iMac gets stuck on Apple logo at bootup?

[theoallen1994]

Hi, right, this issue has been bugging me and I've been trying for ages to get i tot work!

I have a 2010 iMac 27.5inch, that was given to me by my dad as he bought a new one. Always worked fine. When he gave it to me, he asked if I could delete everything on it (As it was his business one) so I followed guides online and ended up wiping the entire OS. Reading more guides, I realised I needed a bootup disk, so bought a memory stick with OSX Snow Leopard on it.

However, now, I literally can't seem to get my iMac to show any screen other than the bootup Apple logo. I've spent hours searching the internet, and I've reset everything possible (To no avail) and tried booting in every mode possible. The issue is, when I try and boot in a different mode, by holding down different keys on startup, the screen goes white, and will stay white until I let go of the key, which sends it back to the never ending Apple logo screen. I literally have no idea how on Earth i can fix this? And for the effort and the price, its not really worth taking to the Apple store.

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[MadDane]

Since you wiped the boot drive you need to install a new OS, as you have also found out. The memory stick you bought, is that from a MacBook Air or something? The older machines came with DVD's and memory sticks that ONLY worked with the same type of machine as it came with. So trying to install OSX on an iMac with a memory stick from a MacBook Air will not work. What you need is a bootable USB drive (or DVD) with the generic version of the OS you want to use. You can download El Capitan for free on another Mac, make a bootable USB drive from there and install it on your iMac.

 

[theoallen1994]

Since you wiped the boot drive you need to install a new OS, as you have also found out. The memory stick you bought, is that from a MacBook Air or something? The older machines came with DVD's and memory sticks that ONLY worked with the same type of machine as it came with. So trying to install OSX on an iMac with a memory stick from a MacBook Air will not work. What you need is a bootable USB drive (or DVD) with the generic version of the OS you want to use. You can download El Capitan for free on another Mac, make a bootable USB drive from there and install it on your iMac.

Hi, my memory stick is a bootable USB hard drive. I bought it as such.

 

[MadDane]

Hi, my memory stick is a bootable USB hard drive. I bought it as such.

Did it originally come with another Mac, or did someone take a generic USB drive and made it bootable and sold it as such?

 

[ElCani]

What you need is a bootable USB drive (or DVD) with the generic version of the OS you want to use. You can download El Capitan for free on another Mac, make a bootable USB drive from there and install it on your iMac.

Try what MadDane suggests. Here's a how-to guide: http://goo.gl/fVRKz5

 

[theoallen1994]

Did it originally come with another Mac, or did someone take a generic USB drive and made it bootable and sold it as such?

Yes it's a generic drive make bootable!

 

[MadDane]

Yes it's a generic drive make bootable!

Do you know the specific version? The Mid 2010 iMac originally came with 10.6.3, so anything before that and it won't work.

The hot-to guide posted by ElCani is what I would use.

 

[theoallen1994]

Do you know the specific version? The Mid 2010 iMac originally came with 10.6.3, so anything before that and it won't work.

The hot-to guide posted by ElCani is what I would use.

Hi, sorry I've been AWOL the last couple of weeks! I'm not too sure on what version it was. I bought it off ebay, with the description "Latest Clean Version of OSX Snow Leopard".

 

[r6mile]

I would recommend just burning a DVD with El Capitan. Sometimes older Macs can struggle with bootable USBs.

 

[theoallen1994]

I would recommend just burning a DVD with El Capitan. Sometimes older Macs can struggle with bootable USBs.

Do you think that'd work? Everyone keeps telling me to use an older OS?

 

[MadDane]

Do you think that'd work? Everyone keeps telling me to use an older OS?

Do you know why you would want an older OS? Is it to run some specific software, use Rosetta or something like that? Because if not, then El Capitan will run just fine on your iMac. Furthermore it will be a lot more secure than an older OS.

 

[r6mile]

Do you know why you would want an older OS? Is it to run some specific software, use Rosetta or something like that? Because if not, then El Capitan will run just fine on your iMac. Furthermore it will be a lot more secure than an older OS.

I concur. Some users have need for particular versions of OS X because of support for their particular pro software etc., but for most people I think updating is generally the best option. A newer OS X might even run faster than an older one (it's not like Windows). And it can be a total pain to use an older OS - you won't be able to use the latest versions of software for example.

 

[theoallen1994]

Do you know why you would want an older OS? Is it to run some specific software, use Rosetta or something like that? Because if not, then El Capitan will run just fine on your iMac. Furthermore it will be a lot more secure than an older OS.

Well I was told that apparently because of the age of my iMac it wouldn't be able to boot with anything newer? Is this in correct?

 

[r6mile]

Where did you hear that? I have a 2010 iMac, and I run OS X El Capitan perfectly without any need for hacks. It runs great with 8GB RAM and a Samsung 850 EVO SSD Drive.

Do you have another Mac you can use? If so, just format and wipe Snow Leopard from your USB stick, download the OS X El Capitan installer from the App store, and just follow this guide to make a bootable USB installer.

PS: all post-2007 iMacs can run the latest OS X.

 

[MadDane]

Well I was told that apparently because of the age of my iMac it wouldn't be able to boot with anything newer? Is this in correct?

As r6mile pointed out, this is not correct. I have a late 2009 iMac that runs El Capitan perfectly fine. You can use your dad's new Mac (or any other Mac) to make a new bootable USB drive.

 

[theoallen1994]

As r6mile pointed out, this is not correct. I have a late 2009 iMac that runs El Capitan perfectly fine. You can use your dad's new Mac (or any other Mac) to make a new bootable USB drive.

My issue is that the USB didn't work though? So surely it doesn't matter what IOS i put on the stick it'll never work?

 

[r6mile]

It might be that the USB stick was not formatted correctly, and hence why it does not boot.

 

[theoallen1994]

It might be that the USB stick was not formatted correctly, and hence why it does not boot.

I'm almost certain that it was formatted correctly!