Why can I not boot from a disc or drive?

In order to repair my HD, I have tried to start from a DVD (a bootable DiscWarrior 4 disc), but when restarting holding down the c-key, the disc drive is not recognized and the iMac starts up as normal and my log-in icon is shown. I have the latest Lion update.
I have also tried to start up from a bootable memory stick which I made after installing Lion, but this does not work either.
I have also tried to start up from a DVD using the option key, but the drive is not given as an alternative. The same happens if I try to start up from the "Startup drive" preferences from the Apple menu - the disc drive is not shown as an alternative even if it contains a bootable disc.
I try to get booted from another bootdrive in order to repair the Harddisc.

Hi, StenErik. If I were you, I would forget about FireWire Target Disk Mode. I'd start the Powerbook from a retail OS X 10.4 installer DVD, open Disk Utility from the Utilities menu, select the hard drive, reformat it as "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)", check the box for installing OS 9 drivers, and then install Tiger. I can't explain why this should make the resulting installation any different from what you have installed now. But it seems to me there must be some detail you've failed to mention and we've failed to think of, and that detail, whatever it is, is much more significant than it seems: significant enough to prevent your Tibook from booting. Therefore, reverting to the most basic installation procedure possible, with as few external variables as possible, seems a useful thing to try. To minimize variables even further, disconnect all peripherals from the PB while reformatting and installing.
As Hardy has suggested, the size of your drive is not the issue. A 120GB drive should be fine.

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Why can I not boot from my new hard drive?

After replacing my hard drive (40 Gb) with a larger (120 Gb) drive the computer will not boot. I can boot from the 10.4 system CD and have managed to install the system without problems, but after restarting the computer I only get to see a folder with a flashing question mark in it.
My computer is the first of the Titanium series (400 Mhz). The hard drive is a Seagate momentus 5400 rpm. Is there a compatibility issue here? Any input would be greatly appreciated!
PowerBook G4/400 Titanium Mac OS X (10.4)

Hi, StenErik. If I were you, I would forget about FireWire Target Disk Mode. I'd start the Powerbook from a retail OS X 10.4 installer DVD, open Disk Utility from the Utilities menu, select the hard drive, reformat it as "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)", check the box for installing OS 9 drivers, and then install Tiger. I can't explain why this should make the resulting installation any different from what you have installed now. But it seems to me there must be some detail you've failed to mention and we've failed to think of, and that detail, whatever it is, is much more significant than it seems: significant enough to prevent your Tibook from booting. Therefore, reverting to the most basic installation procedure possible, with as few external variables as possible, seems a useful thing to try. To minimize variables even further, disconnect all peripherals from the PB while reformatting and installing.
As Hardy has suggested, the size of your drive is not the issue. A 120GB drive should be fine.

Why can't I boot from an external scsi drive?

In a previous post, I mentioned that my hard drive died. While trying to find ways to work around it, I dug out an old 4 GB SCSI drive I used to use with my old Mac, and hooked it up. When I booted from the OS 10.3 install disk, I was aboe to install the OS on the external drive, and choose it as the startup drive before rebooting. When I rebooted, however, the Mac could not see the SCSI drive as a startup drive. I tried it several times, changed the SCSI ID, erased the drive and reloaded the OS, repaired the directory with Disk Warrior, all with the same results.
What am I doing wrong?
Dave

What model SCSI card do you have installed? Some cards are driver-based, like the Adaptec 2906. Its driver is loaded from the boot drive, as the extensions are displayed across the screen during the startup process. As such, drives connected to that type of card can't be designated as the boot device. A newer SCSI card that's firmware-based, like the Adaptec 2930, can be used for booting the computer. If you have a card that's firmware-based, then you may need to update the firmware with a newer (Mac OS X) compatible version.

Will Not Boot from Install Disc & 4SNS/1/40000000: TG0D - Thermal Sensor?

