Mac OS X forum: tried everything, iMac won't boot up

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Answer Best answer as chosen by user juliangibbard

Try This;

by mrmacfixit - 2/10/13 7:23 AM

In Reply to: tried everything, iMac won't boot up by juliangibbard

Power it down
Remove the power cord and leave out for 15 seconds or so
Restart.
Anything??

If No, insert the original OS X disc and shut down the iMac
Hold down the Option key and power it up. Keep the key down.
You should get an option of which drive to boot from.

Nothing?

Shut down the iMac, then restart while holding down the Shift Key. Keep it down.
iMac should start up in Safe Mode.
Did it?

If No.
Shut down the iMac
Remove the keyboard and the mouse.
Restart
If it works this time, then either your mouse or keyboard is causing the problem.
You may want to try this first

P

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Picture of hard drive

by juliangibbard - 2/10/13 9:31 AM

In Reply to: Try This; by mrmacfixit

Hello P, thanks so much for responding. I did the disc in/ hold down opt. proceedure,
then heard the gong and a picture of the hard drive with an arrow underneath it. I clicked on the
arrow and the flashing stuff came on like before and the disc was ejected. Can you help further,
please? Best wishes, Julian

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Do that again but this time,

by mrmacfixit - 2/10/13 3:12 PM

In Reply to: Picture of hard drive by juliangibbard

choose the DVD option.

You should then be able to run Disk Utility on that disk and, hopefully, fix the problem

P

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What option?

by juliangibbard - 2/11/13 12:28 AM

In Reply to: Do that again but this time, by mrmacfixit

Hello P, The screen only shows a picture of a hard drive with an arrow, below it, pointing upwards. There is no other option! What do you think? Best, Julian

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to be absolutely sure we are all on the same page,

by mrmacfixit - 2/11/13 4:57 AM

In Reply to: What option? by juliangibbard

can you confirm that you have the OS X installation disc in the optical drive before you start up the machine and hold down the option key?

P

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Same Page/Same Rage!

by juliangibbard - 2/11/13 8:42 AM

In Reply to: to be absolutely sure we are all on the same page, by mrmacfixit

Hello P, Yes. Best Julian

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So we can assume, rightly or wrongly,

by mrmacfixit - 2/11/13 3:14 PM

In Reply to: Same Page/Same Rage! by juliangibbard

that either the DVD is useless or the Optical drive no longer works.

Do you get the same result from both of the DVD's, supposedly bootable, that you have?

It is not unusual for the Optical drive to fail but sometimes it is just a dirty laser lens.

Try a DVD cleaner and see if that makes any difference.

P

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Cleaned

by juliangibbard - 2/12/13 2:54 AM

In Reply to: So we can assume, rightly or wrongly, by mrmacfixit

Hello P, I used a DVD cleaner as you suggested and still both DVDs were ejected leaving the HD picture as before. I really appreciate your patience and input. Best, Julian

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Any chance you have an external Optical drive

by mrmacfixit - 2/12/13 4:48 AM

In Reply to: Cleaned by juliangibbard

or another Mac laying around?

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Yes I do,

by juliangibbard - 2/12/13 6:28 AM

In Reply to: Any chance you have an external Optical drive by mrmacfixit

Hello P, I had the same thought and tried the discs with it but still no difference. Best, Julian

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2 Macs?

by juliangibbard - 2/12/13 6:31 AM

In Reply to: Any chance you have an external Optical drive by mrmacfixit

Wish I had 2, julian

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Oops

by juliangibbard - 2/12/13 6:39 AM

In Reply to: 2 Macs? by juliangibbard

Hello P, Sorry to confuse. I tried an external drive with no better results
and sadly don't have two Macs. I would bet you do! Best, Julian

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Well that just about covers it.

by mrmacfixit - 2/12/13 3:09 PM

In Reply to: Oops by juliangibbard

No success with two different OS X retail installation discs in the optical drive of the iMac and, apparently, no success with an external optical drive either.

Not sure what direction to go from here.

Time for a little more pondering

P

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