PowerPC :: Unable To Boot Powerbook / Gray Screen Turns Computer Back Off
Nov 1, 2006
So I've got a powerbook G4, thats 8 days past its warranty. Conveniently, it now won't turn on. It won't wont boot from CD. If I turn it on, I get a gray screen that usually just turns my computer back off, if thats not the case I get a screen that shows the finder icon and a question mark and then turns off.
All it will do is boot into open firmware mode. Currently the install disc is inside of it and I've tried booting the cd using "cd:, bxi" and "dir hd", and it can't open both. Does anyone know how to wipe the HD, and start the installer using firmware? Otherwise, I think I'll have to take out the harddrive and plug it into an external case and then wipe it.
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Feb 9, 2012
While working on the computer, sometimes the screen will turn gray (from top to bottom) and a message will appear saying the computer must be restarted.So far the local Apple store has not been able to find the problem. The last solution the store tried was to replace the Airport Card, but that didn't work. Computer was purchased in December 2011.
Info:iMac (27-inch Mid 2011), Mac OS X (10.7.2)
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Sep 29, 2010
I am trying to fix a friends macbook pro. When I turn it on the screen shows the apple and the spiral underneath it spinning like it should then when it stalls for .2 seconds it goes to a white screen then there is vertical purple lines in groups across the screen. So the screen is white/purple. Then it fades to just white and I cant do anything.
I hooked up my monitor with a DVI cable to see if it was the motherboard that was possibly bad but the monitor works just fine with the cable. I can use the computer with the laptop keyboard/mouse and it works just fine. The laptop screen just stays blank the whole time. I uploaded a vid to utube for it. If anybody has any ideas for me please help. I dont know if this is a monitor problem or the inverter or the motherboard, possibly some other piece of hardware?
Here is the link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JBFv-GTBmY
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Oct 4, 2008
I just bought a powerbook, and I'm trying to get it to turn on. It doesn't have a hard drive, so obviously it won't be able to get it to boot. I just want to be able to get to the flashing folder. When I press the power button, the computer does nothing, not even the fan spins. The only indication I have that it is on is the caps lock light turns on. I've tried resetting the pram, but the screen stays blank and does nothing. I don't have any ram modules in it, so it shouldn't be a ram problem.
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Nov 20, 2006
Late last night, I ran into some problems with my iBook G3. It's the 700 Mhz model, with 384MB of RAM. Nothing else special in terms of hardware config (unless an Airport card is special). OS X 10.2.8.
Basically, the computer seemed to hang and I did a hard reboot, and upon starting up I got a folder with a flashing ? .
I can't seem to find my Install disc 1 to run Disk Utility or just boot up - hopefully I will find that when I go home tonight (or maybe I left it at my parent's place), but I checked using the Hardware Test CD and it didn't detect any problems.
I am having problems opening the CD drive, so I've had to open it using a paperclip. Sometimes it doesn't appear to be using the CD.
I also have run the Micromat test CD that came with Applecare (of course this machine is almost 4 years old so that's finished...) and it detected a problem with the Read Buffer last night, but then I guess the battery ran out while it was on the last test.
This morning, I ran the Read Buffer, Write Buffer, and Volume structure tests and the first two passed very fast (unlike last night), but the Volume Structure test failed. I'm not surprised since I've been aware I have issues with this before. I tried to repair before going to work but at one point it seemed to hang so I gave it another hard reboot.
Last night, I would sometimes get the apple logo with the spinning "clock", and sometimes I would get the ? but it would never get to the login screen.
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Dec 16, 2006
So, recently (as of thursday or so) my PBG4 has been making weird buzzing noises, usually only when it was working hard (or watching things online). Eventually, as it got closer to the weekend, the noise started to get louder whenever it would come on, so I'd just turn off my computer for an hour or so and let it cool. Finally, today, I turn it off again and now whenever I turn it back on, all I get is the gray start up screen, sans spinner. Sometimes I even get a little folder with the mac face on it. What's wrong?
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Jul 11, 2009
I have recently come across an extremely cheap ibook (free) which i was able to keep if I got it too work. Well I've been successfully fairly by using it for a few weeks, then it just died. Not sure how it did but it did. The problems seem to be with the flashing (Finder/?) folder on a gray screen back ground. I've already run through the [URL] tutorials of what's wrong and have successfully done a PRAM and a PMU reset with no result. One of the times that I restarted the iBook and after the flashing folder got two new separate folders. One with an arrow turning clockwise on the left, and another folder with an arrow pointing right on the right. Both in blue folders as the flashing folders. Now I believe the problem is that the iBook is unable to find and utilize the Startup Disk. Forums I have read state to put in the reinstall disc, which I don't see how that will work on account of the CD tray not responding to anything I've yet put in there. Not trying with disc until i know that is the only possible solution. Don't want to loose my disc. Maybe some of you have come across this situation and know of a sure fire way to fix it. If not, Ill have to just send it in to some site.
