Problem booting Leopard

[lazlo]

I am a new convert to the Apple world, using Leopard version 10.5.5 on an iMac and I'm having problems in two areas.

(1) When turning the computer on for the first time in the morning the computer seems to be starting normally, but then the screen sometimes freezes before the accounts window appears (the screen remains blue). I force quit by holding the start button down, then turn the computer back on and have no trouble. This problem seems to be occurring with some frequency. I am wondering if this is a normal quirk of the operating system. If not, can anyone tell me what the cause of this behavior might be and how to correct it?

(2) I have an external HD I use to back up certain files I work on frequently. The drive is connected via a Firewire 400 port. I turn the drive on only when I'm ready to back up. Sometimes the HD mounts with no trouble, but often it is not recognized and does not mount. If I reboot with the drive turned on, there is no problem. Can anyone advise me as to why the drive is not recognized when I turn it on?

 

[JediMeister]

With the system hanging on the login window or even before displaying it, its got a 95% chance of being software-related and a 5% chance of hardware causing it. Try safe booting (holding shift on startup until the gray screen, , and gear). Does it show the login window? Great, take a look at the Login Items inside if your Account preferences and the StartupItems folder in Macintosh HD/Library/. Trying repairing disk permissions while in the OS, or repair disk while booted up to the first gray OS disc your computer came with. If the issue keeps rearing its ugly head, make sure you have a backup, then archive and install the system, re-update. Don't load any of your usual software, Office, etc. for a couple days if you can do without. Then load each non-Apple software back on one at a time until the issue comes back or doesn't. If its STILL there (unlikely, but definitely possible), erase & install. At that point you've eliminated every possibility its software related and its time to have the unit looked at by a service provider.

As far as the external hard drive goes, that is a little odd...when it doesn't mount, does it show in System Profiler (accessible from Applications/Utilities or from Apple->About this Mac->More Info)? How about in Disk Utility even?

 

[SHADO]

I would definitely repair disk permissions by opening Disk Utility, selecting your HD, and clicking "Repair Permissions." If that doesn't work, I would try zapping your PRAM by holding down command+option+P+R on startup until you hear the chime and it restarts. I would also do what the poster above said and check what your Login Items are by going to System Preferences-->Accounts-->Login Items and deleting anything that you don't need from that list. If those don't work, I would get either DiskWarrior or Drive Genius 2, which are programs that de-frag your directory and put all the files in order, although if you have an external, an archive and install might be easier if you use Time Machine.

 

[lazlo]

Thanks to both of you for your suggestions. I'll try them out.