iMac Won't Boot ! Help!

[Cypher]

I usually use the combo updates but I run it logged in as admin user and in normal mode not safe mode.
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Phil

Mac Mini 2.53GHz - iMac 2.0Ghz - Macbook Pro 2.4GHz - iPad 1 32GB 3G
6TB Netgear Ready NAS NV+ - 6TB Drobo S

[Dino1956]

Stupid Question: I'm the only one who uses my iMac. How do I Log In as Administrator?
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iMac 27" 3.06 8GB ATI 4670 1TB HD
Mac Mini 1.83 Intel Core 2 Duo 4GB 80 GB
Macbook Pro 2.4 GHz i5 8 GB Ram 500 GB HD
Power Mac G5 1.8 GHz
Apple TV 3rd Gen
Time Capsule 1st Gen 2TB

http://www.soundclick.com/members/default.cfm?member=Dino1956

[JohnnyBoy]

Apple menu > Log Out [your name here]

Then click the "Log out" button and you should get a choice of Login identities: your usual login name or Admin

P.S. I'm glad we're homing in on this bug, Dino!
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Intel Mini 2.0GHz C2D (4GB/120GB/SuperDrive/10.5.8 ), 120GB WD Passport, Logitech ergo k/b
iPod Touch (32GB, 3rd gen), iPod Shuffle (512MB, 1st gen)

[Dino1956]

Yea Johnny, but I hope it does not take 15 more attempts to get to the root of the problem. That's the norm in my case. Thanks!
_________________
iMac 27" 3.06 8GB ATI 4670 1TB HD
Mac Mini 1.83 Intel Core 2 Duo 4GB 80 GB
Macbook Pro 2.4 GHz i5 8 GB Ram 500 GB HD
Power Mac G5 1.8 GHz
Apple TV 3rd Gen
Time Capsule 1st Gen 2TB

http://www.soundclick.com/members/default.cfm?member=Dino1956

[Bandit Bill]

Dino, I recommend you boot off of an external hard drive to see if it's the hard drive. Install the original version of OS X. Try it for a while then do the updates.

This will help you determine if it is perhaps the internal hard drive that is faulty, secondly after the updates it will help determine if the software is perhaps the issue.

If you end up with issues with the clean install prior to the updates then we can start looking at RAM, logicboard, firmware etc.

[Dino1956]

Hi Bandit,
How do I boot off an External HD that has no Operating System on it?
Here's the Thing, I just did the Combo Update 10.6.3 in Safe Mode. On Restart, it Froze & did not load. I had to do 4 Hard Boots before I got it to finally Boot Up. So It's actually worse, since installing the Combo Update.

MY HD gives me no reason to suspect it. Like I said, everything on my iMac is working flawlessly. The Update & some other Program Installed may be causing the Issue, but I'm Open about the Hard Drive option. But if my Hard Drive was bad, I would think I would see SOME performance issues. Thank you.
Dino
_________________
iMac 27" 3.06 8GB ATI 4670 1TB HD
Mac Mini 1.83 Intel Core 2 Duo 4GB 80 GB
Macbook Pro 2.4 GHz i5 8 GB Ram 500 GB HD
Power Mac G5 1.8 GHz
Apple TV 3rd Gen
Time Capsule 1st Gen 2TB

http://www.soundclick.com/members/default.cfm?member=Dino1956

[TonyMontana]

Dino when you ran the RAM test earlier did you do it in single user mode? Also how many test sequences did you use? It needs to be run in single user mode so that the OS isn't using any memory that could be faulty, and so that MemTest can test every bit of it. Also I think I suggested using 4.2 or 4.21. (sorry) 4.22 Is the latest that is 64bit. I'd let it run at least 5 test sequences. Memory problems can be intermittent and hard to nail down.

As far as hard drives, almost all have bad blocks straight from the factory. These get mapped out and unused typically.
_________________
MacMini 2.0GHz C2D (2009)
MacMini 2.16GHz Intel Core Duo
Dell Mini 10v *OSX 10.6.4*

[JohnnyBoy]

[Bandit Bill]

[Dino1956]

10.6.2

Here's A Fix that Supposedly Helped a Few Machines. There is a 4 Page Thread about Start Up Issues with the 10.6.3 update. Tell Me if you think this makes sense. It's sure beats Cloning or Erase & Install. So I'm Willing to try.