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Aug 31, 2010
I have an old PowerBook G4 that my son uses for simple stuff. One day the screen went dark gray (not powered off) and it won't boot. When I try to boot from a Tiger disk, I get what appears to be a kernel panic. I don't get any strange startup beeps
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Dec 30, 2010
I'm trying to resurrect an iBook (translucent white case, 14.1 LCD) that was long neglected, so not sure on its past service history. The following do NOT work: - won't boot up past the gray screen with Apple logo and spinning gear icon (just hangs) - same problem if I try to boot from install DVD ("c" or using "option" then selecting DVD) - same problem with safe boot with "shift" - reset PRAM It will connect via firewire target disk mode to another computer, and I used that to completely wipe the disk and do a clean install of 10.5. When I tried booting into single-user mode (cmd-s), it fills about 2/3 of the screen with normal-looking messages, but then hangs after this (no keyboard response): Got boot device = IOService... [various other stuff] BSD root: disk0s6, major 14, minor 5 I'm out of ideas. Any suggestions? The machine is old enough that it's probably not worth the diagnostic fee of the local Apple shop. Since I can't get it to boot, I can't even run TechTools.
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Feb 6, 2008
At the tech dept we have this G4 that refuses to boot past the grey screen with the rotating wheel. The logic board has been replaced, we've removed all sticks of RAM save 1x512, we've tried a known working optical drive, replaced ribbon cables (optical cable was frayed on one end) No dice. Option booting works, but once we select the DVD we can't boot from an install PPC CD either, it just gets stuck at the grey screen. We also have a tech HD inside that the computer does not boot from either.
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May 1, 2009
I recently required a Power Mac G4, and it was working fine, albeit a bit slow but I just assume that was because there's too many files on it, but that's another story. I shut it down before I left work, when I came back in the morning it was just the grey screen with the apple. I reset it, still no response. I reset the PRAM, nothing. I tried to boot in Single user mode, nothing. I tried to boot in verbose mode, nothing. I force ejected the CD and put in an OSX disk one from my laptop, asked it to force read by restarting and pressing "C" and still nothing. I am not sure if a cable inside has been jarred lose.
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Jul 17, 2010
I was given a PowerBook G4 15" today. I need to fix it, but I can't find out what exactly is wrong. I've used MROOGLE and I can't find any problem quite like what I'm experiencing. In my case, the laptop will turn on, make the chime, and stay stuck on a white/grey screen. No apple, no spinning gear, no nothing. Just a blank white/grey screen. However, when I insert the Leopard DVD and hold down "C" the apple appears as well as the little spinning gear. That goes on for a few minutes. BUT, after those few minutes are up the small gear still spins, but the Apple logo is replaced with a prohibitory sign (like what you would see on a non-smoking or no parking sign) and it sticks there and sometime says that I need to re-start my computer. The same happens with the Tiger disk. Also, when I place the Leopard or Tiger disk in the SuperDrive and hold down "option" so that I can boot OS X from the DVD, I click the little continue arrow and nothing happens. I've reset everything there is to be reset, and I've opened up the computer and re-seated everything that could possibly be re-seated. RAM, HDD, all connector cables, etc. There isn't any visible physical damage inside of the computer either.
The most recent thing I've tried was to boot off of a PPC-specific Ubuntu disk. It does some stuff and lets me run the kernel, but after that the computer gets stuck on a black screen and does nothing at all. I'd really appreciate it if you all could offer some advice as to what may be wrong. All suggestions and ideas are welcome too.
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Jan 8, 2011
My macbook pro won't boot past the grey screen, I've tried reseting PRam, running fsck from single user etc to no avail. All signs would point towards a hard disk failure, but the curious thing is that it sometimes mounts in disk utility when booting from the install CD, so theres a little life left in it yet! I have fairly recent backups of most of my files, but there are a couple I've been working on in the past few days that won't be backed up. So my question is this - is it possible to copy files from my mac HD onto a external drive through the terminal/disk utility while booting from the CD.
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May 11, 2009
I purchased a powerbook g4 from a friend a few weeks ago and it was working fine for the first couple weeks. the other day when I started it up it booted to the gray Apple logo screen as usual but will not proceed from there. I've left it sit over night and when I get on it the next day it's still on that screen.
