MBP emergency!

[nhcowboy1]

Computer froze and we shut it off . . . but when we tried to restart, all we got was a white screen with the Apple logo in the center . . . and it never made it past that. Tried three times.

We have the startup disk . . . but really don't want to lose everything on the computer if we can help it. Help . . . please!!!

"We," by the way, is mom on one side of the country - me - asking for help on behalf of son on the other side of the country at school.

Thank you!!!

Oh, almost forgot - it's a 2009, I believe, probably running snow leopard.

 

[Irock619]

Computer froze and we shut it off . . . but when we tried to restart, all we got was a white screen with the Apple logo in the center . . . and it never made it past that. Tried three times.

We have the startup disk . . . but really don't want to lose everything on the computer if we can help it. Help . . . please!!!

"We," by the way, is mom on one side of the country - me - asking for help on behalf of son on the other side of the country at school.

Thank you!!!

Oh, almost forgot - it's a 2009, I believe, probably running snow leopard.

Sounds like a failed HDD. Hopefully the data is backed up to an external HDD

 

[brand]

but really don't want to lose everything on the computer if we can help it.

That shouldn't be a problem, just recover from your backup.

 

[nhcowboy1]

Okay . . . what backup?

The kid isn't backing things up . . . so if he loses what's on his hard drive, he's toast. (Yes, I guess this will teach him to back things up!)

What about trying a safe reboot and disc first aid . . . any chance that would work?

 

[Irock619]

Okay . . . what backup?

The kid isn't backing things up . . . so if he loses what's on his hard drive, he's toast. (Yes, I guess this will teach him to back things up!)

What about trying a safe reboot and disc first aid . . . any chance that would work?

If he can boot into recovery mode then it might work in disk utility to repair the disk. Hold down the "option" key while restarting and see if that works. However I'm not sure if this works for 2009 models.

 

[bill-p]

Alternatively, if he can somehow access another Mac, and if he can take the hard drive out of his current Mac and put it into an enclosure, it's quite simple and straightforward to back up his data from that point on.

 

[nhcowboy1]

Huh? Sorry . . . please explain.

I thought if the hard drive was dead, the data was lost . . .

 

[bill-p]

Chances are that if the Apple logo is shown, it's a kernel panic rather than a dead hard drive. A dead hard drive wouldn't show the Apple logo at all from my experience.

A kernel panic means the hard drive is not dead, and something might just be off... or missing. Data should still be there.

 

[Puevlo]

Try safe boot. Hold shift on start up. Or boot to startup disk and repair disk and permissions.

 

[Weaselboy]

Computer froze and we shut it off . . . but when we tried to restart, all we got was a white screen with the Apple logo in the center . . . and it never made it past that. Tried three times.

We have the startup disk . . . but really don't want to lose everything on the computer if we can help it. Help . . . please!!!

"We," by the way, is mom on one side of the country - me - asking for help on behalf of son on the other side of the country at school.

Thank you!!!

Oh, almost forgot - it's a 2009, I believe, probably running snow leopard.

It does sound like a bad drive.

Try this.

You said you have the original install DVD yes? Put that in and restart the machine while holding down the C key... that will boot to the DVD. When the install screen comes up on the DVD look under the Utilities menu for Disk Utility. In Disk Utility select the Macintosh HD drive and tell Disk Utility to repair the disk. When the disk repair is done quit the installer, remove the DVD and restart.

 

[nhcowboy1]

Mid-2010, by the way. Not 2009.

Safe boot --> No go. Same white screen with Apple logo. He gets the start-up chime then it goes to the white screen. And doesn't go any further.

Boot from install disk --> Also, no go. Same result.

Running out of options, I'm afraid.

 

[Weaselboy]

Mid-2010, by the way. Not 2009.

Safe boot --> No go. Same white screen with Apple logo. He gets the start-up chime then it goes to the white screen. And doesn't go any further.

Boot from install disk --> Also, no go. Same result.

Running out of options, I'm afraid.

Next step would be remove the hard drive from the iMac and put it in an external enclosure and see if another Mac can read the drive.

It could be the main board in the iMac is bad and the drive is okay and the bad board just won't let the computer see the drive.

 

[Krazy Bill]

Mid-2010, by the way. Not 2009.

Under warranty via AppleCare? I suspect not.

I think by the time everyone here is done throwing the kitchen sink at you, an appointment at an Apple Store (or certified service center) would be more beneficial. Especially since you're doing this long-distance.

