Restart message, need help

[lupin84]

Hi,

I was playing on my computer this evening and I'd just exited out of a game and was about to open the internet when I got a message telling me I need to restart my computer. I did that and then it would no longer boot, all I get is the gray screen, the apple then the error message again.

I've googled this and it seems it is a kernal error.

I ran my mac osx disc like it suggested and check for hardware errors. Both the normal and extended scans came away with no problems found.

Since then I have tried various things:

Hold x
Hold s
Hold Option
Hold Cmd-Option-P-R
Hold Shift

But none managed to get me past that loading stage.

I'm running out of ideas. I would try to reinstall the OS but there are some files that I've had in the past week and not yet backed up which I would really like to rescue if at all possible.

Does anyone have any further suggestions? If not I guess I'm on the phone in the morning to my local mac reapir shop.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[chscag]

You didn't give us any specs on your Mac? Also, were you able to run verify and repair on the hard drive when booted from the install DVD?

Regards.

 

[lupin84]

Ah apologies it's late here. It's the basic Mac Pro (mid 2006 I believe). If you need to know specifics I can check under hardware list when it goes to hardware test. I don't know anymore than that off the top of my head though, I must confess to not being very clued up on the inner workings on the machine.

How do I access verify and repair? I'll give it a go, that won't affect any files I have saved that might be there though?

Many thanks!

 

[lupin84]

Ok I tried holding option when booting and that gave me the option of the computer or DVD. I clicked on the DVD but it brought the same arror up again.

 

[6string]

Try booting holding C key donw when you here the chime.
After selecting language, go to the menu bar>utilities>disk Utility>select the drive and run verify and repair disk.

 

[harryb2448]

First up zap the PRAM by holding down Option, Command, P and R keys all at the same time immediately after the chime and keep jeld down until chimes twice more and release.

If no go do as suggested by 6string after inserting the systems disc, and also could be the hard drive. Look at this link for further suggestions:-

Resolving Kernel Panics

 

[lupin84]

Holding C seems to have no effect and it just loads to the same error.

I have also done PRAM and that restarted but then loaded again to the same error.



I'm about ready to tear my hair out.

 

[lupin84]

Followed the instructions on the link but because holding C seems to do nothing for me I can only follow it so far.

 

[harryb2448]

Let's be clear. You are inserting the system install DVD, rebooting with it in, and holding down 'C' immediately after the chime until the gear wheel appears?

 

[lupin84]

Yes I was, it just ignored me and popped the error up anyway.

Thanks for the help all, I took it to a local repair guy today and he ran lots of tests while I waited, it was only when he swapped out the graphics card it finally booted. So the good news is I've not lost my data, the bad news is I'm buying a new graphics card.

Thanks again for the help, even though I couldn't fix it myself I think I learned a few things. Certainly to get all my data backed up!

 

[chas_m]

Glad to hear it was something (relatively) minor and you didn't lose data. You got very lucky.