*Will Not Boot from Install Disc*
I used the "option key" approach with the gray start up disk. At first it ejected the start up disk. Then I nudged the disk back in the machine and it showed on the screen as an option. I clicked on the start up disk image and it finally loaded.
But, it won't accept the start up disk when holding down the "C" key at restart.
*4SNS/1/40000000: TG0D*
I did an Apple Hardware Test and received the following diagnostic:
Version: 3A121
Test Suite: Extended Test
Loop Count: 2
Result: Failed
Failure code: 4SNS/1/40000000: TG0D
*Thermal Sensor*
A search for the failure code 4SNS/1/40000000: TG0D brought up an Apple Discussion topic entry stating: That error code indicates a problem with a thermal sensor. It could be not working or possibly not connected. You will need to take it to Apple for repair.
Would a thermal sensor have anything to do with it not starting up when holding down the "C" key at restart? What are thermal sensor problem symptoms?
*User File Folder Opened Up*
The machine also starts up with my user file folder opened up rather than with a blank screen as it normally should
I completed a DiskWarrior rebuild on the disk and verify disk shows it is fine.
Any suggestions on what to do next with these issues?

The answer was in your post: "You will need to take it to Apple for repair."

G4 that will not boot from any disc EXCEPT the Apple Hardware Test CD

We have a DP 1ghz Quicksilver PowerMac G4 that will not boot from any disc EXCEPT the Apple Hardware Test CD that came with the machine.
We were in the process of installing 10.4 Tiger before placing it for sale.
The Mac was originally OSX Server 10.1 that we later converted to a worksation running 10.3 Panther.
It has 1 GB of memory, 80GB hardrive, 250MB Zip Drive and a Radeon 7500 video card.
Since this machine only has a CD-R drive and not a DVD-R, we installed Tiger using another Mac via Target Disk Mode. The installation process went well, but when I tried to reboot I got a Kernel Panic right after startup screen with the grey Apple logo.
On some reboots we get to the blue startup screen, others it stops at the grey Apple logo, others a black box like the a Kernel Panic - but with no text. Twice it went directly into Open Firmware.
We have done the following during our troubleshooting:
- Reseat RAM, Video Card, Hard Drive, Zip & CD-R connections
- Remove RAM 1 stick at a time and reboot
- Replace RAM with RAM from another working Quicksilver
- Replace Video Card with one from another working Quicksilver
- Zap PRAM
- Reset CUDA switch
- Unplug the MAC and remove everything (RAM, Battery, etc) for 30 minutes and try to reboot
- Tried booting from the Macintosh Server G4 Software Restore CD
- Tried booting from Mac OS X Server CD
- Tried booting from AppleCare Protection Plan CD with TechTool
- Tried booting from Diskwarrior CD
- Tried booting from an external FireWire drive with a disk image of Tiger OS Install
- Tried booting with the hard drive disconnected
The Mac WILL boot from the Apple Hardware Test CD and will pass ALL of the extended tests.

Conventional wisdom says that any Mac that will not boot up from a System/Install CD OS 9 or an Install CD Mac OS X, has a Hardware problem.
The diagnostic CD is a red herring because it uses a very primitive method of reading the CD, and so does not properly represent the machines general ability to read CDs.
I would look at the CD drive cables, etc, and see if another drive gives different results.
You have not mentioned using the Startup Manager (option key at Startup) to do any checking:
HT1310- Startup Manager: How to select a startup volume

Why can I not print from pages but can if I copy to text edit, I get "printer off line message " from pages ?

Why can I not print from pages but can if I copy to text edit, I get "printer off line message " from pages ? I use HP wireless printer .

Are you sure you have the right printer?
In UNIX/OSX printers are virtual links to devices and even with the same name can be trying to reach a printer via another network address, so it thinks it is another printer.
Peter

HT4972 why can i not downgrade from 7.1 to 7.0.6

why can i not downgrade from 7.1 to 7.0.6

Because Apple has never supported downgrading the OS version on any iDevice.

Why can I not Text from my I Pad to I Phone

Why can I not Text from my I Pad to daughter I Phone

Check
Settings > Message > iMessage > On
And also make sure that your telephone numbers and various email accounts are set up in,
Settings > Message > iMessage > Send and Receive
Do report back and good luck

Can not boot from OSX disc

I recently partitioned my internal drive with an 80 gig partition to run Ubuntu , removed Ubuntu and now can not resize hd to recover the 80 gig that I used , there was a program with this Ubuntu install called rEFIt that was installed for the dual boot , My problem is that Itunes keeps crashing and I have spent somewhere around 8 hours trying to fix this issue and in the process I discovered that I now can not boot from the osx disc but I can boot from the Ubuntu disc , what can I do to correct this issue or is there anything that I can do to correct this and recover the 80 gig that I used ?

