# cannot boot osx past grey logo



## danielo

I am unable to boot Mac OSX 10.3.9 past the grey screen with grey Apple logo. Tried Cmd+Opt+P+R, tried Cmd+Opt+O+F then reset-all, tried booting from friend's Panther install disc --- nothing has worked. Ran separate hardware test disc, everything came back OK. I no longer have original boot disc. Other ideas?


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## Headrush

Can you successfully boot into safe mode or single user mode?
(On boot shift or command + S)


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## danielo

No, I can do neither. That is to say, both attempts just result in the same stuck point. The only things I seem to be able to do are boot to firmware, and boot to options screen.


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## Headrush

danielo said:


> No, I can do neither. That is to say, both attempts just result in the same stuck point. The only things I seem to be able to do are boot to firmware, and boot to options screen.


Odd, in single mode you should not get a GUI at all.

If you can get the boot options, use -s.

When/if you get to the prompt, try:


Code:


mount -uw /
diskutil repairPermissions /
rm -r /System/Library/Extensions/BootCache.kext
rm /System/Library/Extensions.kextcache
rm /System/Library/Extensions.mkext

That should force the system to fix any bad permissions on files, and rebuild the kext cache on reboot.

You can also look in the logs for clues while you are in single user mode:


Code:


cat /var/log/system.0.log | gunzip


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## danielo

Typing "-s" does nothing.

I wonder if I might be miscommunicating. When I say I can get to the options screen, I mean that when I hold the option button while powering on, I get to a screen with a little circle-arrow on the left, a right-arrow on the right, and between them, a computer icon with the OS "X" hovering over it. 

There is a mouse cursor (pointer), but no insertion point or anything for typing, or entering any text. Hitting the right arrow simply results in the same original stuck point, and hitting the circle-arrow seems to re-check for other disks (?).

Also, I don't know if I'm in "single user mode" -- though I confess I have no idea what that means. Doesn't that require holding command+s while booting? I've tried that, and it does nothing -- same stuck point.


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## danielo

I do feel like forcing the system to fix permissions would help, but I can't seem to figure out how to do that without booting the OS....


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## Headrush

danielo said:


> I wonder if I might be miscommunicating. When I say I can get to the options screen, I mean that when I hold the option button while powering on, I get to a screen with a little circle-arrow on the left, a right-arrow on the right, and between them, a computer icon with the OS "X" hovering over it.
> 
> There is a mouse cursor (pointer), but no insertion point or anything for typing, or entering any text. Hitting the right arrow simply results in the same original stuck point, and hitting the circle-arrow seems to re-check for other disks (?).


If you get this screen, your are hitting the option key, not the command key.


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## danielo

Right, that's what I said. "...when I hold the option button while powering on...".

Do I need to press/hold the Command key? Just the Command key? I already tried Command+S, but that got me nowhere.


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## Headrush

What Mac model is this? PPC or Intel? Isn't a Hackintosh is it?

Command + s during boot should get you a text boot screen and never get to that grey screen. Were you holding them as soon as the machine started?


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## VegasACF

Headrush said:


> Isn't a Hackintosh is it?


I was wondering the same thing.


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## danielo

It's an eMac, probably 4 years old. I'll try the Cmd+S thing again tonight and repost again tomorrow.


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## danielo

I *definitely* just held Command+S while powering on -- before I even hit the power button.
I *definitely* just got stuck at the same grey/logo screen -- no text boot screen in sight.
I *definitely* wish I could do something useful from the Firmware screen, which seems to be the only screen I can get to, aside from the grey/logo stuck screen...

I have some OS install discs -- is there a way, apparently from the firmware screen, to force the machine to run them, so I can just start over?


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## Headrush

When you said you tried your friends Panther DVD, was that starting holding the 'c' key?
(Try all your Install DVDs. There is a Terminal app we can use to check the currently installed OS, if it boots.)

If that doesn't work, there is a way to force booting from the Firmware screen.
I haven't done it myself, I'll have to google for it.

