Kernel panic at startup

Dear All,

Yesterday my wifes imac (Bought in 2007, running SL)started to "Crash" Safari, and firefox were freezing and then the problem expanded to other programs like itunes. So this is what I did.
1. copied all music and pictures to an external drive
2. Used the installation disk to restore a backup from time machine
3. Left it overnight
4. This morning the Imac said restore successful please restart
5. I did and then I got this grey screen with a picture of the power button on it telling me in lots of different languages to press the power button and restart.
6. I have done this about ten times now and it just keeps coming back

Can anyone help. I am running the Imac with a bluetooth keyboard but do have access to a wired one. No idea if that makes a difference just thought I would mention it.

Thanks

Josh

I would not have used time machine to restore the entire system. Cause any bug on the system would be just passed to TM and them passed back to your Mac when you resortes via TM. What you can do is keep the TM backup. And re-install SL from scratch after you erase the HD with the SL disc. Then you enter your TM backup and restore folder by folder. Say photos foler them app folder then games folder etc etc. Doing it that way means the core system in a fresh install and does but just restore the old TM system.

I say this because we do not know if the TM restore has a good system on it or not.

And also this link is nice to look into.
Intel-based Macs: Using Apple Hardware Test
This should be on the SL disc too.

thanks for the response.
I used a Tm backup from a week agao and all was fine then so hopefully a good backup.

How do I get past the screen that tells me to power down and start up again?

thanks

josh

What you're seeing is a startup kernel panic. Something is wrong with the system.

It's probably best to start over by booting with your install recovery DVD and erase the disk, format it (HFS Extended Journaled GUID) and then install OS X. During the install process you will be asked if you wish to restore from backup. Go ahead and select your Time Machine backup. Of course make sure you have the external drive with the TM backup attached and ready.

If the TM backup you made last week was a good one as you state, you should be back in business barring any hardware problems.

Regards.