Here It Is!
STEPS
1. First clear all caches and if you use onyx, even better. to the cleaning and do the first two and yes restart each time.

2. Boot into Safe Mode ( hold Shift when booting until apple logo appears)
3. Run Disk Utility and repair Permissions, then Restart computer into regular mode
4. Download Mac OS X 10.6.2 combo. http://support.apple.com/kb/dl959
5. Run install and make sure nothing but power and network cable are plugged in, and mouse and keyboard for desktop users.
6. restart after install goes smoothly
7 Run disk Utility again and repair permissions again
8. Download Mac OS X 10.6.3 Combo. http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1017
9. run install, reboots were kind of slow so don't panic
10. Repair permissions again, backup computer and boom! You are good to go!
_________________
iMac 27" 3.06 8GB ATI 4670 1TB HD
Mac Mini 1.83 Intel Core 2 Duo 4GB 80 GB
Macbook Pro 2.4 GHz i5 8 GB Ram 500 GB HD
Power Mac G5 1.8 GHz
Apple TV 3rd Gen
Time Capsule 1st Gen 2TB

http://www.soundclick.com/members/default.cfm?member=Dino1956

[Bandit Bill]

Sounds good Dino. If other people are having the same issue, then it's likely not hardware related. It looks like you are going down the right path.

Personally when I have issues, I like to try to solve them in a sequence. Even if what I am testing in step b of the sequence is not as likely of a culprit as step c or d. Sometimes this method isn't the quickest but often it is, if the issue is difficult to pinpoint. Typically I like to rule out hardware before moving on to software, firmware etc. If you end up doing too much at once or making too many changes, without testing, often you end up introducing new issues and making life much more difficult.

I understand that this can be frustrating and everyone has their own methods.

One thing I know for sure is, you'll figure it out. You're persistent.

The method you mentioned above is good practice prior to any major os update. Before you do the update again to 10.6.3 you may want to try the machine with 10.6.2 first and see how it goes.

Prior to any OS update I run OnyX. I clone my drive. I then do the update. It doesn't hurt to run OnyX a second time after the update.

[Dino1956]

But of course I am ALWAYS different. I just took someone's advice & put my Snow Leopard DVD in & reinstalled over the original Install. Well Now I am back to 10.6.2 & I still have the Startup Problem, only I now have 10.6.2 instead of 10.6.3.So it's not the Update that Caused this. This sucks. I would hate to think my HD is shot. Is their a Free HD Utility to Test my Hard Drive? Thanks Bandit.
_________________
iMac 27" 3.06 8GB ATI 4670 1TB HD
Mac Mini 1.83 Intel Core 2 Duo 4GB 80 GB
Macbook Pro 2.4 GHz i5 8 GB Ram 500 GB HD
Power Mac G5 1.8 GHz
Apple TV 3rd Gen
Time Capsule 1st Gen 2TB

http://www.soundclick.com/members/default.cfm?member=Dino1956

[TonyMontana]

Dino, I haven't come across any free apps to scan drives for bad blocks/sectors. It is possible to do it from the command line in terminal, but it isn't something even the seasoned user wants to do. Also the "SMART" verification tool built in to mac is about worthless.
_________________
MacMini 2.0GHz C2D (2009)
MacMini 2.16GHz Intel Core Duo
Dell Mini 10v *OSX 10.6.4*

[jb]

[philiparcario]

dino I could mail an imac boot osx on a usb drive just a 10.6.2 right from a fresh install. I can also mail the 4 ram sticks . lets you test your system. with good ram with a good install.. if it does not work you most likely have a weird mb/logic board issue. you can send it back after testing.
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2010 Mm 2.4 C2D oem 320gb hdd 8gb ram
2012Mm base 2.5 with 16gb ram diy fusion drive
2012Mm quad with 8gb ram oem 1tb hdd

promise pegasus r6 3x 3tb + 3x 4tb =21tb hdds
lacie little big disk 2x 512gb ssds
synology 2tb disk station