# Mac OS not booting!!!



## inurv2 (Jan 7, 2007)

Hey folks am in some serious trouble.

I have a MacBook Pro ,2 GHzwhich is about 3-4 Months,with the default configurations, except that I upgraded the RAM to 1.5 GB.
When I start my computer the grey screen comes as usual. Then the blue screen which says "Starting Mac OS", but it finishes faster than it should. Then I get the blue sreen with the revoloving circular thing for some time. Finally it ends up in the command screen ( or whatevr that black screen with with characters, as if in DOS, is called). I get the following message--


Darwin/BSD (adityas-computer.local ) (console)

login: Jan 7 19:08:32 adityas-computer kextd[22]: kextd_watch_volumes: couldn't set up diskarb sessions
Jan 7 18:08:42 adityas-computer kextd[22]: kextd_watch_volumes: couldn't set up diskarb sessions
Jan 7 18:09:52 adityas-computer kextd[22]: kextd_watch_volumes: couldn't set up diskarb sessions
Jan 7 19:08:02 adityas-computer kextd[22]: kextd_watch_volumes: couldn't set up diskarb sessions
Jan 7 19:08:12 adityas-computer kextd[22]: kextd_watch_volumes: couldn't set up diskarb sessions
Jan 7 19:08:22 adityas-computer kextd[22]: kextd_watch_volumes: couldn't set up diskarb sessions
Jan 7 19:08:22 adityas-computer kextd[22]: giving up on diskarb; auto-rebuild disabled


When I booted into single user mode and typed
"/sbin/fsck/ -fy"

I get the following error-
..Some sorta checking....
........
....
** Checking catalog file.
Missing thread record (id= 1052938)
Invalid Sibling Link
(4, 20771)
**Volume check failed
localhost:/ root#

Further, I have bootcamp installed on my laptop. I tried running windows, and it runs fine.

Any idea what is happening? I am presently in a place with no apple support, in fact I think I am the only apple computer user here. I am on sorta vacation, I also forgot to bring the the two discs given by Apple to try to boot using it or maybe try some utilities from that. It wo;; take me 1 month to go back to the place where I have my CDs and can get apple support HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP


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## Packbacker92 (Jan 7, 2007)

There are two possibilities that I can think of as to what is wrong with your computer.  Fortunately/Unfortunately I had this same problem with two computers.  The worst case scenerio is that your hard drive is messed up and you may have to get a new one, as was the case with my dad's powerbook.  Fortunately for you, since windows runs okay, I don't think this is the problem.  

The other scenerio is that this is a very simple problem and to solve it, all you will need to do is pop in the OSX install DVD that came with your macbook, boot to it by holding down the C key, open disk utility, and select to repair your hard drive.  After it is done repairing your hard drive, your macbook should boot up fine to OSX.  If it doesn't, however, then you may be looking at a new hard drive.  I don't think that will be necessary though.


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## inurv2 (Jan 7, 2007)

Thanks there, I think I'll have to use the CDs and then repair my disk. I really don't think, wish rather, that I'll have to buy a new HDD since windows is running. But, any idea how much does a new MBP HDD will cost?


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## Packbacker92 (Jan 8, 2007)

Once again I don't think that it will come to buying a new hard drive.  But if it does, since this is a macbook pro, I would assume that it is still under warranty by apple.  

If it is not, then, depending on how big a hard drive you want to put in it,  the reasonable price range would be anywhere from $125 to $254 ($125 being an 80 gig and $254 being a 160 gig).   Add on anywhere from 50 dollars to 100 dollars for the service charge and that would be your total cost (unless of course you want to install it yourself).  I wouldn't recommend you needing anything more than a 100 gig or 120gig drive unless you have some stuff that takes up major room.  I have a 100 gig in my powerbook and it suits me fine.

Here are two links for some companies that would put the drive in for you.  I recommend the second link which is for Wegener Media.  I have done a lot of business with Dave Wegener and his company is very honest and has low prices.  Daystar is also good but a little higher priced.

http://daystar-store.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=118 

http://www.wegenermedia.com/hdd.htm

Wegener Media does not have a 100 gig drive listed, but they do have them in stock and they work great (I just bought one myself for my powerbook)

Good luck and I hope you don't need a new drive.


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## inurv2 (Jan 8, 2007)

Thanks, I really appreciate your work. I just remembered that my MacBook Pro does come under the warranty period. Anyways being the pessimist that I am, I just wanted to know what could be the worst case scenario. Thanks again!


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## fenderman (Mar 16, 2007)

We had a similar problem on one of our work iMacs running 10.3.x

One day the user was trying to print a large file and open an e-mail with a large file attached. The Mac locked up and when she restarted it ended up with "Darwin BSD Login" on a black screen. I checked the web and found quite a few people who had suffered this for a variety of reasons. The advice varied but fell into 4 categores;

1) Try and sort it out from the Darwin login screen. Some said to type "exit", others said "start", others said "reboot". I tried all of these and just ended up back where I started. Other suggestions involved using more complex unix commands to try and repair the disk or repair the permissions. I tried one or two but they didn't work and I wasn't happy getting into unix too far anyway.
2) Try and restart the Mac with Diskwarrior CD or similar utility in the CD/DVD drive. Tried that, it ran and fixed a couple of things, but I ended up with the Darwin login again.
3) Try and boot the Mac using the system install disk, and either install the system again or run Disk Utilities from there to fix things (be careful you don't run a install where the hard drive is formatted - there are options on installing, I think it's archive and install where you install a new system folder but it keeps your old system, user settings, network settings and all your work files).
4) Boot the Mac in target mode with another Mac connected using Firewire, and backup up files before installing a new system folder.

I tried the last option because I had my system disks and a spare Mac.

I connected a Firewire cable between my spare Mac and the broken one, booted the spare Mac then booted the broken one holding down the T key until I saw the Firewire zipper icon on the screen (orange icon on blue screen). The broken Mac's hard drive then appeared on my spare Mac. I was able to drag the user's work folder across to the spare Mac so all of her work was backed up before I did anything else. Then I ran the system install disks from the spare Mac and selected the broken Mac as the install volume. I made sure I picked archive and install so I wasn't formatting the disk and wiping it clean. I think archive and install was available from OS 10.2.x onwards but I think earlier versions had something similar so you could install a new system without formatting your drive in the process.

Once I did that it fixed the problem. She got her log in screen back, all passwords, network settings and everything else had been preserved.

Please note: whilst I was stuck in the Darwin black login screen I restarted the Mac by holding the on/off button in for a few seconds to force a reboot. Wasn't sure if there was a unix command that would have done the same thing, but it worked.


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## inurv2 (Mar 16, 2007)

Thanks a lot for your reply. I finally gave the system to a service centre which finally repaired my MBP. Initially they thought it had RAM issues (BTW, I was able to load Boot using the DVDs and reinstall OS X. But still got Kernel Panic screens.) That didn't work. Finally they had to replace my Logic-Board!

Thanks again!


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