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Author Topic: Mac Mini - incomplete startup  (Read 4805 times)

Offline sluggo

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Mac Mini - incomplete startup
« on: August 19, 2013, 08:15:03 PM »
I've got a Mac Mini that's been in use for a couple of years now. It's always been used with a Samsung display. Tonight, it begins to start up, but remains in the white screen showing the Apple logo and the spinning gear under it. I've never seen this issue before. Of course I can't look at the computer to get the information, but I seem to remember it being OS 10.6.8 if that helps.
I'm writing here from my old Vista laptop that I used to use for business. Now the Mac has my business info and I need to have it working again.
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Todd
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Offline jchuzi

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Mac Mini - incomplete startup
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2013, 05:57:11 AM »
Three things come to mind immediately:

1. Try resetting PRAM.
2. Reset SMC.
3. The internal backup battery may be weak or dead. I don't know if it's user-replaceable in the Mini (I would guess not). I had a similar symptom in my old G4 and replacing the battery cured it.

Can you start up from the 10.6 DVD? If so, go to the Utilities menu and run Repair Disk from Disk Utility.
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Jon

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Mac Mini - incomplete startup
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2013, 07:11:13 AM »
Does the Mini work with another monitor?

Does the monitor work on another computer?

Hard to tell what the issue is without more troubleshooting data.  Could be hard drive and could be video sub-system on the mainboard.
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Offline sandbox

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Mac Mini - incomplete startup
« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2013, 07:41:05 AM »
Sluggo, I have the same setup on at one of my stations. Mini-Samsung-OS10.6.8 and if it were me I would try starting in Safe-Mode.
Shut it down....start it up....hold down the shift key. Since your viewing the Logo and Spinner I wouldn't suspect the monitor.
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Offline jchuzi

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Mac Mini - incomplete startup
« Reply #4 on: August 20, 2013, 07:52:35 AM »
Another suggestion:

Start up in Single User Mode. At the prompt (assuming you can successfully do this), type fsck -fy (leave a space between fsck and -fy) and press Return. The computer will run the equivalent of Disk Utility's Repair Disk. If anything is repaired, run it again until you get no errors. To get back to normal (hopefully), type reboot and press Return.
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Offline Paddy

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Mac Mini - incomplete startup
« Reply #5 on: August 20, 2013, 07:53:08 AM »
Just found this very helpful description of the boot process and what happens at each stage:
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57345.../?tag=txt;title - I would agree that it's not the monitor or anything to do with the video system, since you can see the Apple logo.

This seems to be a distressingly common issue with the mini. There are quite a few potential solutions if you Google "Mac mini with white screen with apple logo" and variations of this.

Some more suggestions:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/454134

Replacing PRAM batteries is possible, but on the most recent models looks very difficult and requires special tools, according to ifixit.com.

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installing+Mac...+Battery/3162/1
« Last Edit: August 20, 2013, 08:00:29 AM by Paddy »
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Offline sluggo

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Mac Mini - incomplete startup
« Reply #6 on: August 20, 2013, 10:28:10 AM »
Thank you all for the helpful tips and suggestions. Before anyone had a chance to post a reply, I took the thing to a local authorized Mac repair place. Nice to finally have one, as in the past I had to ship it 70 miles or drive there myself with it.
I was pleasantly surprised when they ran my serial number and I found that I had 6 days left on Applecare that I was sure had expired.
Will give a post when they've repaired the machine and let you all know what the problem was.
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Offline Paddy

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Mac Mini - incomplete startup
« Reply #7 on: August 20, 2013, 10:58:19 AM »
whew.gif That was close!!! It will be interesting to know what the problem was - and the solution (make sure you ask - enquiring minds want to know!). smile.gif
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Offline sluggo

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Mac Mini - incomplete startup
« Reply #8 on: August 20, 2013, 11:04:31 AM »
I've been using a MS ergo keyboard with this machine for quite some time now. I'm ready to return to a Mac keyboard. Maybe wireless if possible.
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Offline sandbox

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Mac Mini - incomplete startup
« Reply #9 on: August 20, 2013, 11:55:06 AM »
Sluggo, I also use a Logitech Wave Keyboard on that station with never an issue. I'm looking forward to the diagnosis and prescription of the problem when it comes in. °¿°

QUOTE(sluggo @ Aug 20 2013, 12:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I've been using a MS ergo keyboard with this machine for quite some time now. I'm ready to return to a Mac keyboard. Maybe wireless if possible.

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Offline sandbox

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Mac Mini - incomplete startup
« Reply #10 on: August 20, 2013, 12:14:45 PM »
Yes Paddy the CNet article was well written and very informative. Thanks  notworthy.gif

QUOTE(Paddy @ Aug 20 2013, 08:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Just found this very helpful description of the boot process and what happens at each stage:
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57345.../?tag=txt;title - I would agree that it's not the monitor or anything to do with the video system, since you can see the Apple logo.

This seems to be a distressingly common issue with the mini. There are quite a few potential solutions if you Google "Mac mini with white screen with apple logo" and variations of this.

Some more suggestions:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/454134

Replacing PRAM batteries is possible, but on the most recent models looks very difficult and requires special tools, according to ifixit.com.

