mac OSX on eMac won't start up!

[cathryn]

AFter a long break I tried to switch on my white emac this afternoon and it rewarded me with a grey screen and a tiny central square folder flashing an alternate question mark and apple smiley face. I can't get anything else at all, I have even turned off at the mains. Can't think what else to do, but feel this might be a reward for using a microsoft laptop for the past 12 months. Any solutions/suggestions anyone? Many thanks

 

[tremolux]

It sounds like your eMac is freezing partway through the boot process. I believe the smiling Mac face indicates the computer passed the basic power-on self tests. Do you hear the normal startup chime? Or a different sound (or no sound at all)?

If you heard the normal startup chime, then try booting from an installation CD/DVD. If that works, go to the System Preferences and select Startup Disk to make sure your HD is visible. If it's visible but not selected, try selecting it and rebooting. Before rebooting, however, you should run Disk First Aid on the HD (from the CD/DVD) to check for problems.

If you still can't get your eMac to boot, you may want to get local assistance to further diagnose and repair the problem (i.e., someone who can have hands-on access to your eMac, perhaps a professional technician).