HELP! iMac 27" (late 2009) stuck on apple logo on startup

Hello,
Here's my problem.
My mac won't boot up again after a force restart caused by a freeze screen after starting a Netflix movie. When I start it up again, I hear the chime, see the apple logo with loading, then after 1/4 of loading the progress bar disappears and it freezes on apple logo.


I did all this troubleshooting and more, here's what I tried:
Holding "shift" for safe mode and restart
Restarting SMC PRAM
Reinstall OSX successfully but it still fail on startup
Completely erased and reformat. Still fail.
I verified, repaired Disk, and repaired permissions - no problem detected
I tryied a recovery with time machine - Same
I tryied upgrade / downgrade OSX - Same
Unplug replug RAM to see if one was damaged
I even opened it up to complete clean and do a little check up
I ran an apple diagnose with the CD that comes with the mac and it says:
Apple Diagnose - Says: Failure, Failure Code: 4MOT/4/40000003: HDD-1263
I bought a second external HD Drive and clean installed OS X and booted on it... but even with a new HD it still doesn't boot correctly.

So what can it be?
Huh I'm so confused, the only thing staying is the motherboard maybe? Am I right?

Thank you.

iMac (27-inch, Late 2009)
2.66 GHz Intel Core i5
8 GB 1067 MHz DDR3
ATI Radeon HD 4850 512 MB
Now on: 10.10.1

Redlee said:

I bought a second external HD Drive and installed OS X and ran on this drive... Nope still the same

So what can it be?
Huh I'm so confused, the only thing staying is the motherboard maybe? Am I right?

Click to expand...

Are you saying:

1. That your iMac won't boot from an external drive with the proper OS installed on it?
2. That you were able to successfully reinstall the OS on your computers internal drive?

My first thoughts are (since you to the "failure" message). Either the internal hard drive is failing or failed completely. Or the internal hard drives data cable (SATA cable) is faulty.

- Nick

Thanks for your reply

Yes I was able to reinstall OS X by pressing ALT at start up and running on Recovery Disk. and reinstall on external HD also as I said and it makes the same boot problem. So I don't think it has something to do with any SATA or HD thing,

Just for the heck of it (to see if it will work)…you could try booting into "Safe Mode":

OS X: What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode? - Apple Support

For what it's worth. I had a problem with my iMac that was similar to your problem. Where the computer:

- wouldn't boot properly from the internal HD
- I was able to reinstall the OS via the recovery partition
- still wouldn't boot properly after the fresh OS install
- but would boot from an external HD (different from yours)

My problem was a bad SATA cable (bad HD data cable).

In your case you don't want it to be the logic board. Since a replacement logic board for a 2009 27" iMac would possibly be too expensive to replace given the computers current value.

- Nick

Oh

Sadly, I forgot to tell that I successfully enter safe mode, as I talk I am running on my failing computer in safe mode, without problems (except that it's really slow). but still, I can't boot normally.

If it were me...I would completely erase and reformat the internal HD. Then do a fresh install of the OS (no other apps). Then see how things work.

You want to determine if you have a hardware or software issue. If you did as I just mentioned (and still have a problem). Then it's a hardware problem.

- Nick

Yes I have done a clean reformat by erasing the HD and installed OS only. I do have a hardware problem, but with wich hardware? how can I determine if it's the motherboard or maybe the graphics? (considering that it's not the HD because I clean installed on external drive too).

Thanks

I did an EtreCheck scan, here's what it says, maybe it can help to find the problem.

EtreCheck version: 2.1.6 (109)
Report generated January 21, 2015 at 12:15:35 PM GMT-5
Download EtreCheck from Etresoft: EtreCheck

Click the [Support] links for help with non-Apple products.
Click the [Details] links for more information about that line.
Click the [Adware] links for help removing adware.

Hardware Information:
iMac (27-inch, Late 2009) (Technical Specifications)
iMac - model: iMac11,1
1 2.66 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 4-core
8 GB RAM Upgradeable
BANK 0/DIMM0
2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok
BANK 1/DIMM0
2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok
BANK 0/DIMM1
2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok
BANK 1/DIMM1
2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok
Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported
Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n

Video Information:
ATI Radeon HD 4850 - VRAM: 512 MB
iMac 2560 x 1440

System Software:
OS X 10.10.1 (14B25) - Time since boot: 5:59:9

Disk Information:
WDC WD1001FALS-40U9B0 disk0 : (1 TB)
EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB
Macintosh HD (disk0s2) /Volumes/Macintosh HD : 921.70 GB (264.24 GB free)
Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB
BOOTCAMP (disk0s4) <not mounted> : 77.52 GB

OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5680H

USB Information:
Seagate BUP Slim BK 2 TB
EFI (disk1s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB
MAC (disk1s2) / : 1.50 TB (1.49 TB free)
Recovery HD (disk1s3) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB
PC (disk1s4) <not mounted> : 500.05 GB
Apple Inc. Built-in iSight
Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
Microsft Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop® 2.20
Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub
Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
Apple Internal Memory Card Reader

