Boot Up Problems! Please Help!

Joined
Aug 22, 2006
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Few days ago my Powerbook was running very slow so I decided to reboot it. Big mistake, after restarting it, it apparently froze on the white screen with the gray apple. It just sits there and does nothing. I tried booting off of the restore disk to do an "Archive and Restore" but there isn't even an option to restore to on the menu. I ran the Hardware test and got this error from Mass Storage: 2STF/4/3:ATA-100ata-6-Master

Any ideas??????
 

Ric

Joined
May 14, 2004
Messages
4,260
Reaction score
5
Hi there and welcome !

First try and boot into single user mode...

You can start up the Mac and hold down the command + s keys...untill you get to a "prompt"

Then type

/sbin/fsck -fy

then press return

This will manually run FSCK...then once it has finished (it may take a while) type

reboot

and press return.

Your Mac should now boot up successfully.

Give this a go first...

regards

Ric
 
Joined
Aug 22, 2006
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Hi there and welcome !

First try and boot into single user mode...

You can start up the Mac and hold down the command + s keys...untill you get to a "prompt"

Then type

/sbin/fsck -fy

then press return

This will manually run FSCK...then once it has finished (it may take a while) type

reboot

and press return.

Your Mac should now boot up successfully.

Give this a go first...

regards

Ric

I have tried to boot in safe mode and single user mode and neither has worked. I may be doing something wrong, I turn it on and immediately hold down the command and s keys but nothing happens. I just get the white screen with the apple. Am I doing something wrong? Should I push them at the same time? Or command then s? How long should it take to bring up the prompt? Thanks for your help!
 

Ric

Joined
May 14, 2004
Messages
4,260
Reaction score
5
...try this.

Turn the computer off...then with your left thumb hold down the command key (on the left side of the keyboard)...while keeping the command key held down, now press and hold down the s key...keeping these both depressed, now with your right hand turn on the Mac. (keep both keys pressed till the black sceen comes up with white text !)

Give that a go, and let us know !

regards

Ric
 
Joined
Aug 22, 2006
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
...try this.

Turn the computer off...then with your left thumb hold down the command key (on the left side of the keyboard)...while keeping the command key held down, now press and hold down the s key...keeping these both depressed, now with your right hand turn on the Mac. (keep both keys pressed till the black sceen comes up with white text !)

Give that a go, and let us know !

regards

Ric

Thanks, I'll try that as soon as I get home from work.


Another thing that seemed odd, when I booted off of the restore disk and came to the screen where you select where you want to install the OS to and you click on the harddrive icon, there was no icon there.
 
Joined
Aug 22, 2006
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
...try this.

Turn the computer off...then with your left thumb hold down the command key (on the left side of the keyboard)...while keeping the command key held down, now press and hold down the s key...keeping these both depressed, now with your right hand turn on the Mac. (keep both keys pressed till the black sceen comes up with white text !)

Give that a go, and let us know !

regards

Ric

No luck, did exactly how you said and held it down for a good 5 minutes and still nothing.

Any ideas???
 

Ric

Joined
May 14, 2004
Messages
4,260
Reaction score
5
Hi there,

it sounds as though the drive could have died...

Try booting off the install disk again, and seeing if it will allow you to run disk utilities-->repair disk.

I don't think it will, but worth a go.

You weren't getting the "Archive Option" because it couldn't see a disk to install onto...

Do you have Apple Care ?

If not it might be trip to Maplin's for a new hard drive.

regards

Ric
 
Joined
Aug 22, 2006
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Hi there,

it sounds as though the drive could have died...

Try booting off the install disk again, and seeing if it will allow you to run disk utilities-->repair disk.

I don't think it will, but worth a go.

You weren't getting the "Archive Option" because it couldn't see a disk to install onto...

Do you have Apple Care ?

If not it might be trip to Maplin's for a new hard drive.

regards

Ric

I can see the Hardrive icon through Disk Utility but it won't let me repair it, the only option I have when I highlight the Harddrive icon is Verify Disk and when I do that it tells me it needs repaired but won't let me repair it.

Unfortunately I don't have AppleCare so looks like I might need a new drive. :(

I just wish there was some way to recover all my music and pictures.
 

Ric

Joined
May 14, 2004
Messages
4,260
Reaction score
5
Hi there,

it's difficult to say for certain but I would try using DiskWarrior, to see if it could fix it...it fixes things that the normal Disk Utility can't !


...if not then try DataRescue to retreive your files.

Sorry, but they both cost ! There's nothing shareware/freeware that does the job like these !

regards

Ric
 
Joined
Sep 2, 2006
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
mine just froze on the same screen- i can't run repair discs because there is a dvd in there, and i have no idea how to get it out! have you made any progress? if so, yould you help me?
 

Cory Cooper

Moderator
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
11,102
Reaction score
492
Go

To get the DVD out...try:

Restart and immediately hold the mouse button down. Keep holding it and the disc tray should eject during startup.

C
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Top