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What's Wrong with My iMac?

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  What's Wrong with My iMac? Davoud <star@sky.net> - 2015-02-12 13:31 -0500
    Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2015-02-12 18:34 +0000
    Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? Alan Browne <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> - 2015-02-12 16:48 -0500
      Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? Davoud <star@sky.net> - 2015-02-12 21:31 -0500
    Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? FPP <fredp151@gmail.com> - 2015-02-12 18:53 -0500
    Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2015-02-13 08:28 +0000
      Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? Alan Browne <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> - 2015-02-13 09:20 -0500
        Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2015-02-14 10:42 +0000
          Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? Alan Browne <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> - 2015-02-14 08:34 -0500
            Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? Davoud <star@sky.net> - 2015-02-14 10:49 -0500
              Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2015-02-15 01:07 +0000
              Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? Alan Browne <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> - 2015-02-15 08:37 -0500
            Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2015-02-15 01:06 +0000
    Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? Electric Comet <electric-comet@mail.invalid> - 2015-02-14 10:53 -0800
      Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2015-02-15 09:16 +1300
      Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? Davoud <star@sky.net> - 2015-02-14 15:42 -0500
        Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? Electric Comet <electric-comet@mail.invalid> - 2015-02-14 16:24 -0800
          Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2015-02-15 13:39 +1300
        Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? Warren Oates <warren.oates@gmail.com> - 2015-02-14 20:03 -0500
          Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? gtr <xxx@yyy.zzz> - 2015-02-14 17:56 -0800
            Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? Davoud <star@sky.net> - 2015-02-14 23:00 -0500
              Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? gtr <xxx@yyy.zzz> - 2015-02-15 00:08 -0800
    Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? John Albert <j.albert@snet.net> - 2015-02-17 17:20 -0500
    Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? Nelson <nelson@nowhere.com> - 2015-02-18 18:55 -0500
    Re: What's Wrong with My iMac? Nelson <nelson@nowhere.com> - 2015-02-18 19:16 -0500

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#69738 — What's Wrong with My iMac?

27", latest Yosemite, lots of RAM. 3-4 y.o., has been working
flawlessly.

The machine won't boot. After the startup chime a progress bar creeps
along for a moment or so, then the Apple logo and the progress bar
disappear and a gray screen appears. After a minute or two the machine
reboots with the same results.

Remedies tried: remove *all* peripherals. Attempt to boot from two
different external FW drives that are known to have good systems, as
both can boot another iMac and both were able to boot the ailing iMac
before its troubles began. Results as above.

I can run fsck, which reports no problems, but upon reboot the results
are the same as above.

When my wife first told me the machine had problems I was able to boot
from the latest Disk Warrior thumb drive and rebuild/replace the
directory. Now the machine won't boot from the DW drive.

Gotta be a hardware problem, no?

-- 
I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that
you will say in your entire life.

usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm

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#69739

On 2015-02-12, Davoud <star@sky.net> wrote:
> 27", latest Yosemite, lots of RAM. 3-4 y.o., has been working
> flawlessly.
>
> The machine won't boot. After the startup chime a progress bar creeps
> along for a moment or so, then the Apple logo and the progress bar
> disappear and a gray screen appears. After a minute or two the machine
> reboots with the same results.
>
> Remedies tried: remove *all* peripherals. Attempt to boot from two
> different external FW drives that are known to have good systems, as
> both can boot another iMac and both were able to boot the ailing iMac
> before its troubles began. Results as above.
>
> I can run fsck, which reports no problems, but upon reboot the results
> are the same as above.
>
> When my wife first told me the machine had problems I was able to boot
> from the latest Disk Warrior thumb drive and rebuild/replace the
> directory. Now the machine won't boot from the DW drive.
>
> Gotta be a hardware problem, no?

What do you see just before the spontaneous reboot when you boot in
verbose mode? Or, if you can access the startup drive, it would be handy
to know what you see in the system log before the spontaneous reboot.

