invalid memory access!

[DeltaMac]

If the problem were bad enough, and caused by a disconnected cable, etc. Then the Apple Hardware test should also either not boot, or find a failure of some kind. The Apple Hardware test doesn't really give a definitive test of the memory, but the fact that it passes (and even boots at all) may mean that the problem may be with the hard drive. You should boot to your OS X installer disk, and run the Disk Utility from the menus. Try a 'Repair Disk' and see what that finds, if anything.

[Gezis]

I ran the disk utility and it found a problem and said it repaired it. Now instead of the open firmware screen it sticks on the gray apple screen. Iam running diskwarrior at the moment. Any other help would be great. thanks!

[MrNivit1]

if you haven't made a backup of your hard drive, now would be a very good time. If the apple hardware test boots and the OSX installer disk boots then this may be a hard drive issue (i.e. everything else about your computer is working). A re-install of OS X after formatting may help, but if you were ending up in Open Firmware, this may be a serious hard drive issue. Make a backup of the exsiting drive, if possible, and replace the drive with a new one.

[Gezis]

It is prolly a serious problem like you suggest because disk warrior seems to have gotten stuck at about 50%. Is diskwarrior even the best program to use?How do i go about backing up the HD? And will that even help in the chance to save the info on the drive? I can care less about the HD I just want the data.

[Mobius Rex]

Techtool Pro: http://www.micromat.com/index.php?op...ask=view&id=31 is another diagnostic utility that's a "must have", along with Disk Warrior. It ain't cheap, but it's quite good.
Backing up your hard drive is something you really should do. All hard drives fail, sooner or later. Other World Computing: http://eshop.macsales.com/ is a good source for hard drive replacements, as well as external hard drives.
Regularly backing up your data onto an external HD is wise practice. It can save your ass, as well as your sanity, in the event that your computer's HD goes wonky or dies.

[Gezis]

Thanks, I think ill get Tech Tool no matter what i do since it looks like a good thing to have around.
How do i backup the hd now that i can only boot from cd? Even if i do copy it over to a new hd will the problem just be transfered over?

[Gezis]

Looking more closely at techtool its requirements has just 10.3 listed, am i screwed with 10.2.8 or will it still boot from disk and be able to fix the hd?