 

[nhcowboy1]

Next step would be remove the hard drive from the iMac and put it in an external enclosure and see if another Mac can read the drive.

Not something he can do himself, I'm afraid. Would target disc mode be an option?

It could be the main board in the iMac is bad and the drive is okay and the bad board just won't let the computer see the drive.

That certainly would be good news!

And, yes, of course he has Applecare - and already has an appointment set for the end of the day today. So, yes, at this point, it's just speculation . . . but if there's a chance he hasn't lost his hard drive, that's something he'd like to hear, while he's waiting.

This wasn't a three-day vacation for him, unfortunately - so he's already likely lost most of the work he did yesterday, and will probably not be able to recover in time for an exam he's supposed to sit for later today. So, if there's a chance that he hasn't lost everything . . . well, it helps.

 

[Weaselboy]

Not something he can do himself, I'm afraid. Would target disc mode be an option?

Hmm... if the logic board is bad and can't see the drive (assumption), I doubt target disk mode would see it either. If a friend nearby has a Mac it sure would be worth a try though.

 

[T5BRICK]

Boot from install disk --> Also, no go.

Is he holding down the correct key at the correct time? Option should bring up the boot select screen, he can select the drive he wants to boot from there.

Target disk mode is a good tool. It's definitely worth a try.

 

[725032]

Always back up your data... Your son has learnt a valuable lesson

You as well

 

[Weaselboy]

Always back up your data... Your son has learnt a valuable lesson

You as well

Really? Honestly... you don't think the OP knows this. OP already mentioned it at the beginning of the thread. What exactly was the point of your post. Not helpful.

 

[725032]

Really? Honestly... you don't think the OP knows this. OP already mentioned it at the beginning of the thread. What exactly was the point of your post. Not helpful.

It is 100% helpful as the OP and her son have learnt a very important life lesson

 

[alphaod]

I would think it's possible it's bad RAM? The data sounds like it can be savaged anyhow. Does your son have a friend who's good with computers? Have them take it apartment and put the HDD in an external enclosure and try to retrieve data from another computer.

It is 100% helpful as the OP and her son have learnt a very important life lesson

No, it doesn't help because:
1) It doesn't resolve the issue at hand;
2) The OP already stated she knows about backing up.

 

[Weaselboy]

Okay . . . what backup?

The kid isn't backing things up . . . so if he loses what's on his hard drive, he's toast. (Yes, I guess this will teach him to back things up!)

What about trying a safe reboot and disc first aid . . . any chance that would work?

It is 100% helpful as the OP and her son have learnt a very important life lesson

Um no... OP already recognized the mistake. Your post did nothing but make you feel good.

 

[725032]

Um no... OP already recognized the mistake. Your post did nothing but make you feel good.

I'm sorry you do not see any value in my contribution. However, this is an open forum. I would suggest simply not replying if you don't like what a fellow member has added.

Have a nice day.

 

[nhcowboy1]

Point taken, though. I could have insisted . . . and I didn't.

 

[nhcowboy1]

The End of the Story

So, after two trips to the Apple store, the diagnosis was operating system failure. They were able to transfer most of my son's files . . . although not everything, due to corruption. Switched out the hard drive, replaced his files, and now he's good to go.

And, they let him keep the old hard drive, so he can make another attempt to get any remaining files. Then he can reformat it and . . . (drum roll, please) . . . use it as his backup drive!

Thanks to all who stepped up to respond to my post and offer advice . . . it was much appreciated!!!

 

[whoknows87]

So, after two trips to the Apple store, the diagnosis was operating system failure. They were able to transfer most of my son's files . . . although not everything, due to corruption. Switched out the hard drive, replaced his files, and now he's good to go.

And, they let him keep the old hard drive, so he can make another attempt to get any remaining files. Then he can reformat it and . . . (drum roll, please) . . . use it as his backup drive!

Thanks to all who stepped up to respond to my post and offer advice . . . it was much appreciated!!!

Interesting I have the same problem at hand now, at first it wasn't going past the apple screen logo, I inserted the Installation CD booted up from there tried to install Mac Os X but the HD showed a yellow exclamation mark, btw did yours show that at all? I took it to the apple store and they said HD failure... I tried a new HD on my own but my laptop doesnt recognize it, now I am thinking it's not an HD issue after all maybe something else...