-- 
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM filter.
I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

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#69743

On 2015.02.12 13:31 , Davoud wrote:
> 27", latest Yosemite, lots of RAM. 3-4 y.o., has been working
> flawlessly.
>
> The machine won't boot. After the startup chime a progress bar creeps
> along for a moment or so, then the Apple logo and the progress bar
> disappear and a gray screen appears. After a minute or two the machine
> reboots with the same results.
>
> Remedies tried: remove *all* peripherals. Attempt to boot from two
> different external FW drives that are known to have good systems, as
> both can boot another iMac and both were able to boot the ailing iMac
> before its troubles began. Results as above.
>
> I can run fsck, which reports no problems, but upon reboot the results
> are the same as above.
>
> When my wife first told me the machine had problems I was able to boot
> from the latest Disk Warrior thumb drive and rebuild/replace the
> directory. Now the machine won't boot from the DW drive.
>
> Gotta be a hardware problem, no?

Your symptoms aren't exactly those described requiring the following, 
but an SMC reset might do it.

iMac SMC reset.  Unplug the power cable for 15 seconds.  Plug it in. 
Wait 5 seconds.  Power it up.

You've done some of what's in the following lists, but might spot 
something new:

Here's the MacWorld checklist:
http://www.macworld.com/article/2018853/when-good-macs-go-bad-steps-to-take-when-your-mac-wont-start-up.html

and
http://macs.about.com/od/usingyourmac/qt/Mac-Stalls-On-Gray-Screen-At-Startup.htm

and
http://macs.about.com/od/MacTroubleshootingTips/tp/Top-10-Troubleshooting-Tips-For-Mac-Startup-Problems.htm

-- 
"Your net worth to the world is usually
  determined by what remains after your
  bad habits are subtracted from your good ones."
                                   Benjamin Franklin

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#69753

Davoud:
> > 27", latest Yosemite, lots of RAM. 3-4 y.o., has been working
> > flawlessly.
> >
> > The machine won't boot...

Alan Browne:
> Your symptoms aren't exactly those described requiring the following, 
> but an SMC reset might do it.
> 
> iMac SMC reset.  Unplug the power cable for 15 seconds.  Plug it in. 
> Wait 5 seconds.  Power it up.
> 
> You've done some of what's in the following lists, but might spot 
> something new:
> 
> Here's the MacWorld checklist:
>
> http://www.macworld.com/article/2018853/when-good-macs-go-bad-steps-to-take-wh
> en-your-mac-wont-start-up.html
> 
> and
>
> http://macs.about.com/od/usingyourmac/qt/Mac-Stalls-On-Gray-Screen-At-Startup.
> htm
> 
> and
> http://macs.about.com/od/MacTroubleshootingTips/tp/Top-10-Troubleshooting-Tips-For-Mac-Startup-Problems.htm

Thanks! I'll jump on that in the morning.

-- 
I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that
you will say in your entire life.

usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm

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#69748

On 2015-02-12 13:31:50 -0500, Davoud <star@sky.net> said:

> 27", latest Yosemite, lots of RAM. 3-4 y.o., has been working
> flawlessly.
> 
> The machine won't boot. After the startup chime a progress bar creeps
> along for a moment or so, then the Apple logo and the progress bar
> disappear and a gray screen appears. After a minute or two the machine
> reboots with the same results.
> 
> Remedies tried: remove *all* peripherals. Attempt to boot from two
> different external FW drives that are known to have good systems, as
> both can boot another iMac and both were able to boot the ailing iMac
> before its troubles began. Results as above.
> 
> I can run fsck, which reports no problems, but upon reboot the results
> are the same as above.
> 
> When my wife first told me the machine had problems I was able to boot
> from the latest Disk Warrior thumb drive and rebuild/replace the
> directory. Now the machine won't boot from the DW drive.
> 
> Gotta be a hardware problem, no?

Have you done the simple stuff too?  Booting into Safe Mode, holding 
down the Option Key to start from a different OS (or even the main OS)?

I had similar reboot problems... but I have multiple partitions I can 
start up from.  I just picked another one and ran DW 5 from there.

