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Can't Boot Snow Leopard, Ubuntu, or Win 7

B

Bagellord

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 30, 2009
14
0
I have an Intel iMac 8,1, the 24 inch model, C2D 3GHz with 4gb RAM. I have Snow Leopard and Windows 7 via bootcamp loaded. I locked up in Windows while doing something stupid, and was forced to cut the power. Ever since then, I have been unable to boot either operating system properly.

I can boot into Safe Mode in OS X, but cannot access my Windows Partition. I have been trying to desperately trying to access my Windows partition to back it up but with no success. I cannot even boot from a Ubuntu Live CD, which leads me to believe something may be horribly wrong with the computer. Any suggestions on how I can get it to boot properly?
 
Update, I can boot normally into Snow Leopard, it just takes forever. Now I cannot mount my Windows volume. Any ideas? I have NTFS-3G installed if that would affect anything.
 
toolbox said:
Can you run disk utility verify the disk and disk permissions - If necessary repair the disk.
Click to expand...

I tried that. It fixed it to where I could boot OS X but it won't work on Windows. Perhaps I can boot into Ubuntu and try to get it to work some magic. I just wish I could take the darn hard drive out and slap it in an enclosure and get the data.

I tried booting in target disk mode, which worked sort of. It kept doing wonky stuff. Maybe now that I've got it booting it will work the right way?
 
When using NTFS 3G on an external drive, if the volume is not ejected properly it will **** it up (to put it bluntly). I believe the only way to fix the file system is to plug the NTFS volume into a Windows machine and eject it properly assuming the file system didn't get completely hosed in the process (possible, but not likely). This is a problem with NTFS in general, but due to it not being native to Mac OS X it is more likely to happen when using it. It can happen to an NTFS flash drive in Windows (as that is more likely to be ejected improperly), however, I guess you could say Windows knows it's a problem and handles it better these days.

I do not know if this same issue would apply to BootCamp, but it sounds like it was at least the cause of your problems.
 
Well I just got out of bed and for fun tried to mount the Windows volume (it wouldn't mount at all yesterday), and it worked. I'm in the process of backing up the important stuff before I totally wipe the computer and start over.
 
Well it randomly unmounted the drive with an error. I'm trying to boot from my Windows disk so I can try to repair the Windows installation, but not having a whole lot of luck. Now when I hold option to select the boot device the hard drive partitions don't even show up.

<rant>
I don't mean to flame or insult anyone, but good god I am so sick of this computer. I never should have bought it. I can't take it apart and put the hard drive in an enclosure or anything like that. I am never buying an Apple desktop again because of this BS. "It just works" my a$$.
</rant>
 
Sigh, yet another update.

I think I'm toast. I'm probably going to have to send it off to Apple to have them fix it. Words cannot describe how angry I am right now. I may just have it fixed under warranty and sell it and build an entirely Windows based PC.

Just so you know, I know computers pretty darn well and alarm bells come up for me when I can't even boot a Linux Live CD. I have a Time Machine backup of the OS X side and most of the important stuff from Windows. I am so unhappy right now.
 
I'm about ready to start throwing things. I slapped my Snow Leopard DVD in for fun, went into disk utility, and see both partitions. Now I'm trying to verify and repair the disk and the permissions to see if it will help. I simply don't understand this. I hope it works. Every time I tried this before off of the disk it just sat there with the little status bar doing the fast move stuff and never actually accomplished anything.
 
Yet another, and probably final update. After spending several painstaking hours trying to fix the partition and get it working I was able to mount it in OS X and copy the files I needed. I am going to start from scratch and set up everything all over again. I need to allocate some space on my external for Windows to back up to I suppose.
 
Because it's not easy to take out the drive on current iMacs, I will probably never get one. Having to use suction cups to get inside the machine is a nightmare for techs (extremely easy to damage the nice screen/glass too).

Anyway, you can't truly blame Apple for:
I locked up in Windows while doing something stupid, and was forced to cut the power.
Click to expand...

While it is possible to install Windows, they can't really be blamed for user error, and potential damage caused by using other OS's or third party system mods like NTFS3G (if that did have anything to do with it).

NOTICE: Make sure to back up all of your data before using Boot Camp, and regularly back up data while using the software.

Important: Apple does not provide technical phone support for installing, using, or recovering Microsoft Windows. Support is available for using Boot Camp Setup Assistant, as well as installing or restoring Boot Camp software while booted into Windows. Support articles and discussions may also be available on Apple's support website.
Click to expand...
 
madog said:
Because it's not easy to take out the drive on current iMacs, I will probably never get one. Having to use suction cups to get inside the machine is a nightmare for techs (extremely easy to damage the nice screen/glass too).

Anyway, you can't truly blame Apple for:

While it is possible to install Windows, they can't really be blamed for user error, and potential damage caused by using other OS's or third party system mods like NTFS3G (if that did have anything to do with it).
Click to expand...

You're right, I was just angry, to say the least. My biggest gripe was not being able to get to the hard drive. I just had a rough week and this was the icing on the cake. It was just infuriating.
 
madog said:
Because it's not easy to take out the drive on current iMacs, I will probably never get one. Having to use suction cups to get inside the machine is a nightmare for techs (extremely easy to damage the nice screen/glass too).
Click to expand...

I actually found it to be a remarkably straightforward process, but I can see how someone less careful than yours truly could run into trouble.
 
BlueRevolution said:
I actually found it to be a remarkably straightforward process, but I can see how someone less careful than yours truly could run into trouble.
Click to expand...

That's coming from a guy who has 3 Macs taken apart in his room. The process itself isn't too difficult, I just don't trust suction cups at all! I've never seen one that could hold a coat or a sponge for longer than 30 seconds, and I wouldn't trust them holding up an $800 (from Apple) LCD panel. I just see them coming loose and the panel falling to the ground and shattering into a million pieces, regardless of how careful I am trying to be.

Then again, I suppose that would be easier in a way than the late G5/early Intel iMacs. Can take me five minutes or an hour to hit the release tabs in the vent. P.I.T.A.

Bagellord said:
You're right, I was just angry, to say the least. My biggest gripe was not being able to get to the hard drive. I just had a rough week and this was the icing on the cake. It was just infuriating.
Click to expand...

It happens to us all, and I know how you feel. Hang in there!
 
madog said:
That's coming from a guy who has 3 Macs taken apart in his room.
Click to expand...

I only have one! :D

madog said:
I've never seen one that could hold a coat or a sponge for longer than 30 seconds
Click to expand...

Use the bathroom kind with hooks that fold back on themselves. They can hold quite a bit of weight.

madog said:
and I wouldn't trust them holding up an $800 (from Apple) LCD panel.
Click to expand...

The panel is attached to the body with about a dozen Torx screws. The suction cup is only to remove the Plexiglas sheet covering the display. (It feels like Plexiglas, anyway. It's definitely not glass.)

madog said:
I just see them coming loose and the panel falling to the ground and shattering into a million pieces, regardless of how careful I am trying to be.
Click to expand...

Pretty hard to break Plexiglas, and they're super light too. You just need to unseat the shield at the top, allowing you to grab it at the top and pull it off. The suction cup never actually bears any weight.
 
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