TopTierIT
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iMac with startup issues
I currently have a client who has an older iMac (guessing 6 years old) that worked fine at their house but when they brought it to their work turned on normally. They couldn't get Internet access so they inserted a AT&T disk into the drive and attempted to install the start package (yes, it was also for Mac). When the screen froze they called me in and when I arrived I waited 20 minutes for the screen to release which never did. So I did a hard reboot.
The iMac boots up and gets to the gray screen with Apple logo and the spinning gear. After a few minutes it reboots itself and repeats. I have tried resetting the PRAAM and the SMC with no change. I have tried to boot from cd and it won't boot to a cd. I have tried safe mode and it doesn't go to login screen after holding down the key combination.
I am at a loss as to why the drive wouldn't boot after a hard reset. I hate to have to open the box open if there is a quick fix. I did use some of the information from this website http://macs.about.com/od/usingyourmac/qt/Mac-Stalls-On-Gray-Screen-At-Startup.htm
The iMac boots up and gets to the gray screen with Apple logo and the spinning gear. After a few minutes it reboots itself and repeats. I have tried resetting the PRAAM and the SMC with no change. I have tried to boot from cd and it won't boot to a cd. I have tried safe mode and it doesn't go to login screen after holding down the key combination.
I am at a loss as to why the drive wouldn't boot after a hard reset. I hate to have to open the box open if there is a quick fix. I did use some of the information from this website http://macs.about.com/od/usingyourmac/qt/Mac-Stalls-On-Gray-Screen-At-Startup.htm
Aaron Tomosky
Are you pressing the left alt at the right time to get the boot menu? You can try a boot USB if the cd drive is damaged
ASKER
You mean the option key to get to the boot menu? All it brings up is the Macintosh HD.
Which cd is in the drive? Have you made a boot USB on another computer and tried that?
ASKER
not on USB. I am not sure what native OS is on the iMac now. I have a Lion OS X Install disk I made. Can I use that and transfer to USB? BTW I have the OSX Lion files also on my computer. It's a PC though....
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ASKER
I'll try that a little later on if not tomorrow. I'll update as soon as I get that USB.