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Dec 10, 2014
Mac pro has a gray screen with apple logo running pinwheel but wont load up. Tried shutting it down and restarting a couple of times with no success
Info:
MacBook Pro
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Aug 31, 2009
I was just using my powerbook G4 12" when it "clicked", the screen went black and it will not respond. the power cable light is on, and I've tried another battery, but it does not turn on! the little light on the latch button that glows usually, is not on. What has happened to my Powerbook????! I don't have applecare but I imagine I will be calling Apple this morning unless someone can help here
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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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Jun 20, 2005
My Powerbook G4 only turns on if the battery charger is plugged in, and if I unplug it, the computer shuts off. On the menu bar, it says charging. I know the battery has to be full. This just started happening last night. Also, I just had the hard drive replaced and I've only had it back for a couple weeks.
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May 6, 2012
when i start up my macbook it goes the the gray screen with apple logo then the logo turns in to a circle with a line in it
Info:
MacBook
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Jul 10, 2010
My MAC powerbook was working fine yesterday! I shut it down last night and when I tried to boot it up this morning I get: the booting "sound" and the grey screen after which the screen turns to black and in the top left-hand corner
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Mar 16, 2009
I unplugged my PowerBook and the screen and backlit keyboard dimmed and then brightened back up. Was there a power surge inside my PowerBook?
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Aug 23, 2014
My wife's 1.67 ghz, 15" Powerbook G4, 10.5.8won't start up. It sticks at the grey Apple logo screen.I started with Command-V and got some text.The text that stood out was: "HFS Runtime corruption detected on Jodie [wife's account], fsck will be forced on next mount"
The last thing it said was:"Msg Order First]0 [Level 3] [Read U1D 0] [Facility com.apple.system.fs] [DevNode devfs] [Mount Pt/dev] [Path/dev/disk0s3] [FSLogMsgID 2104410583] [FSLogMsgOrder Last]
Info:
PowerBook, Mac OS X (10.5.8)
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Aug 4, 2010
I have a 2 year old aluminum (not uni-body) 15" Macbook Pro. Today when I turned on my computer, the front light went on, I heard the hard drive spin but the screeen remains completely black.
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May 15, 2010
I am new to this forum, but hoping I can get an answer here. When placing my Macbook Pro in sleep mode by closing the lid, it goes into sleep mode, but immediately turns back on (with the lid closed), then after a short time goes back into sleep mode and then immediately turns back on. It keeps cycling like this. Any clues to why it will not stay in the sleep mode?
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Jun 20, 2014
My Powebook G4 12" (model A1010) during its start-up phase remains stuck on the "initial gray screen" without displaying the apple logo. However, I can access the system through the console provided by Open Firmware.
I would like to ask you what could be the problem and where such problem may reside (hard drives, memory, main board, etc).
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Sep 16, 2009
So I have a DYNEX 21 inch HD TV conected up to my MBP via the VGA connection route. My problem is that when I want a program (or more specifically in this case a game) to go into fullscreen mode it automatically goes to my primary monitor and turns the other screen black. I know I can switch the primary monitor from my actual laptop screen to the TV however I just want the game to be full screen on the TV while still having access to my dock and everything on my laptop.
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Jun 5, 2014
my computer turns on but there is only a black screen. i hear the sounds and am able to press buttons but nothing is seen. how to I fix this?
Info:
MacBook Air, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8)
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Apr 27, 2008
trying to boot in Leopard my Mac Pro will get the the gray loading screen with the "loading circle" and just sit there forever. Than after a bit it will just stop and the whole computer can shut itself down. I just installed the 8800gt upgrade kit last week, and have had no problems at all for the past week. The only thing that changed that may be related is the 8800GT XP Driver. I installed the latest beta driver for it under XP in boot camp because it wasn't working properly with the default boot camp drivers. So I can correctly boot in the XP via boot camp, but trying to boot in Leopard it just hangs at the gray loading screen.
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Oct 17, 2010
Got a Powerbook G4 with a "messed up" HD. Couldn't fix it, so got a firewire drive and ran a bunch of utilities from my newer intel iMac. Cloned the Powerbook's drive to a USB hard drive, did all repairs on the USB drive, formatted the Powerbook, cloned the USB drive BACK to the Powerbook, but it just gives me the flashing question mark when I try to boot.
What is REALLY weird is I can boot my iMac FROM THE CLONE ON THE USB DRIVE and it works fine.In Drive Genius the Powerbook drive (in TDM) shows as a single drive, but if I go to "Repartition" then it shows 3 smaller partitions on the drive; I believe they're called "Apple Free Space" or something like that (can't check right now, I'm running Repair on it AGAIN at the moment).
I feel like I'm missing something simple, like the machine just doesn't see one thing that tells it "Oh, yeah! There's an operating system on this drive!" I have tried partitioning from Drive Genius and Disk Utility. Have done clones back and forth with Drive Genius, Disk Utility, and Carbon Copy Cloner. Same results each time.
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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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