Hello and welcome to my User Tip If this User Tip appears to be quite involved, it's designed to very through and systematic process to achieve success. It's designed for those who already have a good familiarity with how Mac's work, is almost all Apple support documented. If it's too much for you, there are local PC/Mac software repair and data recovery services, for hardware repairs you should take it to a Apple Authorized Repair. Please read the disclaimers at the bottom. This User Tip is designed for Mac's that are capable of running OS X Snow Leopard (10.6) to any Mac running OS X Lion (10.7) or Mountain Lion. (10.8) The Steps appear to work also in OS X Mavericks (10.9) at this time.
Some words:. The Steps are numbered, if instructed, then just jump to do that Step or run through them in a process of elimination. Later steps usually depend upon earlier steps being performed. Only Step #17 and 20 are harmful (to your data) and marked. The process of elimination is designed to narrow down your problem and expose unknown ones, fix it all yourself. A systematic manner to get a booting machine and then work down through Applications and User account issues.
If you have a wireless keyboard, you likely will need to use a wired/built-in one to perform the at boot commands!. Yes a PC keyboard will work also, the Windows logo key is like the command/Apple key usually as Option/Alt the same. Disconnect all other hardware from the problem Mac.
If you have a firmware password, that will. Stable/fast Internet is required, preferably a Ethernet cable to your router, or if the modem, powered off/on to reset it. If you hear these hardware issues: Grinding, clicking or other never before heard strange sounds coming from your hard drive, always requires Disk Utility repair, SMART status bad, it's likely failing, especially if it's more than 5 years old or has been subjected to shock. Skip down and do #9 immediately, do #3 and take the machine in for service or replace hard drive yourself if possible. Another sign of a failing boot hard drive is seeing a lot of spinning beachball action, slow drive etc., (off the Internet/network to confirm) Beeping issues indicate bad or faulty RAM, or even a damaged logicboard. Return the factory RAM and/or #3 extended Hardware Test. If you have this hardware issue: Distorted video, artifacts on the screen, zig zag lines (but not dots or 'stuck pixels') it's likely a failing video card.
'Stuck pixels' are a monitor issue as so are thin straight lines from top to bottom (the machine can continue to be used). Do #3 and #9, take the machine in for service. Slow drive or machine, could be failing or full boot drive, and/or a software/network issue. Keep reading here + Stuck disk? Wired or built in keyboard, hold option/alt keys down and boot, then press the eject key on the keyboard. Diskutil eject - typed in Applications/Utilities Terminal and press enter usually works too. Drive won't 'unmount'.
First check for System Preferences Spotlight (ignore volume) or close open programs using the drive/volume, reboot. Usually this error means that some file on the partition is in use. Try relaunching Finder by control+option+clicking on the Finder icon in your Dock and selecting Relaunch. You can also try unmounting the partition manually by selecting it in Disk Utility and clicking Unmount in the toolbar.
For force unmounting (will not save open files!) launch Terminal type diskutil list and press enter/return for a list of devices. Take the Identifier and add here for volumes: diskutil unmount force Identifier and press enter/return. Take the Identifier and add here for disks: diskutil unmountDisk force Identifier and press enter/return.
What you will need if on 10.6:. 10.6 Snow Leopard - clean scratchless boot disk required. Use a tiny bit of rubbing alcohol and a clean soft cloth to polish. 10.6 has 2 types of disks: 10.6.0-10.6.8 machine specific only, w/free iLife suite (can't be used with another model). 10.6.3 white retail disk for installed at factory 10.4-10.6.2 Mac's. Macs that came new with 10.6.3-10.6.8 can't use. Get the free for details about your Mac, essential for picking the right 10.6 boot disk version/RAM amount.
Need a 10.6 disk? Call Apple via phone (only) to order these disk, have serial number. Machine specific only has free iLife. via USB thumb drive can be used to install 10.6 if no internal optical drive or non-functional. What you will need if on 10.7-10.8:. 10.7 Lion, 10.8 Mountain Lion requires AppleID and password if installed via AppStore and/or to restore iLife. You need a strong, fast, reliable Internet download capability to reinstall OS X.
5Gb per second plus!. Preferably use a Ethernet cable to the router or modem (power off/on to reset), otherwise use Wifi. 10.7-10.8 installed a partition (section) on the boot drive that acts like a boot disk. Use no 10.4-10.6 boot disks. 10.7-10.8 recent Mac's have Internet Recovery, it is downloaded from Apple's servers.
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Internet Recovery for whole drive repair/format and install of original factory OS X version if 10.7 or 10.8. 10.7-10.8 upgraded Mac's with no Internet Recovery can use their own or matching OS X version machine. 10.7-10.8 upgraded Mac's with no Internet Recovery with a replaced drive will need the appropriate 10.6 to install first. For more information see: Need machine/operating system identification help? Find the serial number either outside or on a booting Mac under the Apple Menu About This Mac More Information, thus find the Model Identifier (like 'MacBook Pro 4,1') and thus with MacTracker gives the operating system that originally came with the machine. However gives not what operating system version the boot drive was later upgraded to. Do not use older OS X versions to repair newer versions.
It is possible to use the original operating system version installed on another boot drive to recover files from a later operating system non-booting drive. Step #3 Hardware Test (below) can provide detailed machine information. Other things you may need:. Another Firewire Mac + cable/adapter? For #9, #11 (and extreme methods #20, entire drive erasure.). You will also need time, tenacity, reasoning ability and lots of patience to learn, it's a lot to take in a short time.
Personal data is unique can't be replaced, as OS X and programs can. Do #9 as soon as you can get into the machine.
External storage drive to save recovered data for #9, in addition to your current backup system. After your machine is fixed:. Learn the basics how your machine works and investigate performance issues here:. Review your backup options:.
Formatting drives to work with Mac's and PC's:. Safely install programs from the web:.
WiFi and your security:. Securely erasing sensitive data off the machine:. How to keep your Mac maintained:. Security issues:. Security warnings: If you machine won't power on or boot need to do data recovery Ok, here we go friends, roll up your sleeves. Apple Footer This site contains user submitted content, comments and opinions and is for informational purposes only.
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