Mac Mini Gray Screen on Start Up

I have been having trouble with my Mac Mini, for the past few days when I try to turn it on it takes me to a gray screen that tells me to restart. Restarting has done nothing to fix the problem as well as the key combination's suggested on the Mac website. I tried to start by using the install disk but instead of restarting the computer it goes directly to installing OSX. Is there anything I can do to fix this problem without having to reinstall?

Using the install disk is the correct way to trouble shoot your Mini, however, you must do it the proper way:

Boot the Mini with your install disk. After it boots, do not allow it to proceed with the install. Rather, click on the top menu item "Utilities", then select "Disk Utility". Select the First Aid tab, highlight your MacIntosh HD, then select "Verify and Repair". You can also repair permissions from the same dialog.

It sounds like you may have problems with the hard drive in the Mini. If the Verify and Repair refuses to run or it can not repair errors, then it's likely you need to change out the hard drive. Which, by the way, is not an easy task on a Mini.

I just ran the repairs and then restarted but the same gray screen popped up, so I checked everything else that might need repairs and the gray screen still came up. I hope I'm doing something wrong and I don't have to reinstall, so other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Try zapping the PRAM. Boot and immediately after the chime hold down Command, Option P and R keys all together and keep held down until after third chimes. Release and hopefully all will be well.

Have you restarted by inserting the system disc, rebooting and holding down the 'C' key immediately after chime? If not try this , go into Utilities in the Menu Bar and run Repair Disk from there. You cannot repair a disk you are booted from.

Keep us posted?

I just tried to zap the PRAM but the same screen came up telling me to restart.

samsr388 said:

I just tried to zap the PRAM but the same screen came up telling me to restart.

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I believe they call that a Kernel Panic my friend.

And from the sounds of it, something in your hardware is going berserk. Have you done any modifications at all to the computer? RAM? Etc.

If this isn't the case something else might be going on.

Again have you restarted by inserting the system disc, rebooting and holding down the 'C' key immediately after chime? If not try this , go into Utilities in the Menu Bar and run Repair Disk from there. You cannot repair a disk you are booted from.

I've been trying some of the methods that have been suggested and the gray screen doesn't come up anymore. Instead it goes directly to the installation screen. After some more looking around in the disk utilities I've found options to restore a disk, I don't know how that would work out if I tried to restore instead of first aid. I'm able to restore the ST9402115A, MATSHITACD-RW CW-8124, and the hard drive, which also says that it is not mounted ,I'm not sure if that is important or not. If I should restore what source and destination?