Imac mid 2011 help

I recently bought a imac from someone. Guy said that it turns works but will not boot up. (bought the computer for $150). Got it home turned on. It goes to a white screen then goes black. I manually shut the computer down and does it again. I look ok online on how to boot up in safe mode from. Cmnd+r it. Goes into a wireless update a status bar starts to load goes to about 50% the screen goes black again. I try to maybe the hard drive needs to be just wiped and just do a re store. I one again manually shut down the computer when it chimes I hold down the cmnd button and it brings up the hard drive but the hard drive says windows. I'm thinking he tried to install Windows on it and couldn't get it to work properly. I created a USB install drive with os Sierra and when I restart the computer Im holing the cmnd button the hard drive comes up and the flash drive comes up. I click the the flash drive it starts to load then goes back to back screen after a period time. I'm lost after this point.

G'day and welcome to the forums.

I guess this seller did not pass n the original install DVD for Snow Leopard OS X.6. Suggest you purchase from Apple Online for $20 posted, when you get the DVD pop it in, boot hold down Option, and go into Utilities and run Repair Disk. Looks like you are having either hard drive problems, or graphics problems, or both, which ismaybe why he has unloaded it.

Guy said that it turns works but will not boot up.

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I'd really question that statement and don't really understand what it actually means.


FWIW: If that mid 2011 iMac was like mine I got after Lion had been released, they didn't include any SL 10.6.6 install disk. Interesting when I called and inquired with the Apple techs, they couldn't confirm that it could even run SL so sent me a 10.6.6 Install Disk anyway, and at no charge.

Yes, it worked.

And I'd agree with harry's diagnosis and summary.




- Patrick
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pm-r said:

I'd really question that statement and don't really understand what it actually means.


FWIW: If that mid 2011 iMac was like mine I got after Lion had been released, they didn't include any SL 10.6.6 install disk. Interesting when I called and inquired with the Apple techs, they couldn't confirm that it could even run SL so sent me a 10.6.6 Install Disk anyway, and at no charge.

Yes, it worked.

And I'd agree with harry's diagnosis and summary.




- Patrick
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He said that the computer turns on but. Would not boot up. We turned it on and went to a white screen. I'll try that. Thanks for your help guys

He said that the computer turns on but. Would not boot up.

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O.K. A bit different description terminology used I guess, and I wouldn't have expected to have heard of the two being separate. At least they got the would not boot up part correct which I would have thought was the more critical.






- Patrick
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Hmmm… quite a few hits with a web search unfortunately, and especially so considering using a possibly similar mid 2011 27" iMac:
https://www.google.ca/search?client...&oe=UTF-8&gfe_rd=cr&ei=mQ98WMucH8Pe8Aev2KSICA

With some suggestions here:
https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/138992/27"+iMac+doesn't+boot+past+white+screen,+not-responsive

and then there's apple's recall, now expired, for some bad graphics cards if yours was one so included:
https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT203787






- Patrick
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He said that the computer turns on but. Would not boot up.

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Good to hear that the computer was not 100% at time of sale. Sounds like the seller was being honest.

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

Good to hear that the computer was not 100% at time of sale. Sounds like the seller was being honest.

- Nick

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I figure I would try to get it working again and sell it and make a profit off it

Chexx05 said:

I figure I would try to get it working again and sell it and make a profit off it

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Always a possibility. Unless the seller of this iMac knew that the iMac had big-time issue's.

I agree with what harryb2448 advised above. If you do not have any proper bootable media (other than the computer's internal drive) to boot the computer from. The $20 Snow Leopard DVD from Apple could be the best $20 bucks you spend to try to figure this issue out (save lots of time & headaches).

You can probably get one of these DVD's via ebay as well for maybe less than $20. Just make sure you get a retail DVD (picture of a Snow Leopard on it)...and not a gray colored disk.

- Nick