need help! macbook boot up problem!!

[tromply]

I am having a problem starting up my Macbook (OSX), and do not have my start-up disk as I am currently traveling, though overwhelmingly in need of my computer.

When I start up my Mac it gives the start-up tone, on the grey screen with the apple icon, then says it is running the OSX software. Then it gets stuck on a blue screen which randomly has the circular pulsing light underneath. It does not go any further than this.

I bought this macbook about 6 months ago and this is the first time I have experienced any problems. I read some of the other threads with similar problems but insofar none have worked, and as I said before I do not have my software disks.

I am a teacher and not very computer savvy so if those helping me could be patient that would be greatly appreciated.

Can anyone help me?

 

[Ric]

Hi there and welcome !

Reboot holding down command & s and then follow the instructions here...

Give that a go and see if it helps.

regards

Ric

 

[tromply]

Hi Ric. thank you for responding. I tried what you asked, and the message at the end was that the system "seemed to be ok." I tried to reboot and the system did the same thing it did before. It was just sitting idle not booting up.

I tried the same thing again, and it is currently doing the same thing, not booting up, and has been for the last twenty minutes.

thank you again for your help.
Is there anything else I can do?

tromply

 

[tromply]

Hello Ric, Thank you for your response and your help.

I tried what you suggested and it went through ok, but after I rebooted the system it just did the same thing as before: remained stuck on the blue screen with the pulsing circle at the bottom.

I tried it again and left the computer doing this for twenty minutes and it still did not reboot. It said that the system "Mac HD appears to be OK" before I rebooted.

Again thank you for your help.

Is there anything else I can do?

Tromply

 

[Ric]

Hi there,

what else have you tried ? (saves us suggesting what you have already done...)

This will probably end with me suggesting that you get hold of your OS disks or buying a copy of Disk Warrior ;-) Could someone post you your disks or is that not practicaL ?

regards

Ric

 

[Ric]

Hi there,

next thing to try...Reset the SMC.

1. If the computer is on, turn it off.
2. Disconnect the AC Adapter and remove the computer's battery.
3. Press and hold down the power button for 5 seconds and then release the button.
4. Reconnect the battery and AC Adapter.
5. Press the Power button to restart the computer.

regards

Ric

 

[tromply]

Hello Ric. I tried what you suggested, taking the battery out and pushing the power button for five seconds, and the computer appears to be "trying harder" to boot up though it has not done so as of yet. The screen is flashing sometimes and the pulsing circle appears more often.

I do not really know of other things to do, other than what you suggest, as I mentioned before I am not very computer savvy and spent most of my time teaching children, not on computers, though I am very reliant on my computer.

Would it be useful to keep the computer in this state, trying to boot up, for a prolonged period of time or could that possibly damage the system?

Also if I do have my husband send my OSX software disc and try to reinstall it, would I be in danger of losing my files? Is there any risk in doing this?

thanks again for your help. you are really doing a great job.

Tromply.

 

[Ric]

Hi there,

did anything happen...before this happened ?

There is always the chance that you could lose files...there is the chance that the drive is corrupt and the files are lost already... ;-(

But I doubt that !

It just sounds like the directory is corrupt...

Sometimes running Disk First aid from the boot disks can fix it, othertimes it can't and you would need to do a Archive and Install.

An Archive and Install (in theory) never loses any of your 'documents' it just pops on new System Software. I have done it hundreds of times and never lost any files.

However, if an Archive and Install doesn't work the you need to reformat the drive and do a fresh install, this will wipe everything off !

If you can get the OS disk then give it a go, just make sure hubby packs it well !

Would it be useful to keep the computer in this state, trying to boot up, for a prolonged period of time or could that possibly damage the system?

No use at all, and no damage would be done...except wasting electricity. ;-)

Do you have access to another Mac where you are ?

regards

Ric