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Mac won't start!

Ja Di ksw

Ja Di ksw

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Every time I try to turn on my computer it immediately goes to the grey screen with the different languages that says you have to hold down the power button until it restarts b/c there's some error. Here's the story behind it.

I tried to install windows (I know, I know...), but Bootcamp wouldn't work. It said I had to back up my computer and reinstall the OS as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) (even though it already was!). But I didn't have an external HD that was big enough.

Ok, so I borrowed a friend's external HD and reinstalled from scratch (without putting my old system on yet). The Windows installation finished, then said there was an error and to restart. It kept saying that and wouldn't restart. Then I tried going back to my Mac OS, and it immediately went to the grey screen with the different languages that says you have to hold down the power button until it restarts b/c there's some error. So I did that, and it would never go further. I even tried reinstalling my old system and it still did this. The disk repair utility said everything on the Mac OS should be fine, though. Eventually I was able to reinstall it clean from the Snow Leopard DVD, but now I can't get my old computer back or windows on it! What the *!?

So . . . . any advice?
 
Ja Di ksw said:
Every time I try to turn on my computer it immediately goes to the grey screen with the different languages that says you have to hold down the power button until it restarts b/c there's some error. Here's the story behind it.

I tried to install windows (I know, I know...), but Bootcamp wouldn't work. It said I had to back up my computer and reinstall the OS as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) (even though it already was!). But I didn't have an external HD that was big enough.

Ok, so I borrowed a friend's external HD and reinstalled from scratch (without putting my old system on yet). The Windows installation finished, then said there was an error and to restart. It kept saying that and wouldn't restart. Then I tried going back to my Mac OS, and it immediately went to the grey screen with the different languages that says you have to hold down the power button until it restarts b/c there's some error. So I did that, and it would never go further. I even tried reinstalling my old system and it still did this. The disk repair utility said everything on the Mac OS should be fine, though. Eventually I was able to reinstall it clean from the Snow Leopard DVD, but now I can't get my old computer back or windows on it! What the *!?

So . . . . any advice?
Click to expand...




Hiiiiii

If u have backed up the data , then you can Format the drive (Zero All Data )using Disk utility and Install Mac OS fresh and once it completes u can try bootcamp .
 
vasanth4u said:
Hiiiiii

If u have backed up the data , then you can Format the drive (Zero All Data )using Disk utility and Install Mac OS fresh and once it completes u can try bootcamp .
Click to expand...

Bootcamp isn't the issue anymore, at this point I just want my mac back! I zeroed all the data, but when I try to reinstall from Time Machine it just gives me that grey screen of death. I can't get any of my old stuff back.
 
Sydde said:
Did you reinstall the OS from the DVD?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I deleted the partition that was going to be used for Windows and reinstalled Snow Leopard from scratch (erased everything that was on before). But every time I try to use Time Machine to get back everything it gives me the grey screen of death. And I have to wait a few hours each time to let it install, so it's been eating up my day and annoying as hell.

Right now I reinstalled Snow Leopard from the DVD so I could at least have something working. I then did the software update. Now I'm using migration assistant to get my old files from the external HD. However, this is making a whole new user and I'm pretty sure it's not getting my applications (it's still in the process right now). I think the task is going to be finding out what was left behind from Migration Assistant (I told it to take everything it could), then getting that and trying to set it up so I only have 1 user with all my old settings. Ugh.
 
Actually Migration Assistant can move Applications, and I believe it does by default (when I reinstalled 10.6 on my MacBook, it dragged all my Apps back - even CS4 and Final Cut Express were restored alright)
 
Mine didn't get Applications, though I was able to just pull them over from the external. However, things such as Mail lost all the settings, my e-mails aren't in it and it wants me to set the program up. Sigh.

Edit - ok, I clicked no on the set up for Mail and it has my old settings, but not my old messages, and Growl isn't on there
 
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