iMac will ONLY boot up in XP using Bootcamp

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I've been running bootcamp on my iMac so I could play games. I'd never had any problems with bootcamp, until one night, I had a problem loading a certain game- it was an MMORPG called Mabinogi. I tried doing some things on the Windows XP side to figure out why the game kept crashing. My friend (who works with computers all the time) said I could do disk cleanup and defragging, and it might help. I also had previously didn't have an antivirus installed in XP.

My computer was doing very strange things the entire time I tried to do disk cleanup, defrag, and install the AVG Free antivirus. Several times a blue screen came up, and forced the computer to restart itself. For a day after that whole mess, I couldn't use bootcamp to start up in Windows XP. I was doing fine booting up in Mac OS X. When I finally got XP working, I checked that side, and everything was running fine- antivirus, disk cleanup, defrag, the game I was trying to play...but when I went back to boot up in Mac OS X, I couldn't!

Whether I use bootcamp to choose to boot in Mac OS, or I just let it boot up naturally,it gets stuck at the white screen with the apple logo. I don't know what to do, and honestly I don't know what I possible could have done to affect the Mac. Any and all major changes I had done were on XP, so I can't figure out why that's affecting Mac.

Please help, and tell me what else you need to know...I'm really scared, and I want my full computer back.
 
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have you tried holding down the option button when rebooting? Doing that should show both sides and all you have to do is pick which one you want to boot on.
 

chscag

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If you can not enter OS X by holding down the OPTION key on boot up as the previous reply suggested, try booting the machine with your install DVD. After it boots from the install DVD, use Disk Utility from Utilities on the top menu to do a verify and repair on the hard drive.

I'm assuming you used the built in XP defrag program to optimize your XP partition. If you're not careful with defrag programs in Windows, they may attempt to defrag your OS X partition - especially if you're using Snow Leopard. That would be disastrous and very likely destroy the OS X boot sector.

Regards.
 
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ok, sorry to forget details like this,

Yes, I can hold down the option key. That's how I keep booting up in Windows. If I choose to boot up in OS X however, the same error occurs with white screen/apple logo.

Also, when I use the install disk, no such "disk utilities" option is provided. All it lets me do, is choose a language, then continue of I want to install Mac OS X onto "Bootcamp" drive, completely erasing all my data. (Haven't done this yet obviously).

I dont know what a boot sector is but I'm very scared now..I'm afraid that the defeagging messed everything up.
 

chscag

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OK. Thanks for posting back. I also just received your PM but since I'm still on line, I'll answer you here so everyone can benefit.

When you boot your machine with the install DVD, you have to escape out of the install process. In other words, cancel out of it. Then, select "Utilities" from the top menu. Further select "Disk Utility". Select the "First Aid" tab and do a verify and repair on the hard drive. (highlight your hard drive on the left side)

If Disk Utility won't work or can't see the hard drive, post back and let us know. We'll go from there. As a note, if the boot sector was destroyed by the XP defrag program it probably also scrambled the files and folders. That means a reinstall of OS X.

But let's take it one step at a time.

Regards.
 
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ok um, really quick, I don't see anything to escape out of the installation process, do you literally mean hit the escape button? because I think I tried it and it didn't work. I'll try it again though...


Thanks again for your help and patience. ><
 

chscag

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I guess "escape" is a poor choice of words. Just don't allow the install to progress, cancel out of it. Then go to the top menu and follow what I posted previously. I'll be around for awhile before I need to leave for work.

Regards.
 
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I'm having the same problem with Windows 7 on a 20" iMac Core 2 Duo 2.66GHz. I was in Windows (and actually enjoying Windows 7) and then went to the toolbar and selected the Bootcamp icon and selected "Reboot in OSX." It rebooted and hung on the grey apple screen. I held down the power button (that was the only option) and zapped the PRAM, tried again. Same thing. I rebooted with the Snow Leopard install disc inserted, held down the option button and selected the install disc. Same thing...hung at the grey apple screen. Finally, I rebooted in Windows (holding down the option button) and came to the forums.

Thanks,
 

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