For a while, I needed to hold down the Option Key to pick my main 
partition.  It would start ONLY when I used the option Key... just a 
restart would result in a hangup.
-- 
Q: How do you know when <NoBody@nowhere.com> is lying?  A: Ubiquitous 
<weberm@polaris.net> fingers are moving.
<NoBody@nowhere.com> reveals himself to be a sockpuppet of sickpuppy 
Ubiquitous <weberm@polaris.net>
http://al.howardknight.net/msgid.cgi?STYPE=msgid&A=0&MSGI=%3Cm3jcte%24pq1%241%40dont-email.me%3E 

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#69754

Okay, so one time? In band camp? Davoud <star@sky.net> was all, like:
> 27", latest Yosemite, lots of RAM. 3-4 y.o., has been working
> flawlessly.

> The machine won't boot. After the startup chime a progress bar creeps
> along for a moment or so, then the Apple logo and the progress bar
> disappear and a gray screen appears. After a minute or two the machine
> reboots with the same results.

> Remedies tried: remove *all* peripherals. Attempt to boot from two
> different external FW drives that are known to have good systems, as
> both can boot another iMac and both were able to boot the ailing iMac
> before its troubles began. Results as above.

Did you run the hardware test?

> I can run fsck, which reports no problems, but upon reboot the results
> are the same as above.

You can run fsck how?

-- 
http://2blog.kreme.com

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#69755

On 2015.02.13 03:28 , Lewis wrote:
> Okay, so one time? In band camp? Davoud <star@sky.net> was all, like:
>> 27", latest Yosemite, lots of RAM. 3-4 y.o., has been working
>> flawlessly.
>
>> The machine won't boot. After the startup chime a progress bar creeps
>> along for a moment or so, then the Apple logo and the progress bar
>> disappear and a gray screen appears. After a minute or two the machine
>> reboots with the same results.
>
>> Remedies tried: remove *all* peripherals. Attempt to boot from two
>> different external FW drives that are known to have good systems, as
>> both can boot another iMac and both were able to boot the ailing iMac
>> before its troubles began. Results as above.
>
> Did you run the hardware test?
>
>> I can run fsck, which reports no problems, but upon reboot the results
>> are the same as above.
>
> You can run fsck how?

Boot into SU mode.


-- 
"Your net worth to the world is usually
  determined by what remains after your
  bad habits are subtracted from your good ones."
                                   Benjamin Franklin

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#69765

Okay, so one time? In band camp? Alan Browne <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> was all, like:
> On 2015.02.13 03:28 , Lewis wrote:
>> Okay, so one time? In band camp? Davoud <star@sky.net> was all, like:
>>> 27", latest Yosemite, lots of RAM. 3-4 y.o., has been working
>>> flawlessly.
>>
>>> The machine won't boot. After the startup chime a progress bar creeps
>>> along for a moment or so, then the Apple logo and the progress bar
>>> disappear and a gray screen appears. After a minute or two the machine
>>> reboots with the same results.
>>
>>> Remedies tried: remove *all* peripherals. Attempt to boot from two
>>> different external FW drives that are known to have good systems, as
>>> both can boot another iMac and both were able to boot the ailing iMac
>>> before its troubles began. Results as above.
>>
>> Did you run the hardware test?
>>
>>> I can run fsck, which reports no problems, but upon reboot the results
>>> are the same as above.
>>
>> You can run fsck how?

> Boot into SU mode.

Since his description of the problem and steps said he could not boot
successfully, it still remains a mystery how he was able to run fsck.

