OS X :: Gray Screen On Mac Mini After Root Files Changes?
May 17, 2010
I have been setting up an Intel mac mini running Leopard to be a basic file server for my small business. I was doing well until I decided I wanted to change the name of the Home Folder. I attempted this by logging in as "Root administrator" and followed an online "how to". After rebooting I now get a gray screen with the apple logo and a spinning cog. Needless to say I have missed a step!! I have tried using the mac mini's OS X DVD to boot from by holding down the C key while rebooting but it just keeps spinning. How I can perform a clean install if the mini is not responding to Shift key or C key on boot up?
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May 8, 2007
Unfortunately I bumped the switch on the power strip that my Mac Mini (1.42ghz G4, OS X 10.3) is plugged into while it was running. Now it won't boot up. All I get is the gray screen with the gray apple logo and the spinning wheel but no OSX.
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Aug 11, 2008
I'd been noticing recently that my mini would periodically give me the gray screen of death when I'd boot it up, but after holding down the power to shut it down and restarting everything would be fine. I didn't think too much of it. I just moved out of my old place and into my new place and now my mini is doing it much more frequently. I just hooked it up for the first time since moving and I had to do the shut down/start up process three times before I got into OSX.
Then I shut down OSX just to try it again... same exact results. It took three restarts to be able to boot up again. Does anybody know what might cause something like this? The only thing I can think of is that maybe something is up with the RAM. I did upgrade the RAM to 2x2 gig of OWC memory a few months back, but never saw anything like this happening. When the computer is running I haven't noticed any strange issues.
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Feb 27, 2012
Mac mini with 10.7 boots to grey screen with apple logo? Any way to overcome this?
Info:
Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.7.3), new machine
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May 20, 2012
I'm trying to open a PDF file from a very secure website and all I see is a gray screen when I click on the link. Why does this happen? How do I fix it?Â
Info:
Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.2), 2.2 ghz intel duo core processor
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Sep 1, 2009
I have the 2.53ghz with 4gigz of Ram MacMini from Xmas 2009.A few of you know that I had been trying out different SSD's before finally jumping on with OWC 60gig SSD. I've had it for about 2 months now and it works great except I've recently been having my computer freeze and the beach ball of death appears constantly when on Safari and sometimes iMovie. After shutting down the computer manually, sometimes booting up will leave me at the grey screen for minutes before i shut it down and wait maybe 30 mins before i fire it up again, which usually works 9/10 times.
I also noticed the beach ball delaying certain processes like loading Safari or a webpage. For example, I have my OWC External hooked up via FireWire800 with just my music and videos, however occasionally if im browsing thru websites or loading a program it'll cycle the external and have the beachball as if trying to load something before proceeding. It is more an annoyance than a problem.
I ran disk utility on all my drives as well as the Apple Hardware Test CD to see if maybe my Logic Board was the problem. I did the general test as well as the indepth test, both show negative signs of a problem.Can anyone shed some light on what could be the problem?Should I put the factory drive back in and take it to Apple to run their diagnostic test?Could the SSD be failing? (I could RMA it, but didn't know if its an Apple issue vs OWC)
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Jun 30, 2014
So I have a MacBook Air, 2008 I believe, running Mavericks....Â
Today it decided to get stuck on the gray startup screen with the Apple and never ending rotating circle. I have sifted through TONS of articles and discussions and tried various things including:Â
- Holding Shift+cmd+V to do a safe boot while seeing the progress and a disk0s2: i/0 error is at the bottom.
- Holding down Cmd+R on start, then Reinstalling OS X Mavericks: would act like it was working, then would just revert back to main OS X Utilities window.
- Repair disk: cannot repair, instructs me to backup my files, reformat the disk and restore.Â
Well I have tried duplicating the main disk image with an external hard drive, and that won't work because it says the disk won't unmount.Â
I cannot find any way to backup my files before I resort to erasing the disk. The disk cannot be repaired, nor will it unmount. I unfortunately don't have an old backup to restore it to. Any way to backup my disk in its current state, then enabling me to erase and restore the disk? Or any other options that would work?Â
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Mar 8, 2012
I'm getting the gray screen when I startup. I tried using the install disc to repair the utility, but it said it cannot be repaired. I had to use a plug-in mouse instead of my normal wireless mouse to get the startup disc out on a restart. I want to now startup in safe mode, but holding down shift during startup with my wireless keyboard doesn't work. Do I need to have a plug-in type keyboard for this function to work? Can you backup files using safemode?
Info:
iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.3)
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Jun 2, 2012
I was having a lot of problems with my new (Christmas 11) MPB. It was very sluggish and occasionally would freeze. I took it to my Apple Store and the Genius said I was running all my apps in root and had too many files on the desktop.They should be under a user. Any files on the desktop are refreshed frequently, such as graphics (CAD, pictures, etc.) and that was what was killing performance. She then proceded to move my files/apps to my user profile.
