Meltdown... Could this be the end?

ScottyChoc · #1 05-17-2012, 10:06 PM

Some weeks ago after restarting my Mac Pro it would only boot to a blue screen with no login window. I have been able to start in safe mode and even work productively minus the the ability to use video, peripherals, audio, and my font collection. I have tried several suggested solutions to this problem with no avail... disc utility as well as some commands entered in single-user mode to reset all preferences and application settings. No luck. Here's some info

Mac OS X
10.5.8
2 x 2.66 GHz Dual Core Intel Xeon
4 GB 667 MHz DDR2 FB-DIMM
500 GB HD 59 GB available space.
(second HD and DVD-RW have been non functional for about a year.)

I need to perform a full reinstall but because my DVD drive is non functional I am attempting to run the startup disc from an external DVD drive (HP dvd1040e). The drive works in safe mode and I can open it to see its contents. When I attempt to start from the disc (holding d during startup), it crashes into a gray screen with a restart warning during the boot process. I was able to remove the drive and restart again into safe mode. I was also able to boot into Apple Hardware Test from the disc and run it with no problems found.

I have backed up all of my files onto another external drive so I am prepared to wipe the HD and do a completely clean reinstall. I have never actually done a reinstall on a Mac so I don't know what I can do to remedy this somehow. Is there another technique to starting from and external DVD drive? Is it worth downloading the OS X install files to a flash drive or external hard drive to try from there? Things seem to get worse at every turn, any help I could get with this would be so greatly appreciated!

My nearest Apple store is over 2 hours away, I could go if I absolutely needed to but I would like to avoid it at all costs.

**mmkerc** · #2 05-17-2012, 11:21 PM

Have you tried installing the OS on your external drive and booting from there instead of booting from the DVD?

ScottyChoc · #3 05-17-2012, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmkerc

Have you tried installing the OS on your external drive and booting from there instead of booting from the DVD?

I have not. How do I do that install? Is it safe with all my backed up files on the drive? Can I find another thread about it?

**mmkerc** · #4 05-17-2012, 11:37 PM

When you load the install dvd in your computer it should show up on your desktop. double click to open and you should see and icon to install. open that, and it will search your system for a location (other than current boot drive) to install. Select your external drive and install. Assuming you have sufficient space on the external it should not effect any of the data currently on it.

ScottyChoc · #5 05-17-2012, 11:42 PM

I'll give it a go, thanks. If that is accomplished would I then operate from there and format my internal drive?

**mmkerc** · #6 05-17-2012, 11:45 PM

yes, you would need to select the external to boot from (in system preferences).

ScottyChoc · #7 05-18-2012, 01:42 AM

When I click to install OS X it only prompts me to restart my computer, when I do it goes through the boot process and crashes again on that gray screen of death. Is there a way to install the OS onto the external drive while in safe mode without having to restart?

ScottyChoc · #8 05-18-2012, 11:44 AM

Update: I have made progress in that I was able to boot to the OS X Leopard install disc. The internal and external hard drives show up on the Select a Destination screen. The external drive shows the following warning: 'You cannot install Mac OS X on this volume. To enable installation on this volume open Disk Utility and repartition the disk as 'GUID Partition Table'. Note: You will lose data on this disk by repartitioning it.' This is not an option as all of my documents are backed up on that drive.

I was actually able to perform an 'Erase and Install' on my internal HDD with the Leopard disk. However, when the install completed and restarted, it simply booted into the solid blue screen. Same problem I've had all along! I can still boot into safe mode, and it is a clean reinstall. Now OS X doesn't even see my Airport card anymore. I have physically removed the non functional internal optical drive and 2nd HDD so I know that they are not the issue.

Does this mean that the issue is in firmware or something? I've accomplished a clean reinstall and the same problem is still there! What could it possibly be?

**mmkerc** · #9 05-19-2012, 12:25 PM

I am a bit stumped. You might try downloading Onyx. Make sure you download the version for your OS. Run that and see if it can find anything. The only other thing I can think of is unplug everything but your keyboard and mouse to see if it is a hardware conflict issue. Safe boot basically does the same thing. If it does boot up, plug back in your equipment one by one to see which is causing the problem.

ScottyChoc · #10 05-19-2012, 03:57 PM

On my way down to the Apple store in Boulder tomorrow, will report back on what they find.

ScottyChoc · #11 05-21-2012, 06:42 PM

Update: It totally was the graphics card. New card is on the way and it will even be an upgrade, also grabbin a 2 TB hdd to replace my dead 500 GB internal. So for anybody searching this thread, if you are booting to a blue screen, even after doing an erase and clean reinstall make sure to test it with a working graphics card. Thanks folks, for the help with this.