The only solution was to erase hd and restore from time machine backup......
According to everything that I have seen , read and tried when you partition the mac hd the way that mac is designed it will lock the hd thus preventing any access even using the startup disc to repair. As far as restoring everything after the erase and reinstall of the OSX that was easy and painless. FOR ANYONE WHO DOES NOT BACKUP THEIR DATA THIS IS WHY YOU SHOULD!!!!
Once OSX is reinstalled the migration assistant will ask if you want to restore from a backup , if you have time machine or any other sort of backup simply choose the one you wish to restore from and continue , must admit I was a bit hesitant at first , I must say that everything restored with the exception of some settings that I have had to restore but they were not major settings , after the backup is restored simply run update check and reinstall all updates , may need to do this a couple of times.
Depending on the amount of data you have will determine the length of time for restore (500 gigs about 6 hrs.) but it will restore user account settings , connection settings and network settings.
Hope this will help if anyone has experienced the same problem.

Will Not Boot From Install Disc

Upon a Verify Disk check I received a "Volume Header needs minor repair" notice.
Because it is necessary to boot from another disc to repair the header, I attempted to boot from the install disc. I tried restarts holding down the "C" or by selecting the start up disc in System Preferences/Startup Disk. I've tried each of the these several times to no avail. The machine will not start from the install disc. It keeps starting from the machine hard drive.
Are there any other suggestions how to force it to start from a startup disk?

The installer disc problem is still a concern but in the meantime you can try booting to Safe Mode. Run Disk Utility again from Safe Mode and see if it still reports problems. Boot normally afterward.
[Mac OS X: Starting up in Safe Mode|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107393]
[What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode? (Mac OS X)|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107392]
[Safe Boot takes longer than normal startup|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107394]
[Mac OS X 10.4, 10.5- Computer shuts down during Safe Boot|http://support.apple.com/kb/TA24054]
Safe boot mode runs a directory check command similar to that used by Disk Utility's repair. In Tiger it ignores some stored information (cache) that is normally read that speeds up the boot process, and it moves some other caches to the trash. It also uses only System fonts and disables all Startup Items, third party items, and any Login Items.

My Mac Mini Will Not Boot From Install Disc For Re-Installation

I've tried all (at least the ones I've found) workarounds to get my Snow Leopard Install Disc to boot, but it will not. When the computer boots normally (without the DVD), I can insert the DVD and access it from there. However, when I try to use the utilities on the disc, it requires a reboot that ends up telling me to turn off my computer. I have a Late 2010 Mac Mini and I have yet to try booting from a disc, so I don't know if this is a new problem or an old one. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Unplug everything from your computer except a wired keyboard/mouse and the monitor. If your Mini still won't boot from the install DVD try resetting the PRAM and SMC.
Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)
Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM
If that doesn't fix the problem remove any RAM (if you upgraded) and replace with the Mini's original RAM. There is also this document you might want to read, Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup.
If that all fails I would take the Mini to the Apple store. It should still be under warranty if you bought it late last year.

Why can't I boot from my hard drive internally but no problem externally?

Being unable to 100% solve my problem based off solved problems I have decided to log in. I will start from the very beginning. The computer is the Macbook late 2009 unibody. I upgraded the ram from 2GB to 8GB. everything was going smoothly until like 2 months ago. My 250Gb Hard drive was geting maxed out and in the midst of downloading I was getting warnings to free space so I was deleting and downloading the same time.....and then boom...the computer froze. Couldn't forse quit or anthing only choice was to manually power off. when I powered back on the screen was grey and would not start. I reserched solutions and ended up resetting the PR ram. after that the screen changed to white and nothing happened for a long time I was stuck...until......:
I bought an external hard drive incasing. and like magic everything I thought I lost was right there booting externally. Now I'd be fine with that if not for the reason I bought the computer in the first place, which is to be ultra portable and kep me awake as I work nights as a security in various changing post on a nightly basis. lugging the external case around has complicated a system that was working fine to the point of death.
So over time I have acumilated these things:
a 16 GB hp flash usb currently holding the bootable snow leapard DVD installer
a 500GB wd scorpio blue hard drive from an old PC pased laptop
a 250GB toshiba hard drive (came with laptop snow leopard installed)
a 250GB can't think of the brand cause I'm using it now hard drive (mountin lion installed)
neither Hardive holding apple operating systems will boot internally but boot externally. I have tried putting snow leopard, lion and mountin lion on the scorpio blue but everytime I get the same result, an install failed error. So you may have guessed, I was hoping the scorpio blue as my last hope, getting an operating system on it maybe I could boot internally but for what ever reason it won't intall fully any mac os X. So at this point I want to know if it's possible for me to just put a windows operating system on it ad if it may be able to boot that way.
EXTRA INFO:
when partioning the hard drive, if I have it connected internally, the computer recognizes it but I get cannot unmount errors. externally everything moves smoothly but it won't install the operating system. Currently I'm running mountin lion externally and I have the big hard drive inside the computer and it shows up as "untitled 1" it contents is two folders "Mac os X Install data" (red icon attached) and "private" It tells me I don't have permission to look inside the mac os folder. if I drag a fle from my computer to untitled 1 it says "The operation can’t be completed because an unexpected error occurred (error code -50)."
HELP! whatever it takes I just want to boot something without lugging this external case everywhere.