Since I am the only user, I never paid any attention to where the files were.I would like to verify the information above and do the same process on two other computers, but I didn't catch enough of what she did to do it solo.
Info:MacBookPro, Mac OS X (10.7.3), I7, 8GB, 750GB, Lion
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Oct 29, 2007
I just got done doing an Erase and Install on my MBP. I noticed that in the root Macintosh HD directory, all the Unix system files and directories are visible, unlike Tiger where they were hidden. Is that standard? I just want to make sure I don't have a screwed up preference file somewhere.
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Jun 3, 2014
I wanted to put the "Epson Printer Utility 4" application in my dock bar. So in Finder, I selected File > Find, and set it to "Name" "begins with" "Epson Printer".
Mavericks found the "Epson Printer Finder" application in [Root] / Applications / Epson Software, but it did not find "Epson Printer Utility 4" in [Root] / Library / Printers / EPSON / InkjetPrinter2 / Utility / UT4. As a test, I also tried File > Find for the "World Clock" widget in [Root] / Library / Widgets - also not found.
Both files are fully visible to me, and I have have Admin privileges. I set my Finder preferences to "Search This Mac" when performing a search. I can't find any other preference to have Mavericks really, truly search ALL of This Mac, including the root directory folders.
Info:
MacBook Pro (17-inch Mid 2010), OS X Mavericks (10.9.3), 2.53 GHz Intel Core i5, 4 GB RAM
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Oct 5, 2009
upon startup i see a gray screen, the apple logo, and spinning gears. Then the apple logo turns into a circle with a line through it and stays that way forever. I call apple support. They got me to run disk utility by booting from install disk. Then running repair disk and repair permissions. Then boot into safe mode and computer works fine...for a few restarts then does the same thing.
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Nov 23, 2009
Something strange happened to my Mac, I use a USB modem by Orange il. Mac recognized it with no problem and installed the installation package. After installation when Mac recognized the modem again a gray screen appeared and asked to do Hard Reset. I'm using Snow Leopard 10.6.2 and I had no such problems with it. It happened to me once when I had version 10.5 and changed Drivers for usb to use Dfu. I checked the computer, and to be sure I downloaded the new drivers and reinstall it and it still happens when I insert the modem. As soon as I uninstall the modem I can insert it without a problem until I install the drivers and then this Crash happens again.
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Mar 15, 2012
I had the Gray screen on boot up on two seperate minis this morning. Pulling all the usb items fixed both of them.
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May 9, 2012
I have an 2008 iMac that displays a gray screen. I cannot get rid of it. I have done a forced shut down but it wakes up when a key is depressed. I have turned off the power. It will chime but a gray screen, not a spinning wheel or anything else. I was told it might be VMWare Fusion at fault so I uninstalled the program a month or so ago. It was fine until a few days ago. Has the display panel died? If so, is this a dyi or should I pay $$$ to repair it.Â
Info:
iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.1)
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Oct 13, 2008
When I started my Macbook up, after the gray screen with the apple sign, a stop sign appeared on the screen and I couldnt use my laptop as normal. Does anyone know what the problem is and how to fix it?
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Feb 12, 2009
I posted this in the emac forum, but since it concerns the OS....thought I'd also post here. have an older emac 700 that used to work, but now when I try to boot ...after the apple screen with spinning wheel I get the gray screen of death. I have tried lots of things, including reinstalling OS from a retail purchased 10.4 dvd. THe OS install *looks* like it is working until it goes to reboot at the end, & then hangs again. I have also tried booting off a firewire drive, again, hangs. I know that there are boot cmd-v or -s options that give readouts of what's happening, but I don't know how to pause the process & whatever messages of relevance may be present near the end disappear quickly when the screen turns gray. In the process I have also zapped the pram/nvram.....& have reset the pmu button. I'm at the end of my rope, as I'm all out of things to try. As for what I was doing when the whole thing went south on me.. I was playing with a newer Belkin usb wireless adapter & trying to find the right driver. I downloaded the Zydas zd1211 driver set, but inadvertently unpacked the 10.3 version instead of the 10.4 (which is what this emac has). It went into auto reboot & that was that.....gray screen of death. Coincidental? I dunno. I just include the detail.
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May 13, 2009
last night i changed the permissions on my macbook to stop my files being shared. now when i log in i cant get past the grey boot up screen. i was told its because of problems created from changing the permissions. i booted up holding shift and nothing happened i booted up in in verbose and it says theres no posix_spawnp("/usr/sbin/mDNSresponder", ...) over and over i booted up with cmd+s and got If you want to make modifications to the files
/sbin/fsck -fy
/sbin/mount -uw
If you wish to boot system exit. I dont want what to do here, Im afraid to start messing with it. I really need to get the files in my HD, I'm doing finals right now!!
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Jun 19, 2009
im getting a message on a grey screen asking me to restart my computer when i'm trying to start my imac? So, i hold down the on / off button to do a hard restart and i get the same message again.
