Help with non-booting iMac

[cjp3226]

Hello all,

First off, sorry if this has been addressed in another thread, please feel free to link me to it!

The problem I'm having is that when I start-up my iMac, (2007 17" running Leopard OS X), it stays on the gray, boot screen for a long time, then shows the icon of circle with line through it where the Apple logo would be, then sometimes it will show a file folder icon in that location. If I leave it alone long enough, it will automatically start boot-camp and I'll be running Windows XP. That works fine without issues, but it starts without me selecting it?

Also, my optical drive seems to be broken. When I put a disc in there it accepts it, then it whirs and clunks around for a while then partially spits it out for a second, then pulls it back in and repeats the process.

Please help,
CJ.

[Satcomer]

Follow the steps in the Apple article Resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance with Disk Utility and fsck. Sounds as if you might have to run fsck -fy on the internal drive.

[cjp3226]

Satcomer,

Thanks again for your help, unfortunately I wasn't able to resolve my problem with the article listed. I definitely had the symptoms described in the article and followed the steps, however, when I booted in Safe Mode, it stayed on the gray screen with the prohibitory sign, and a folder with a flashing question mark on it. Then eventually started Windows XP in boot camp on it's own.

When I tried single-user mode to enable the command prompt, it displayed the correct screen with the white text and a cursor, however, it locked up and I couldn't enter any commands. (Tried several times).

I reviewed the article: Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup and followed those steps too, and it seems like my last resort is to purchase an external optical drive and perform the following procedures in this order, (depending on the success of each one.):

1. Start from your Mac OS X Install disc; use Disk Utility
2. Perform an Archive and Install installation of Mac OS X
and if all else fails...
3. Perform an Erase and Install installation of Mac OS X

Am I on the right track, or do you have any other suggestions?

Regards,
CJ.

[Satcomer]

I would seriously backup now and then try to replace your internal drive. It might be dying an old Hollywood movie style death.

[cjp3226]

I'm not sure how to back up because I can't access the computer/desktop. Although, prior to it crashing, I did have Time Machine running and I'm pretty sure I have a very recent back-up on that. Will that suffice?

Should I still try a re-install of the OS? It just seems weird that boot camp/XP runs fine.

Thanks again,
CJ.

[Satcomer]

With Time Machine just be sure you have the current OS X install disk because this will be need to clone back your latest Time Machine backup.

[cjp3226]

I have the OS X disk that came with the computer, (Leopard), and I haven't upgraded to Snow Leopard, so I should be okay then.

Thanks again,
CJ.

[cjp3226]

Got it back with a Time Machine restore. Bought a Samsung external optical drive to use disk utility and was set from there on, (however Boot Camp is fried, I just posted in that help section.)

Thanks again,
CJ.