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Bollo · Dec 24, 2007, 04:51 PM

I recently downloaded and attempted to intall the latest intel based mac system update. The result was that it said it didnt install properly and now it wont actually start.
I turned off the computer becuase i thought it needed a restart from the other new updates. The beep sounded and now the mac is stuck on the boot screen with the apple logo and the wheel thing underneath.
Any ideas would be most welcome thanks.
its starting to piss me off

0157988944 · Dec 24, 2007, 05:08 PM

Archive and install.

Bollo · Dec 24, 2007, 09:12 PM

as in archive the update download??
the thing wont actually turn on for me to get to that stage it just stays on the boot screen...

0157988944 · Dec 24, 2007, 09:41 PM

No. Reinstall from the Install discs using an Archive and Install.

seanc · Dec 24, 2007, 09:43 PM

An archive and install is performed by booting from the discs that either came with your computer, or the operating system discs you bought if you've upgraded your operating system. You go through the installer, check the available options where given and select 'Archive and Install'.

This preserves your user settings and applications, but installs an entirely new system folder, which is almost certainly where the current problem lies.

Bollo · Dec 25, 2007, 07:04 AM

ah thanks,
so is your saved data ie documents etc preserved as well? also if you are using boot camp will the partition be affected?

seanc · Dec 25, 2007, 07:13 AM

Originally Posted by Bollo

ah thanks,
so is your saved data ie documents etc preserved as well? also if you are using boot camp will the partition be affected?

Everything in your home folder is preserved, so that's documents, passwords, music, pictures etc.
Bootcamp should be unaffected because you're only Archiving and Installing the OS X installation.

Bollo · Dec 25, 2007, 08:33 AM

i've tried booting it with the install cd that came with the computer and it spits the disc out each time i try. is there a specific way of getting it to accept the cd when you try booting it again??

seanc · Dec 25, 2007, 01:09 PM

Are the discs dust and scratch free? Do you have any other macs and a firewire cable?

ruslan124 · Dec 25, 2007, 01:24 PM

This worked for me and many others as I found from a recent Google.

Boot into safe mode (hold the shift key then power on. I do not know how long you need to hold the shift key so I held it until the login screen appeared which was a good 5 minutes)

When you get to the login screen, select restart (DO NOT TRY AND LOG IN AT THIS STAGE).

On the restart the update will complete install and then you will be back at the login screen Everything should now work OK.

Bollo · Dec 25, 2007, 05:35 PM

i do have another mac and a firewire and the discs are fine.
I'll try your method ruslan124.
thanks for your help i'll update with the result later...

Bollo · Dec 25, 2007, 06:11 PM

well the shift key has been down for a good 10 mins now so i dont think that method is working.
any more suggestions?
thanks

seanc · Dec 25, 2007, 07:03 PM

Well since the drive in the MacBook Pro doesn't seem to like the discs you can try a different way.
Put your restore disc in the other Mac, reboot it holding T so that it starts up in Target Disc Mode.
Connect the firewire cable between the other Mac and your MacBook Pro.
Restart the MacBook Pro holding down the option(alt) key, this should bring up a screen which will give you some options of where to boot from, one will be the MacBook Pros hard drive, one will be the other Macs hard drive and one should hopefully be your restore disc in the drive of the other Mac.
Then you can boot from the restore disc via the other Macs optical drive and do the Archive and Install that way.

Good Luck.

Bollo · Dec 26, 2007, 05:09 AM

ok thanks, i hope it works otherwise im pretty lost with what to do. could you use an external disc or hard drive aswell?

voicebox · Dec 26, 2007, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by Bollo

ok thanks, i hope it works otherwise im pretty lost with what to do. could you use an external disc or hard drive aswell?

Hi there,
Before you do an A&I try these two other possible ways - they may provide a fix.
First try booting into single-user mode by holding down Command+S at start up (hold the keys down, then press the start up button)
You are presented with a black screen with white text. At the prompt type "/sbin/fsck -f" (without the quotes of course and make sure there is a space between fsck and the minus sign fsck -y)
Let the system complete it's cycle - keep doing this until you read that all is OK When you read that all is OK then type "reboot" (again without quotes) and press enter.
If that doesn't work try resetting the PRAM (Parameter Random Access Memory) by holding down the Command+Option+P+R keys at start up until you hear the start up chime at least three times, then release the keys. The MPB should continue to start up as normal. This procedure resets any Open Firmware variables that may have been incorrectly entered. Also it resets the non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM)
Hope this helps - and a Happy New Year to you!
voicebox

ruslan124 · Dec 26, 2007, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by Bollo

well the shift key has been down for a good 10 mins now so i dont think that method is working.
any more suggestions?
thanks

Bollo

Just in case, can you try it again with the correct instructions for booting into safe mode. I got these from the apple web site.