-- 
http://2blog.kreme.com

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#69766

On 2015.02.14 05:42 , Lewis wrote:
> Okay, so one time? In band camp? Alan Browne <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> was all, like:
>> On 2015.02.13 03:28 , Lewis wrote:
>>> Okay, so one time? In band camp? Davoud <star@sky.net> was all, like:
>>>> 27", latest Yosemite, lots of RAM. 3-4 y.o., has been working
>>>> flawlessly.
>>>
>>>> The machine won't boot. After the startup chime a progress bar creeps
>>>> along for a moment or so, then the Apple logo and the progress bar
>>>> disappear and a gray screen appears. After a minute or two the machine
>>>> reboots with the same results.
>>>
>>>> Remedies tried: remove *all* peripherals. Attempt to boot from two
>>>> different external FW drives that are known to have good systems, as
>>>> both can boot another iMac and both were able to boot the ailing iMac
>>>> before its troubles began. Results as above.
>>>
>>> Did you run the hardware test?
>>>
>>>> I can run fsck, which reports no problems, but upon reboot the results
>>>> are the same as above.
>>>
>>> You can run fsck how?
>
>> Boot into SU mode.
>
> Since his description of the problem and steps said he could not boot
> successfully, it still remains a mystery how he was able to run fsck.

I took it that could boot into SU but could not boot into his user account.

-- 
"Your net worth to the world is usually
  determined by what remains after your
  bad habits are subtracted from your good ones."
                                   Benjamin Franklin

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#69767

Lewis:
> > Since his description of the problem and steps said he could not boot
> > successfully, it still remains a mystery how he was able to run fsck.

Alan Browne:
> I took it that could boot into SU but could not boot into his user account.

Exactly. And you wonder why Lewis is in my kill-file!?

BTW, none of the suggestions at the links you provided has worked. I
nonetheless appreciate you taking time to reply. I'm out of ideas, so
the next step is to take it to a repair shop. Thanks again.

-- 
I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that
you will say in your entire life.

usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm

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#69787

Okay, so one time? In band camp? Davoud <star@sky.net> was all, like:
> Lewis:
>> > Since his description of the problem and steps said he could not boot
>> > successfully, it still remains a mystery how he was able to run fsck.

> Alan Browne:
>> I took it that could boot into SU but could not boot into his user account.

> Exactly. And you wonder why Lewis is in my kill-file!?

Ah, good to know. I will stop trying to give suggestions then.

-- 
http://2blog.kreme.com

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#69804

On 2015.02.14 10:49 , Davoud wrote:
> Lewis:
>>> Since his description of the problem and steps said he could not boot
>>> successfully, it still remains a mystery how he was able to run fsck.
>
> Alan Browne:
>> I took it that could boot into SU but could not boot into his user account.
>
> Exactly. And you wonder why Lewis is in my kill-file!?
>
> BTW, none of the suggestions at the links you provided has worked. I
> nonetheless appreciate you taking time to reply. I'm out of ideas, so
> the next step is to take it to a repair shop. Thanks again.

Make a genius appointment.


-- 
"Your net worth to the world is usually
  determined by what remains after your
  bad habits are subtracted from your good ones."
                                   Benjamin Franklin

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#69786

Okay, so one time? In band camp? Alan Browne <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> was all, like:
> On 2015.02.14 05:42 , Lewis wrote:
>> Okay, so one time? In band camp? Alan Browne <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> was all, like:
>>> On 2015.02.13 03:28 , Lewis wrote:
>>>> Okay, so one time? In band camp? Davoud <star@sky.net> was all, like:
>>>>> 27", latest Yosemite, lots of RAM. 3-4 y.o., has been working
>>>>> flawlessly.
>>>>
>>>>> The machine won't boot. After the startup chime a progress bar creeps
>>>>> along for a moment or so, then the Apple logo and the progress bar
>>>>> disappear and a gray screen appears. After a minute or two the machine
>>>>> reboots with the same results.
>>>>
>>>>> Remedies tried: remove *all* peripherals. Attempt to boot from two
>>>>> different external FW drives that are known to have good systems, as
>>>>> both can boot another iMac and both were able to boot the ailing iMac
>>>>> before its troubles began. Results as above.
>>>>
>>>> Did you run the hardware test?
>>>>
>>>>> I can run fsck, which reports no problems, but upon reboot the results
>>>>> are the same as above.
>>>>
>>>> You can run fsck how?
>>
>>> Boot into SU mode.
>>
>> Since his description of the problem and steps said he could not boot
>> successfully, it still remains a mystery how he was able to run fsck.

