Mac BOOT LOOP!

[WoodyG]

I'm formatting my iMac 21' late/early 2008 (Not sure)

Formatted it with OS X Leopard, with the original disk that came with the Mac.

It was working perfectly, until I installed the software updates. It's now stuck in a constant boot. The white apple screen with the grey apple and the grey pinwheel. I've left it for hours and it doesn't boot at all.

There is absolutely NO way I could possibly have access to a firewire and another Mac, so that's off the cards.

Yes, I have tried every single boot command that exists. And i'm 99% sure that it's not a failed logic board/HDD.

The boot commands COULD be that the keyboard I am using doesnt function under the startup of the Mac, but it does work when the Mac (used to) boots.

I'm unsure if I have access to another keyboard, but i'll check if I can borrow one for the time being. (Possibly tommorow)

Could this be the cause????


Any help to get out of this loop would be appricitated. I don't really know where else to post.

Thanks!

 

[wrldwzrd89]

I'm formatting my iMac 21' late/early 2008 (Not sure)

Formatted it with OS X Leopard, with the original disk that came with the Mac.

It was working perfectly, until I installed the software updates. It's now stuck in a constant boot. The white apple screen with the grey apple and the grey pinwheel. I've left it for hours and it doesn't boot at all.

There is absolutely NO way I could possibly have access to a firewire and another Mac, so that's off the cards.

Yes, I have tried every single boot command that exists. And i'm 99% sure that it's not a failed logic board/HDD.

The boot commands COULD be that the keyboard I am using doesnt function under the startup of the Mac, but it does work when the Mac (used to) boots.

I'm unsure if I have access to another keyboard, but i'll check if I can borrow one for the time being. (Possibly tommorow)

Could this be the cause????


Any help to get out of this loop would be appricitated. I don't really know where else to post.

Thanks!

The first thing I'd try is seeing if your Mac will boot in Verbose Mode. This will give more information about what's going wrong in the boot process. Sometimes that will isolate the cause.

An example:
02/08/2012 10:22:30: kernel: reading /dev/disk3s1 failed: I/O error.

If you see that line (or something similar) in the Verbose Boot printout on the screen, one of your external drives is preventing the Mac from booting normally. Disconnect it, and try again.

 

[WoodyG]

I would.. but Boot commands are not working

As I said before, it could be the keyboard. Will update tommorow.