Mac Boot Error (Black Squares Dotting a White Background)

[Cory Cooper]

Hello and welcome.

That is an iMac (20-inch Early 2008). More than likely, it has a corrupted OS X install, or a failing logic board. Since it boots normally into Safe Mode, I would bet it is probably an OS X and/or video driver issue.

-Do you have a current Time Machine or other backup of your data/files?

You could try the following:
-How to Reset NVRAM on your Mac
-Reset the System Management Controller (SMC) on your Mac
-Repair disk permissions with Disk Utility

See if any of those help and let us know.

C

 

[Iconoclasm]

Hi Cory. Thanks for the reply.

I do not have a Time Machine or any other backup of my data/files, but I'm honestly looking to do a factory reset if I can so none of the data in the computer matters to me anyway. Is there any way the functions you listed can be performed with a standard keyboard? I don't have an official Mac keyboard (the owner who gave me the iMac lost the keyboard apparently) and those are expensive.

 

[Cory Cooper]

Yes, all of the above can be done with a standard USB keyboard. On a non-Apple keyboard that doesn't have a Command key, you would use the Windows key, as it maps to the Command key.

C