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installing+Mac...+Battery/3162/1

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Offline sluggo

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Mac Mini - incomplete startup
« Reply #11 on: August 20, 2013, 05:26:34 PM »
I received the call tonight that the machine is all better. I wish that I had more specifics for you all, but I don't at this time. I took their call when I was on site performing a job estimate so couldn't really talk to them in any detail.
I do know that he said it was a software issue, some things corrupted, etc. My wife will be picking it up tomorrow, I'll have her ask him for some specifics so that I can pass them on.
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Offline sluggo

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Mac Mini - incomplete startup
« Reply #12 on: August 20, 2013, 05:32:52 PM »
QUOTE(sandbox @ Aug 20 2013, 12:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Sluggo, I also use a Logitech Wave Keyboard on that station with never an issue. I'm looking forward to the diagnosis and prescription of the problem when it comes in. °¿°


I don't really have any issues with the MS keyboard. It's just that I have to click through the message about my keyboard not being recognized every time I start up and the fact that I used to be more familiar with Mac shortcuts and how to do special characters (like the degree sign, etc).
Still not really used to the Alt and MS flag key after all this time. It's time to come back home.
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Offline sluggo

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Mac Mini - incomplete startup
« Reply #13 on: August 23, 2013, 04:20:49 AM »
The Mini has returned home and all appears to be well. I picked up a new Apple wireless keyboard while it was away and that now seems to be functioning well. Now I have a USB port free.
The description written on the invoice simply says "disk needed to be repaired and permissions verified. Under AppleCare, no charge."
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Offline sluggo

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Mac Mini - incomplete startup
« Reply #14 on: August 25, 2013, 06:39:46 AM »
The machine has been working fine since its return from the shop until this morning. Turned it on and it booted into Safe Mode by itself. I'd never seen this happen before. I switched startup disks to my Super Duper backup drive and rebooted and ran Disk Utility. A permissions repair turned up the following:
 
Permissions differ on "System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.6.0/Classes/jconsole.jar", should be -rw-r--r-- , they are lrw-r--r-- .
Repaired "System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.6.0/Classes/jconsole.jar".
Permissions differ on "System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/A/Resources/Deploy.bundle/Contents/Home/lib/security/cacerts", should be -rw-r--r-- , they are lrw-r--r-- .
Repaired "System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/A/Resources/Deploy.bundle/Contents/Home/lib/security/cacerts".
Permissions differ on "System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/A/Resources/Deploy.bundle/Contents/Resources/Java/deploy.jar", should be -rw-r--r-- , they are lrw-r--r-- .
Repaired "System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/A/Resources/Deploy.bundle/Contents/Resources/Java/deploy.jar".
Permissions differ on "System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/A/Resources/Deploy.bundle/Contents/Resources/Java/libdeploy.jnilib", should be -rwxr-xr-x , they are lrwxr-xr-x .
Repaired "System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/A/Resources/Deploy.bundle/Contents/Resources/Java/libdeploy.jnilib".
Permissions differ on "System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/A/Resources/Deploy.bundle/Contents/Resources/JavaPluginCocoa.bundle/Contents/Resources/Java/deploy.jar", should be lrwxr-xr-x , they are lrw-r--r-- .
Repaired "System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/A/Resources/Deploy.bundle/Contents/Resources/JavaPluginCocoa.bundle/Contents/Resources/Java/deploy.jar".
Permissions differ on "System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.6.0/Resources/JavaPluginCocoa.bundle/Contents/Resources/Java/deploy.jar", should be -rw-r--r-- , they are lrwxr-xr-x .
Repaired "System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.6.0/Resources/JavaPluginCocoa.bundle/Contents/Resources/Java/deploy.jar".
Permissions differ on "System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.6.0/Resources/JavaPluginCocoa.bundle/Contents/Resources/Java/libdeploy.jnilib", should be -rwxr-xr-x , they are lrwxr-xr-x .
Repaired "System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.6.0/Resources/JavaPluginCocoa.bundle/Contents/Resources/Java/libdeploy.jnilib".
ACL found but not expected on "private/etc/apache2/users".
Repaired "private/etc/apache2/users".
ACL found but not expected on "private/etc/postfix/main.cf".
Repaired "private/etc/postfix/main.cf".
ACL found but not expected on "private/etc/postfix/main.cf.default".
Repaired "private/etc/postfix/main.cf.default".
ACL found but not expected on "System/Library/Keychains/X509Anchors".
Repaired "System/Library/Keychains/X509Anchors".
ACL found but not expected on "private/etc/hostconfig".
Repaired "private/etc/hostconfig".
ACL found but not expected on "private/etc/hosts".
Repaired "private/etc/hosts".

Permissions repair complete

Not being a technician, I have no idea if any of the above issues would cause a Safe Mode startup. Went back to disk utility to repair disk. All appears OK and here's the summary:
The volume Macintosh HD appears to be OK.
Volume repair complete.Updating boot support partitions for the volume as required.

A restart with the usual Macintosh HD startup disk after the repairs went normally. Maybe I should run the permissions repair on more of a routine basis?
« Last Edit: August 25, 2013, 06:51:16 AM by sluggo »
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Todd
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"Time loves to be wasted. From that waste there is no salvage." - Henry Ford
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