To start up into Safe Mode (to "Safe Boot"), do this:

1. Be sure the computer is shut down.
2. Press the power button.
3. Immediately after you hear the startup tone, press and hold the Shift key.
Tip: The Shift key should be held as soon as possible after the startup tone but not before.
4. Release the Shift key when you see the gray Apple and progress indicator (looks like a spinning gear).

During the startup in Mac OS X 10.2 through 10.3.9, you will see "Safe Boot" on the Mac OS X startup screen.

During the startup in Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you will see "Safe Boot" on the login window, which appears even if you normally log in automatically.

To leave Safe Mode in any version of Mac OS X, restart the computer normally, without holding any keys during startup.

If that still does not work, you might want to look through this page for help.

Your Mac won't start up in Mac OS X (Mac OS X 10.3.9 or earlier)

Good luck

Bollo · Dec 26, 2007, 11:55 AM

I tried the Achive and install and it ran smoothly but the result was that when i turn on the computer now there is a message saying panic-driver for ACPI not found then a set of numbers with something saying 4 ARGS .
then theres something about a darwin kernel.
theres a messeage in the middle of the screen saying i should restart and each time i do the same thing happens.

seanc · Dec 26, 2007, 01:43 PM

Bollo, you may have to do an erase and install something sounds seriously mucked up.

You can retrieve your files and folders by rebooting your MacBook Pro into target disk mode (hold T after the chime) connect the firewire cable between it. Your MacBook Pros hard drive will then show up on the other Macs desktop. You can then pull your files off.

Just as an in case, try running the Apple hardware test first. Should be on install disk 1 and accessed by holding down the D key after the chime.

Bollo · Dec 26, 2007, 03:41 PM

Yes it seems pretty hopeless at this stage...
Do you mean the broken one in Target disc mode then getting the files off with the working one?Also how do you retreive the files if it hasnt started, is there some metod of hard drive copying or does it start up and allow you to copy the contents of the disc?
Thanks.

0157988944 · Dec 26, 2007, 03:53 PM

First, back up your data by doing this:

Connect your working mac to your broken one (The working one should be on). Start up the broken one while you hold down the "T" key (still on the broken one.) After a little while, you should see a huge Firewire icon on a grey screen with a battery icon at the bottom. On your working one, you will notice that there is an orange Firewire hard drive icon on your desktop. This is your broken computer's hard drive. Copy everything you need from your broken computer's Hard Drive by dragging it onto you working computer's desktop, or onto an external drive if you have one.

After you are satisfied that you have all of your stuff copied, drag the orange icon to the trash, put your installation disc into the drive on the broken computer,push the power button on the broken computer to turn it off, disconnect the Firewire cable, and then boot from the installation discs by turning the broken computer on while holding down "C"

Install the OS as prompted onscreen. At the screen where it asks you to choose a drive to install onto, click "Customize" and select "Clean Install" After the computer reboots from the installation, you will have to then copy all of your files back over from the old computer.

If a Clean Install doesn't work, you have a bigger problem on your hands.

tinkered · Dec 28, 2007, 07:47 PM

Sorry to roll things back, but when the OP tried booting from the system disc did the OP hold down "c"? If not, then there is the issue and all this target disk mode stuff is a little over the top.

seanc · Dec 28, 2007, 08:09 PM

Well they don't generally spit the discs out, they try and boot off them or ignore them and boot from the HDD.

But you do hold a valid point

0157988944 · Dec 29, 2007, 01:02 AM

No, he said he successfully did an archive and install, but the computer was still screwed up.

Bollo · Dec 29, 2007, 09:14 AM

I did hold down 'C' and the disc drive tried starting the disc a couple of times then spat it out.
I havent actually tried an erase yet as i have been retrieving my docs etc.
I also wondered whether the whole disc will be erased since i asked someone else and they said an erase and install would apply to the whole harddrive and get rid of the windows partition as well.
This isnt a big issue but i was wondering anyway for the purposes of further file backup. The windows partition ironically, is functioning perfectly well.

seanc · Dec 29, 2007, 11:48 AM

An erase and install should only apply to the partition you choose, which will be the one containing Mac OS X.

If the Windows partition is functioning normally then this is good, because it rules out any other issues apart from the optical drive not liking the restore discs.

Go ahead and do an erase and install and your problems should be solved

You'll have to perform the erase install with the same directions I gave you to do the archive and install, just make sure you choose the right hard drive

laz · Dec 29, 2007, 01:24 PM

I had the same problem recently on a MacBook pro. Here are posts/sites with your problem and solutions. It was a very difficult process to get it back to normal without doing and archive and install.

Apple - Support - Discussions - Mac OS won't boot after 2007-009 1.1 ...

Fixing Botched update - Topic Powered by eve community

Another Round of Mac Fixes - Security Fix

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