(Not sure why it would not boot from DVD if you can get to the open Firmware screen.


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## mavwolf99

Hi there,
I have the same problem.....grey screen, twirling thing,.....I can boot to single user mode, and I think I found out the problem is that the file com.apple.nibindd.plist needs to be deleted....I have a macbook pro....but once I get to the black screen and the white writing what am I to type to delete this file....got this from another site and when I boot to the mac osx disc....i can also get to the terminal screen.....Help!!! thanks


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## mavwolf99

ps this is an intel macbook pro


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## Headrush

mavwolf99 said:


> Hi there,
> I have the same problem.....grey screen, twirling thing,.....I can boot to single user mode, and I think I found out the problem is that the file com.apple.nibindd.plist needs to be deleted....I have a macbook pro....but once I get to the black screen and the white writing what am I to type to delete this file....got this from another site and when I boot to the mac osx disc....i can also get to the terminal screen.....Help!!! thanks


You have to remount the partition to have write access:


Code:


mount -uw /

Now just delete the file using the full path


Code:


rm -R /Library/Preferences/com.apple.nibindd.plist

The path could also be /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/

I don't have that file so can't say 100%


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## danielo

[Headrush] - Yes, I was holding "C." I also found/tried the boot from CD move in Firmware. Both ended up with the same thing: a light grey screen with a darker grey circle/slash in the middle. I thought perhaps the discs were bad, but they worked on another computer. Do I need a DVD-ROM drive to run those discs? I have only a CD-ROM drive, and I wondered if that might be the problem.

Is there a way to run permissions repair from Firmware?


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## Headrush

danielo said:


> [Headrush] - Yes, I was holding "C." I also found/tried the boot from CD move in Firmware. Both ended up with the same thing: a light grey screen with a darker grey circle/slash in the middle. I thought perhaps the discs were bad, but they worked on another computer. Do I need a DVD-ROM drive to run those discs? I have only a CD-ROM drive, and I wondered if that might be the problem.
> 
> Is there a way to run permissions repair from Firmware?


I can't say about the boot media, obviously if they are DVDs they won't work.
(If it is a single media, its probably a DVD, if there are a couple of them numbered, they are CDs)

No you can't check disk permissions from the firmware screen.

Do you have either another machine or a spare HD?


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## MacGuyver

Don't forget that you can connect your system to a healthy Mac via FireWire cable using Target Disk Mode (hold "T" at startup). This will make the "target" computer, in this case your non-booting system, an external hard drive.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58583

This is a good point to backup any critical files just to be safe. You can then run a utility to show all hidden files & folders (Onyx 1.5.3 works with OS 10.3). Then delete the cache and kext files mentioned earlier in this thread and turn hidden items back off. Target Disk Mode is also a good way to trouble shoot other areas if you know what you are looking for.

http://www.titanium.free.fr/pgs2/english/onyx_tiger.html
Onyx 1.5.3 download link-->
http://www.titanium.free.fr/dl/OnyX_153.zip

When finished, Eject (unmount) the target system's hard drive from the computer you are working on and press the power button on the target machine to shut it down. After you disconnect the FireWire cable, perhaps you will have a better chance at getting the problem computer to boot up

Good luck! 

---------------------------------------------------------
How to view hidden files & folders with Onyx 1.5.3:

1. launch Onyx
2. authenticate
3. click the "Appearance" button
4. check the "Show hidden files and folders" box
5. click the "Apply" button
(this will relaunch the Finder, so you may lose some open windows)
Uncheck the box to reverse the process.

NOTE: These steps may be slightly different in other versions of Onyx

[EDIT: added Onyx instructions]


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## danielo

I found an old OS9 install disc, and I can run OS9 off that disc by holding "C" while booting. Can I do anything now? I also have an old OSX 10.1 disc, but it won't load while holding "C" and booting. When I do that, it just freezes on a screen with a tiny smiling computer in the center and a non-animated rainbow circle in the extreme upper left-hand corner.


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