Grey screen of death

[W.Aus]

Hey guys, I'm in a spot of trouble.

When I boot my computer the apple logo comes up and the little icon starts spinning, everything is normal. Then everything freezes and the grey curtain comes on my computer and my happiness. It informs me I need to restart, doing sobrimgs me back to the same spot.

What I have/can do:

single user mode

windows

reset stuff

but I cannot boot from my install cd, which led me to believe hard drive failure, but my windows is working perfectly, and the HD is only 4 months old (my last one died). However, unlike last time I'm no longer under warranty, so anything you guys can do to save me money, I greatly appreciate it.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

Hey guys, I'm in a spot of trouble.

When I boot my computer the apple logo comes up and the little icon starts spinning, everything is normal. Then everything freezes and the grey curtain comes on my computer and my happiness. It informs me I need to restart, doing sobrimgs me back to the same spot.

What I have/can do:

single user mode

windows

reset stuff

but I cannot boot from my install cd, which led me to believe hard drive failure, but my windows is working perfectly, and the HD is only 4 months old (my last one died). However, unlike last time I'm no longer under warranty, so anything you guys can do to save me money, I greatly appreciate it.

It's not your Hard Drive, if you've boot camp'd it and Windows boots just fine. However, you may have a dead optical drive...

 

[Hellhammer]

http://guides.macrumors.com/Mac_doesn't_boot

 

[W.Aus]

Ok, it's not a dead optical drive I don't think, I just booted from the Windows install cd fine. I also tried to boot from an external HD, which failed aswell, resulting in the same grey screen on startup.

I've tried everything in that guide except for the parts the require an OS reinstall/wipe. Also, if it does come to that, how would I go about it if I cannot boot from the OSX cd? My thinking is that I would have to recover would I could using Macdrive on Windows and then delete the mac partition, then boot from the external HD and carbon copy cloner it? But that's assuming after I delete the OS I can externally boot?

I booted in verbose and I got these message:

com.apple.launchd[1] (org.postfix.master): Failed to count the number of files in "/var/spool/postfix/maildrop": No such file or directory

com.apple.launchd[1] (org.postfix.master): Failed to count the number of files in "/var/spool/postfix/maildrop": No such file or directory

IPv6 filtering initialized, default to accept, logging isabled

ntpdate[82]: can't find host time.asia.apple.com

ntpdate[82]: no servers an be used, exiting

com.apple.launchd[1] (org.postfix.master): Failed to count the number of files in "/var/spool/postfix/maildrop": No such file or directory

com.apple.launchd[1] (org.postfix.master): Failed to count the number of files in "/var/spool/postfix/maildrop": No such file or directory

com.apple.launchd[1] (org.postfix.master): Failed to count the number of files in "/var/spool/postfix/maildrop": No such file or directory

com.apple.launchd[1] (org.postfix.master): Failed to count the number of files in "/var/spool/postfix/maildrop": No such file or directory

/System/Library/CoreServices/loginwindow.app/Contets/MacOS/loginwindow[60]: Login Window Application Started -- Threaded auth

/usr/sbin/ocspd[101]: starting



Also, a line that stood out was, "GFX0: Family specific matching fails" which was repeated four times, then at the end was "Matching service count = 0"

 

[W.Aus]

Ok, apprently it's a graphics card thing. I followed this post:

Boot to the command line using: -s

At the command line enter:

mount -o update / *This allows you to modify files*

cd /System/Library

rm Extensions.mkext *removes kext cache*

cd Extensions

mv NVDAResman.kext NVDAResman.back *Renames the problem kext file*

shutdown -h now


Restart your computer and boot with -f

Just remember to rename NVDAResman.back to NVDAResman.kext after you get your videocard setup.

Found here: http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=85542&st=20

But instead of mount -o I did /sbin/fsck -fy then /sbin/mount -uw /

Now I'm wondering what I need to do to "get your videocard setup" so that when I rename NVDAResman.back to NVDAResman.kext again I don't start the same problem.

Any advice?

 

[wrldwzrd89]

Aha! There's your problem. The next step to take depends on your Mac model. If it's a PowerMac or Mac Pro you can simply take out the old GPU, put in a new one, and rename the .kext file again. For all other kinds of Macs you're going to have to take it in for service.

 

[W.Aus]

Ah, great. These are my specs.

24' (I think) Aluminium

3.06Ghz

2GB RAM

Nvidia 8800GS 512MB

2008 model

Probably should have put them in earlier. So there's no other way to do it but get a service?

 

[pilotkid]

Try unplugging everything from the computer except for the power cord and then try to boot up. When mac's start up they "check" on everything that is connected to it looking for faults. I found this out from numerous trips to the Apple store. My computer would freeze at start up and then I'd take it to Apple and it would start right up. The genius informed me about the steps above, try it.

***EDIT***I now see that your problem was fixed. Shouldn't have gotten in a hurry and skipped everything!

 

[lucystone]

hiiiii

The next step to take depends on your Mac model. If it's a PowerMac or Mac Pro you can simply take out the old GPU, put in a new one, and rename the .kext file again. For all other kinds of Macs you're going to have to take it in for service.

Best Attorney

 

[W.Aus]

Semi-fixed, at least I can get into mac now, but I still cannot boot to install DVD. It ends up in the same Grey reboot screen

Damn, the more I say this, the more it sounds like a hardware thing.