G5 iMac infinite startup loop - Help, please

meg222

My iMac starts up with the right chimes, etc. Gets to blue screen, and all menu items across the top show up, and the dock appears. BUT, none of the desktop items appear, no jpgs, folders, etc. including the hard drive. My screensaver - set to go through pictures - then begins. A picture displays on the blue screen, then the dock, top menu and picture disappear, and the startup cycle starts all over again.

I have tried safe boot (worked once yesterday), PRAM many times today(worked once yesterday and I thought I was set) , disk repair from the OSX disk - no indication that the hard drive has any problems, so I didn't click repair.

I am hesitant to startup from the CD is in, only b/c it says it's installing 10.4.4 all over again -

Any help? I'm in looping hell, and of course have important stuff on there I need to access!

I'm not a mac technical person, per se, but I can find my way around given proper instruction.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Mac OS X 10.5, iMac (Mid 2007): Stuck in a "loop" at the login window after upgrading	Newsbot	Apple News	0	5th June 2008 07:41 PM
Mac OS X 10.5, iMac (Mid 2007): Stuck in a "loop" at the login window after upgrading	Newsbot	Apple News	0	9th November 2007 01:21 AM
Mac OS X 10.5, iMac (Late 2007): Stuck in a "loop" at the login window after upgradin	Newsbot	Apple News	0	6th November 2007 09:13 PM
Infinite loop on shutdown---help	Gerald I. Evenden	Portables	13	7th July 2005 08:11 AM
iDVD infinite loop	Jon Claerbout	Apps	4	17th October 2003 08:30 PM