.  Any ideas why this is happening?
    Jeff P.

    Hi Jeff,
    Open console in Applications>Utilities, check the system log for the date/time of the last problem Startup for clues.

  • TS2376 i have multicolored vertical lines on white screen after start up

    i have multicolored vertical lines on white screen after start up on macbook. how do i fix this?

    i have the same problem with my iphone 4s, im just waiting for it to die from battery but try rebooting,restarting or charging it

  • My ipad 2 suddenly show red screen during start up and on ordinary screen show red colure fill the screen , I think it is hardware problem mostly screen. This problem didn't happen after fall or only accident ,what shall I do .

    My ipad 2 suddenly show red screen during start up and on ordinary screen show red colure fill the screen , I think it is hardware problem mostly screen. This problem didn't happen after fall or only accident ,what shall I do ?

    You could try a reset and see if that fixes it : press and hold both the sleep and home buttons for about 10 to 15 seconds (ignore the red slider), after which the Apple logo should appear - you won't lose any content, it's the iPad equivalent of a reboot.
    If it doesn't then you could try restoring to your last backup and/or resetting back to factory defaults. But if it's a hardware issue then you will need to contact Apple.

  • Does anyone know about a white screen upon start up?

    My daughter has an older MacBook and we have upgraded software. She tells me that she has a white screen upon start up each time she turns on (boots up) the laptop. I tried to boot the machine up to see what IOS version she has but can't get past the white screen. I trried moving the mouse and pressing arbitrary buttons to no avail.

    Try booting from an installer DVD. If that works OK, then reinstall OS X.

  • My computer has a white screen at start up and sits for hours. How can I fix my computer?

    My computer has a white screen at start up and sits for hours. How can I fix my computer?

    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.” 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 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
    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.

  • MacBook stuck at gray screen during start up

    Lately my 2008 model MacBook has been freezing up. When I shut it down, it starts up just fine, however, the last two times I've shut it down, it gets stuck at the gray screen during start up. The first time, I was unsuccessful with a Safe Boot, however I was successful using CommandOption+PR to reset my NVRAM/PRAM. It has been working fine for the past two days, but it froze again this evening. I tried Safe Booting, removing peripherals, resetting the NVRAM/PRAM and I even was able to repair the disk and the permissions, but still, I am unsuccessful during a start up.
    When I did try to "Perform an Archive and Install installation of Mac OS X", it said my computer was not able to install 10.5 (I run 10.6) because it did not meet the system requirements.
    As a final effort, I tried doing another SafeBoot, this time viewing the status. It has been stuck at a console screen that reads "disk0s2: media is not present...." for about ten minutes now, if that helps at all.
    Any advice on how to fix this would be highly appreciated. And yes, I have read the Gray screen article
    Zach Irwin

    Your hard drive may be damaged or requires reformatting. You might try this to start:
    Repairing 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 Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger, Leopard or Snow Leopard.) 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. Now restart normally.
    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.
    If you still are unable to restart or if DU cannot repair the drive or the SMART status is not "verified" then you can try reformatting the drive to see if that fixes the problem, otherwise you will have to replace the drive.
    Extended Hard Drive Preparation
    1. 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 Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger, Leopard or Snow Leopard.)
    2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the drive in DU's status area. If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is failing or has failed and will need replacing. SMART info will not be reported on external drives. Otherwise, click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
    3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID (for Intel Macs) or APM (for PPC Macs) then click on the OK button. Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.
    4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
    5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.
    6. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to several hours depending upon the drive size.
    And, you cannot do an Archive and Install of Leopard over a Snow Leopard installation. You have to reinstall using the Snow Leopard installer.

  • Stuck on white screen during reboot after installing Snow Leopard

    I had no problem with installation, but am stuck on the white screen during automatic reboot. I manually ejected the disc hoping that would help. I am not sure how to get past this white screen of death. I tried to reset the PRAM but nothing I do will get me past the white screen.

    I am having this problem right now. It just goes to white screen during the installation right after rebooting. Just before rebooting it tells me to be 'ready' with the second disc, but then reboots and goes to white screen with apple logo and spinning gears....am I supposed to be putting the second disc in at this stage? Shouldn't it be prompting me to do something? Did either of you figure a way around this? Any help much appreciated.

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    Can you connect your phone to iTunes on your computer?

  • White screen wont start      It sounds like a clock

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