Mac OS 10.3.8 Startup Prob

[Beamtracer]

Hi Bobzilla,

If OS9 is running OK, but OS X isn't, then chances are that it's a software problem rather than hardware, although OS X is more sensitive to bad RAM.

My guess is that it's probably something wrong with your OS X installation. Did it used to work? You didn't delete any fonts did you? Sometimes that can stop it from booting.

You can disable everything but the essential stuff by doing a 'safe boot'. To do that, you hold the shift key down and keep it held down while you do a restart. Safe booting is sometimes useful to allow you to get into the OS and have a look around to try to work out what's wrong.

Probably the best advice is to reinstall OS X from the disk that came with your computer.

[bobzilla]

Thanks, Beamtracer.

Yes, It has been working fine. The only odd thing is occasionally all the fonts start to look odd in browrsers and mail then I can't shut down normally. I have to use the button on the CPU. Then I usually do a Permissions repair and everything is fine.

Haven't deleted any fonts. I've tried to use FontBook to manage my fonts, but when I do that it just spins forever and I can never check out my fonts.

I will try the safe boot. The OS X disks that came with my computer are 10.0.1! Long time ago...

Thanks for the advice.

[kiwi]

If the worst comes to the worst,in software update> updates you can select install and keep package.Thats 10.4 though,damn cant remember if its the same in the older updates,I imagine it is.


Also try here.These guys are pretty Mac clued up.

http://forums.macrumors.com/

[dann_stubbs]

Here's the problem: I start up my computer. I get the gray screen with the apple, then the spinning flower thingy. Then when it gets to the blue screen the white box with the blue apple in it comes up and that's where it gets stuck. I can move the mouse around, but the startup goes no further. The CPU makes a repetitive sound like it's trying to do somethiing, but never gets any where.

e I've given enough information. I would really appreciate any help I can get. I'm stumped!

try these steps

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106464

it has worked on a couple macs that had similar symptoms

dann

[bobzilla]

Thanks, Dann. I'll give that a try.

[bobzilla]

Thanks all for the help, but nothing seems to work. Can't get past the white Apple box on startup.

Is it possible for me to reload 10.3 back on to replace the "bad" 10.3.8? Can I do this without affecting the OS 9 I have on (I would figure that should be OK) or getting rid of apps and other things in OS 10.3.8? Basically, I just want to load the OS back on without affecting anything else.

Thanks...

[dann_stubbs]

Thanks all for the help, but nothing seems to work. Can't get past the white Apple box on startup.

Is it possible for me to reload 10.3 back on to replace the "bad" 10.3.8? Can I do this without affecting the OS 9 I have on (I would figure that should be OK) or getting rid of apps and other things in OS 10.3.8? Basically, I just want to load the OS back on without affecting anything else.

yes - i would recommend the "clean install" and then the keep users and accounts setting

BUT - if this problem is actually located in the startup scripts or prefs of the user account then you will be right back where you are now. your os9 won't be affected though. it actually will keep/move most new apps too - the stuff in the library or system folders may be missing needing a reinstall or manual move (maya puts stuff there etc) c4d would be fine.

if the problem is located in the user startup info - then the previous link i provided should give enough variable solutions to get around it - i've used them a few times on macs that were stuck in this same sort of stuck boot.

if you have a second mac you could always boot this one into target disk mode (hold T key while booting) and use a firewire cable to have this bad mac act as a firewire hard drive to pull of some data for safe keeping while you continue to work on this solution.

dann

[bobzilla]

Well, I think I've exhausted all my options. I'm going to have to reinstall...

I guess I should do the Archive and Install to save my seetings and other stuff I have. I have backed important stuff up, but it would just be easier. I was in the middle of a C4D render and I would really like to get back to it!

Thanks all for the help...

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