Firewire Information:
WD My Passport 071D 800mbit - 800mbit max
disk2s1 (disk2s1) <not mounted> : 32 KB
disk2s2 (disk2s2) <not mounted> : 29 KB
disk2s3 (disk2s3) <not mounted> : 29 KB
disk2s4 (disk2s4) <not mounted> : 29 KB
disk2s5 (disk2s5) <not mounted> : 29 KB
disk2s6 (disk2s6) <not mounted> : 262 KB
disk2s7 (disk2s7) <not mounted> : 262 KB
disk2s8 (disk2s8) <not mounted> : 262 KB
My Passport Studio (disk2s10) /Volumes/My Passport Studio : 1.00 TB (69.18 GB free)

Gatekeeper:
Mac App Store and identified developers

Problem System Launch Daemons:
[failed] com.apple.ucupdate.plist [Details]
[failed] com.apple.watchdogd.plist [Details]

User Login Items:
None

Internet Plug-ins:
Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10
QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

3rd Party Preference Panes:
None

Time Machine:
Time Machine not configured!

Top Processes by CPU:
18% WindowServer
1% fontd
1% com.apple.WebKit.Networking
0% Safari
0% syslogd

Top Processes by Memory:
567 MB com.apple.WebKit.WebContent
275 MB Safari
180 MB WindowServer
172 MB softwareupdated
69 MB Finder

Virtual Memory Information:
3.76 GB Free RAM
3.09 GB Active RAM
1.15 GB Inactive RAM
584 MB Wired RAM
1.21 GB Page-ins
0 B Page-outs

Diagnostics Information:
Jan 21, 2015, 10:14:50 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-01-21-101450_[redacted].crash
Jan 21, 2015, 10:14:39 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-01-21-101439_[redacted].crash
Jan 21, 2015, 10:14:29 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-01-21-101429_[redacted].crash
Jan 21, 2015, 10:14:18 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-01-21-101418_[redacted].crash
Jan 21, 2015, 10:14:08 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-01-21-101408_[redacted].crash
Jan 21, 2015, 10:13:57 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-01-21-101357_[redacted].crash
Jan 21, 2015, 10:13:38 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-01-21-101338_[redacted].crash
Jan 21, 2015, 06:21:09 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-01-21-062109_[redacted].crash
Jan 21, 2015, 06:17:05 AM Self test - passed
Jan 20, 2015, 07:53:53 PM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-01-20-195353_[redacted].crash
Jan 20, 2015, 07:53:33 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/WindowServer_2015-01-20-195333_[redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Details]
Jan 20, 2015, 07:21:42 PM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-01-20-192142_[redacted].crash
Jan 20, 2015, 07:21:32 PM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-01-20-192132_[redacted].crash
Jan 20, 2015, 07:21:22 PM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-01-20-192122_[redacted].crash
Jan 20, 2015, 07:21:04 PM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-01-20-192104_[redacted].crash
Jan 21, 2015, 10:13:47 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-01-21-101347_[redacted].crash
Jan 21, 2015, 10:12:07 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/WindowServer_2015-01-21-101207_[redacted].crash
Jan 20, 2015, 07:53:54 PM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-01-20-195354_[redacted].crash
Jan 20, 2015, 07:21:12 PM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-01-20-192112_[redacted].crash
Jan 20, 2015, 07:16:18 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/WindowServer_2015-01-20-191618_[redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Details]

PROBLEM RESOLVED.

I came to the conclusion that it was the Video card that was defective. I've read forums telling that people put their video card on oven (200C for about 8 mins) when defective and this way, it may resolve the problem. I was laughing to this at first. But I ended up doing it, lol. and it works perfectly now... I just don't believe it!...

Thank you all

Redlee said:

PROBLEM RESOLVED.

I came to the conclusion that it was the Video card that was defective. I've read forums telling that people put their video card on oven (200C for about 8 mins) when defective and this way, it may resolve the problem. I was laughing to this at first. But I ended up doing it, lol. and it works perfectly now... I just don't believe it!...

Thank you all

Click to expand...

Awesome! I've been coming across this sort of thing more & more. Congrats on the "reflow" in the oven working out!

- Nick

Just out of curiosity, how did you determine that it was, in the end, the graphics card that was the problem? And where does the oven come into play?

pww-blair said:

Just out of curiosity, how did you determine that it was, in the end, the graphics card that was the problem? And where does the oven come into play?

Click to expand...

When I was running my computer in safe mode, i've notice that any pictures, imagery seems to bug, there was lines and flashes on images. I've read forums telling about how to notice a graphic card problem, and it matched pretty well. I admit that i've took a risk. and I must add that my computer can log well and everything is ok by now, except that I noticed that I can't run any game now, it freezes after 30 sec after launching any game. At least I know where the problem is and will slowly put some money on the side to buy a new one.

About the oven, in another forum someone told me that he had this kind of problems and told me that the oven worked for him so I searched forums and found that it worked for many people.