> I took it that could boot into SU but could not boot into his user account.

That does seem likely, but it wasn't in the original post. He still
hasn't said if he ran the hardware test.


-- 
http://2blog.kreme.com

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#69771

On Thu, 12 Feb 2015 13:31:50 -0500
Davoud <star@sky.net> wrote:

> 27", latest Yosemite, lots of RAM. 3-4 y.o., has been working
> flawlessly.

I can say what i'd do

i'd take out as much RAM as possible and try to narrow it down to a bad
RAM stick

i've never taken a newer imac apart so i don't know if this is
feasible.  how to videos should be all over 

I would also use compressed air to blow out all the dust

sometimes just re-seating ram sticks can resolve issues








 

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#69777

In article <mbo5qd$o1g$1@dont-email.me>, Electric Comet
<electric-comet@mail.invalid> wrote:
> On Thu, 12 Feb 2015 13:31:50 -0500
> Davoud <star@sky.net> wrote:
> > 
> > 27", latest Yosemite, lots of RAM. 3-4 y.o., has been working
> > flawlessly.
> 
> I can say what i'd do
> 
> i'd take out as much RAM as possible and try to narrow it down to a bad
> RAM stick
> 
> i've never taken a newer imac apart so i don't know if this is
> feasible.  how to videos should be all over 
> 
> I would also use compressed air to blow out all the dust
> 
> sometimes just re-seating ram sticks can resolve issues

All 27" iMac models had and still have the trap doors for
user-accessbile RAM slots. 

The smaller iMac stopped having user-accessible RAM with the release of
the "super skinny" / "razor edge" models.

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#69779

Electric Comet:
> i'd take out as much RAM as possible and try to narrow it down to a bad
> RAM stick
> 
> i've never taken a newer imac apart so i don't know if this is
> feasible.  how to videos should be all over 

Thanks. Don't need a how-to video to drive it to the repair shop and
have them do what is needed.

-- 
I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that
you will say in your entire life.

usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm

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#69782

On Sat, 14 Feb 2015 15:42:27 -0500
Davoud <star@sky.net> wrote:

> Don't need a how-to video to drive it to the repair shop and

Right, let us know what they find.







 

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#69784

In article <mbop61$o1g$5@dont-email.me>, Electric Comet
<electric-comet@mail.invalid> wrote:
> On Sat, 14 Feb 2015 15:42:27 -0500
> Davoud <star@sky.net> wrote:
> > 
> > Don't need a how-to video to drive it to the repair shop and
> 
> Right, let us know what they find.

Many people apparently do need a "video" for how-to drive to the repair
shop ... they call it a GPS navigation device.  ;-)  

Some of them are even stupid enough to blindly follow its instructions
while ignoring all common sense, road signs, and obvious places not to
drive (like into a lake!).  :-\

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#69785

In article <140220151542276631%star@sky.net>, Davoud <star@sky.net> 
wrote:

> Thanks. Don't need a how-to video to drive it to the repair shop and
> have them do what is needed.

Well said. It's an expensive piece of equipment, and having it repaired 
by someone who does that for a living is worth whatever he charges. I'm 
not going to look at a how-to video about replacing the rear-wheel speed 
sensors on my Matrix: I have a guy I trust who can do that for me.
-- 
Where's the Vangelis music?
Pris' tongue is sticking out in in the wide shot after Batty has kissed her.
They have put back more tits into the Zhora dressing  room scene.
  -- notes for Blade Runner

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#69790

On 2015-02-15 01:03:58 +0000, Warren Oates said:

> It's an expensive piece of equipment, and having it repaired by someone 
> who does that for a living is worth whatever he charges. I'm not going 
> to look at a how-to video about replacing the rear-wheel speed sensors 
> on my Matrix: I have a guy I trust who can do that for me.

You're lucky.  I've had periods of time where I had a plumber and a car 
mechanic--at the same time!--that I trusted.  I'm not sure I've ever 
had a computer tech that I trusted.  I'm delighted that I've so rarely 
needed one.

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