Any APPLE/MAC users in here?

[FNH5-7]

I have an apple laptop.

Most of the time it still takes me to the login/enter password page. But sometimes when I turn it on it takes me to a blank white screen, it doesn't take me to the login screen. I have to turn off the laptop, close the laptop, and power it back on.

It takes me to the blank screen about once every 4 times that I turn it on.

Anyone here experience this before? How can I get this fixed?

This laptop is getting old but besides this small issue, still runs like a champ.

[pogie45]

Try this...

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2570

[FNH5-7]

If I try this option:

Start from your Mac OS X Install disc; use Disk Utility

1. Insert your Mac OS X 10.4 or 10.5 installation disc (if you have discs with both versions, use whichever is closest to the Mac OS X version installed on your Mac; do not use a startup disc which came with a different Mac or which contains an earlier version of Mac OS X).
2. Shut down your Mac. If necessary, hold your Mac's power button for several seconds to force it to power down.
3. Start up your Mac while holding the C key to start from the disc.
4. Once started from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Utility menu.

Note: If the gray screen issue persists and you can't start from the disc, go to the "Disconnect peripheral devices" section.
5. In Disk Utility, perform a disk repair of your Mac OS X volume; if no issues are found, perform a permissions repair as well. If issues are found during the disk repair, try repairing again.
6. After the Disk Utility operations are complete, restart without holding any keys.


will I lose all my pics, files and music?

[Dutch3]

I would recommend running the disk repair utility from a system disc, but it is a really bad idea to run a Permissions Repair when booted from a CD/DVD.

[Dutch3]

Most of the time it still takes me to the login/enter password page. But sometimes when I turn it on it takes me to a blank white screen, it doesn't take me to the login screen. I have to turn off the laptop, close the laptop, and power it back on.

It takes me to the blank screen about once every 4 times that I turn it on.

If you leave it at the blank screen, will it eventually progress to the login screen? Maybe after 5-10 minutes?

It would be helpful to know what OS version and hardware you have.

[FNH5-7]

MAC OS X

10.4.11

This is an iBook G4. Yea it's old I know.

If you leave it at the blank screen, will it eventually progress to the login screen? Maybe after 5-10 minutes?

No, if I just leave it stays on the blank screen. I have to shut it off and close the laptop, then restart.

[Jeff L]

You need to make sure your software updates are current. Do you have Onyx? I seem to recall that works with earlier OSX systems.

[FNH5-7]

You need to make sure your software updates are current. Do you have Onyx? I seem to recall that works with earlier OSX systems.

I don't do anything fancy with this laptop. It's mainly stuffed with pics, music and school projects.

[Blackhawk556]

I'm reading a book right now to get apple certified but i haven't read what to do in a situation like this. from everything i've read, you will only lose your stuff if you reinstall the OS again. use the tools in disk utility.
sorry i couldn't help you more

[pogie45]

If I try this option:

Start from your Mac OS X Install disc; use Disk Utility...

...will I lose all my pics, files and music?

You should not loose your files using disk utility.

You should try SAFE BOOT first. Start your MAC & press Shift key.

Here is more info. on Safe Boot:

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1564

Try to do the steps in this link in the recommended order.

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2570

[ixta70]

Your best bet to save pictures is to simply but them on an external hardrive. 1 tb hard drive should be more than enough. maybe $100, and even if you won't lose stuff now its good to have one just incase. but yeah don't know much about that screen. take it to genius bar?

[pogie45]

Your best bet to save pictures is to simply but them on an external hardrive...

I second that. Get an external hard drive & backup or make a duplicate copy of your data before performing any disk maintenance.

[Rivers]

How full is the hard drive? If more than 90% of capacity, you need to make space available by either installing a larger laptop internal drive or clearing off unnecessary user files.

Have you zapped the PRAM file? If not, on startup (with the screen dark, before any icons show) hold down four keys: Command - Option - P - R and continue to hold them down until you hear the startup chime at least four times. Then let up for a normal startup to happen.

You can go longer than that to dig deeper into clearing that memory file but more than eight chimes does nothing. You may need to reset some minor items like time, date, locale, etc. but that process can clear up many nagging issues.