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Jul 14, 2009
a few hours ago my mac froze up so i reset it but when i turned it back on it was just gray with a folder icon with a question mark in the middle blinking. i then turned it off and left it alone for a few hours and when i went to turn it on again the screen is just gray with the apple icon and the loading icon under it, which is what always comes up when i first turn it on but it wont change, its been the same for like a half hour now.
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Aug 11, 2009
I have an Intel Mac Mini that I use with a Viewsonic DVI LCD. My problem is that the gray boot screen doesn't ever appear. The computer starts up, but the display doesn't come on until I unplug the monitor and plug it back into the mini, then it comes on and I see the login window. Anyone have any tips for me? I've tried the cmd-opt-p-r, and resetting it via plugging in the power while holding the power button, but to no avail.
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Mar 14, 2010
I am running Snowleopard on a 24" white imac bought in 2007. My system has been somewhat temperamental for a few weeks, crashing out on me when waking up and generating random artifacts onscreen during use. I noticed also that the hardrive recently renamed itself as "EMI Boot" when booting using the option key (although it worked fine). Now, when booting, the apple logo appears, followed by the spinning wheel and a blank gray screen. Then nothing. The same thing happens when I try to boot using a mirrored backup drive or a separate bootable drive with a different version of OSX. The imac drive will, however, launch using a MBP in terminal mode without problem. I have run Diskwarrior and fsck on the drive. No difference. I've tested the RAM using memtest in single user mode. RAM seems OK. I dont have the original installation disks, so cannot run the diagnostics.
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Mar 15, 2012
After installing updates, I restarted my Mac and it ends up with a matte gray (cloth-like appearance) with a gray Apple logo, but does not get to the desktop. I can open/close the DVD tray, and have cursor control, but nothing else seems to work. Short of reinstallation of Snow Leopard, what are my alternatives. I did the Lion update online but do not have a system disk, hence reversion to Snow Leopard is my only option.Â
Info:
Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.3)
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Apr 23, 2012
Yet I see the white power light on and I can here it turn on but no screen it is just black?
Info:
MacBook
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May 8, 2012
Tried all the tips I can find but no joy. Able to boot in safe mode but nothing else. Can't use Lion Recovery and unable install Snow Leopard from disk as it gets stuck on the gray screen again.
Info:Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.3)
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Jun 25, 2012
Well gang the problem has been resolved by starting up while pressing command V. Worked like a charm. I don't know why the "genus bar" folks did't try it but it worked...I'm just saying.
Info:MacBook Pro with Retina display, Mac OS X (10.7.3), in safe mode QT,Iphoto,photo booth
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Sep 10, 2014
Last week when starting my Mac Book Pro I was faced with a gray screen. On start up the it won't boot fully. Turn onGray Screen with apple logo - loading bar and wheelOnce fully loaded it turns itself off..I have tried control R to do a reinstall of the OS, however it won't let me complete it saying Apple account does not match (yet there is no login for this).
Info:
Mac Pro
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Jun 27, 2014
I've been experiencing the "gray screen of death" every time I've turned on my laptop. What would occur is that after I press the on button, I would hear the two dings and a gray screen with a metallic apple logo and a gray pinwheel would appear. It would stay on for however long I've had the patience for it (more than an hour) and disabled me from using my computer. After doing some research, I've tried everything I could besides for rebooting the computer to factory mode. I've tried doing a safe boot by pressing the shift button upon turning on the computer but this didn't work because the booting loading bar would appear and then disappear midway. I've tried doing a repair on my hard drive using disk utility.I've even tried reinstalling Mac OS X (Snow leopard), which was successful, but upon restarting my computer, I was greeted with the same gray screen and nothing appeared to have changed. I have also tried resetting the PRAM but that didn't work either.
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Oct 24, 2010
I have my mac pro finder screen it has a question mark in the gray bar I can't get rid of it.
I created the problem by downloaded a few hundred screen saver photos. they were a mess.
after weeks of deleting cloning and fixing files. I had everything removed except on the finder bar a little Flag of Israel . I managed to get rid of the little flag but now have a question mark instead. If I click on the mark it says the item can not be found.
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May 5, 2007
after my six year old daughter dropped it(on hardwood floor).
I tried this:
<command> <opt> <p> <r> Letting it chime 4 times. But, no luck - it just sits there witht the gray screen/dark gray apple logo and that thing twirling around like it's thinking.
check that I've left it on and it has now worked its way to the blue screen. Cursor shows up and the twirling thing is gone(as are the little clicking noises inside like it's actually trying to do someting).
Now you're really going to let me have it. I don't have any of my original disks.
Guess I should take it to the Apple store and see what they say(no applecare).
I was running Tiger(latest version) and the ibook G4 is a 1.33 with 768mb of ram if that matters.
Luckily all my photo's and music are on my powerbook and mac mini.
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