Hi Too_Talls,
I'm not quite sure I have totally understood you. Please correct me if I am wrong but this is how I've read your symptoms:
MacBook not booting
Plug in external hard drive, choose that as the startup volume. MacBook boots.
Remove internal hard drive and replace with hard drive that has OS installed. MacBook not booting.
Remove replaced hard drive, plug it in to usb port. MacBook starts up fine
Does the above correctly summarise the problem?
If it does, then the fault can only be one of two things.
The SATA connector is not fully seated into the hard drive.
The SATA connector ribbon cable is damaged and needs replacing.
The good news is that, obviously, everthing else in your MacBook is okay (logic board etc) else it would not start up when an external hard disk is plugged into the usb port.

Why can't I boot from the OS X DVD on my Intel iMac?

I'm trying to boot from the Mac OS X Tiger CPU Drop in DVD that came from the Apple Refurb Store with my Intel iMac.
I have tried holding down the C key on start up and it doesn't work. It boots like normal to the hard drive
I have tried using the Start up Manager, but all it can see to boot from is my installed OS X system on the hard drive and my Windows Boot Camp partition.
The CPU Drop in DVD is all that shipped with my machine. Can one even boot with it?
My problem is Photoshop Elements refuses to start up, giving me EXCBADACCESS and KERNINVALIDADDRESS alerts. It crashes every time about half way through starting up. Trashing it's preference folder doesn't fix the problem. In fact, my Preference folder keeps filling up with folders labeled with jibberish names.
I found a discussion thread that I should boot from the original disk that came with the machine and use Disk Utilities, but I can't even boot from the DVD drive.
What step am I missing?
TIA
Kathryn

Hi knittsings!
It's only possible to boot an Intel-based iMac from a grey-labeled DVD, so if you received a black-labeled DVD, someone made a mistake packaging your refurb. The correct DVDs should have been in the smaller box with the User Guide and other small, square documents, along with the mouse and remote. If you find the grey-labeled DVDs in there, just keep the drop-in DVD, they won't need it back since they make them:)
If you don't find them in there, call Apple, or log into your account on the Store page and find your order's link for customer follow-up/issues.
Message was edited by: myhighway

Why can I not paste from my clipboard?

Let me say first that I do know what I am going. So here is my problem:
I select text.
I choose copy, of do Command-C.
I move the cursor somewhere else, and I paste the text.
Nothing happens.
I am using a MacBook Air (13''), with newest version of Lion.
Any suggestions?
Andy

Good suggestion.
I did as you suggested, and no! the clipboard was empty.
So now the question is: why can I not copy anything to the clipboard?
Andy

My compaq cq62-214nr will not boot from a usb flash drive

I have a Compaq CQ62-214 NR Notebook. When I enter the bios boot options screen with F9 there is a blank space where Boot from USB/Flash Drive should be. If I enter the bios setup and move usb flash drive up to the first option above Notebook hardrive and Internal CD/DVD Rom ,save the changes to the BIOS then Reboot. Enter the boot options screen again the blank line moves up to the first choice slot but still is blank. If I press enter over that black option the computer does not boot from the OS I have install on the usb flash drive it just starts its normal windows boot screen. YES I have upgraded the BIOS to the lates version F.37
Can somone tell me what is wrong.

Try booting into the one time boot menu.
Step 1: As soon as you turn on the computer on the hp invent screen keep tapping F9 key.
Step 2: you will get boot otions such as hard drive, optical drive, USb drive
Step 3: You can hit enter on the usb flash drive. Should boot from the os on your flash drive
*Although I am an HP employee, I am speaking for myself and not for HP.
****Click the White Kudos star to say thanks****
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Why can I not boot from a disc or drive?

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