Help! Kernel Panic

[hathornb]

So I just downloaded the software update and everything went fine. Restarted the computer as directed and upon boot up it said that it couldn't install the selected files (or something to that effect) and it froze. I left it for a while to see if it would allow me to log in but alas, it never did. So I powered the Mac down.

Upon restarting after a few minutes I got a Kernel Panic and I cannot boot up. I cannot go into safe mode. I have called Genius Bar and have an appt. for tomorrow but is there anything that I can do now?

 

[GGJstudios]

If you get a screen that looks like this:

It's called a kernel panic. If it doesn't happen again, or very infrequently, don't worry about it.

In most cases, kernel panics are not caused by an issue with your Mac. They are most likely caused by an issue external to your Mac. If the kernel panic doesn't happen again within a few weeks, you don't need to troubleshoot further.

"You need to restart your computer" (kernel panic) message appears (Mac OS X v10.5, 10.6)
Mac OS X 10.7 Help: If “You need to restart your computer” appears
Mac OS X: How to log a kernel panic
Understanding and Debugging Kernel Panics
Resolving Kernel Panics

 

[hathornb]

If you get a screen that looks like this:

It's called a kernel panic. If it doesn't happen again, or very infrequently, don't worry about it.

"You need to restart your computer" (kernel panic) message appears (Mac OS X v10.5, 10.6)
Mac OS X 10.7 Help: If “You need to restart your computer” appears
Mac OS X: How to log a kernel panic
Understanding and Debugging Kernel Panics
Resolving Kernel Panics

So I got that very image, which I now know is Kernel Panic. I tried to go into Safe Mode as directed by the Apple Support pages but it will not. It won't boot and won't go into Safe mode either and that Kernel Panic screen reappears after each restart. I never even get to the spinning gears after the startup sound. I have held down Option and the Recovery Drive is available but I'm not familiar with what repairing disk permissions in the Recovery will do to my normal data.

By the way, thanks for the help. Its much appreciated.

 

[GGJstudios]

I have held down Option and the Recovery Drive is available but I'm not familiar with what repairing disk permissions in the Recovery will do to my normal data.

You want to select "repair disk" not "repair permissions". Repairing permissions won't help.

 

[larryg1do]

How to fix it

The thunderbolt update failed and computer would not restart - kernal failure - needed to reinstall lion from lion boot partition and then do updates but skipped the thunderbolt one - lots of postings on apples support boards.

 

[pvtjokr88]

I had the same issue today, I just restored from the time machine backup and i think I'm gonna skip these updates for now.

 

[hathornb]

Thanks folks. Yeah I was getting frustrated yesterday b/c I verified & repaired the disk and the permissions and it got me nowhere quick. I think I'm going to be one of the slow updaters from now on! LOL

 

[seanoge]

Kernel panic

Hathornm, Could you post what happens at the " Genius Bar", please as my nearest Genius Bar is 3 hours away. See my post:
Apple Hardware > Desktops > iMac
You need to restart your computere