12-28-2009, 12:26 AM

Aliright so I was using my computer and earlier I had to shut it down forcively then restarted it and worked fine. Hours later I try using it to google some stuff up and it said there was no Internet(this is not the problem) I restart it and it stays at the gray screen with the apple sign loading. But I noticed there's like a little bar that appears like as if it's a meter that's going to fill up then it disappears. Anyway I just want to know how to fix it I tried letting it load for like 30 minutes I tried restarting it with command+control+power button. Is there anything else I can do? If no one knows how to fix it can I at least get a thought of what's going on? I have MacBook pro 3.06ghz 500hard drive running on snow leopard. I can wipe out my hard drive if needed if I get past the boot up screen sone how. Thanks for reading

12-28-2009, 01:16 AM

Try booting holding down the Shift key for Safe Mode.

Try booting holding down Command S for Single User Mode.

If you get in, then Repair your disk permissions and run scripts out of Disk Utility.

12-28-2009, 01:16 AM

How did u shut it down "forcively" that may have some bearing on what is recommended.

12-28-2009, 02:05 AM

Vegasgeorge only holding down command s worked it took me to a black screen with a lot of white writing to tell you the truth I didn't know what to do so I shut it off can you please explain what I have to do sorry I don't know dude. And Collin by forcively I just meant holding down the power button until it shut off. If you guys don't mind I will do it in a couple if hours my bro has a imac but I can't use it Noe because he's sleeping and it sucks using an iPod touch to send responses. Anyway I really apreciate your help but like I said I hope you guys don't mind helping me out once I get to use his computer I will go back on the site for advice. Thanks for the advice don't quit on me please haha

12-28-2009, 02:59 AM

When u get back on look here Basic OS X/Mac Troubleshooting and with item 2 download and use the Combo updater here. If that is no go then work down the list. MBP still in warranty?

12-28-2009, 11:51 AM

alright so i did the single mode user thing and typed in /sbin/fsck -f and the thing that caught my eye was the statement "the volume macintosh HD could not be repaired" **** i think i know that it means i need a new hard drive. Then when i typed in exit to leave the screen it would not let me it's still in the black screen with all the writing. this sucks because this happened to my PC which is what made me get an apple and now im having the same problem trash... anyway i guess i will call apple but i don't know about the warranty part i did not get extended warrant and i bought my computer near the end of september and had it shipped near the end of september since i customized it just adding more ghz. anyway so does that mean im screwed does a hard drive cost a lot?
p.s. when i was at the black screen and typed in exit it would not let me logout to restart it. im still at the screen as we speak i guess the only way to turn it off now is to again hold down the power button until it turns off otherwise it will just stay there until the battery dies. when i tried typing in exit again thats all that appears the word exit at the bottom and wont leave.

12-28-2009, 05:43 PM

you don't need a new hard drive, its just the data on the HD is corrupt and it doesn't know what to do with it. When you shut down you computer (i'm guessing by holding the power button for an extended period of time) what was your computer doing at the time?

12-28-2009, 09:06 PM

sorry for not answering i went to the genius bar but sadly my bro came along and i gave up my appointment for him since he has a iMac so i didn't want him to carry it to the store for nothing. anyway when i hold down power button when it went in single mode it stayed did not logout the writing was still there but when i typed in exit the word exit only appeared no response no nothing. then when i start it up again it still stays at the boot up screen? is there anything else you want to ask? i mean idk what else to do. should i use the disks that came with the computer? but i doubt they can read the cd while boot up can it?

12-28-2009, 09:33 PM

break through i put in the dvd that came with the macbook pro and managed to boot up from the dvd. when got past the boot up screen i went to disk utility and deleted my whole hard drive didn't care barely had anything on it. now im re-installing snow leopard as i type this. hopefully this works but is there anything else i should have done besides delete my whole hard drive or is that fine? if this works i will most likely cancel my appointment with the genius bar. but like i was saying anything else i could do to fix the hard drive or is deleting everything like i did with disk utility good enough? man i just hope this works

12-29-2009, 02:08 AM

That should take care of things unless the drive has been structurally damaged. In the future you can avoid this problem by doing the following:

1. In the future do not turn off the computer at the power switch until the Mac has been shut down properly (choose Shutdown from the Apple menu in the far left).
2. If you get this behavior again try inserting the installer DVD just as you did and run Disk Utility. Select the hard drive in the left side of the program and let Disk Utility repair the drive.