2010 mp, black screen on startup

[steveOooo]

today I reinstalled el cap. I had an error signing into the App Store so thought I'd reinstall OS X.

Reinstalled onto a 2tb ssd with x3 spinners pulled out of the chassis as I thought as one had my old home directory on it that it may be causing issues,,

Restarted and now all I get is a black screen!

Force shutdown (which was quick so possible it's not getting to the signing screen) restarted using command+r - I get access to disc utility and the drives are still there - I did another reinstall with all drives back in and all was fine (could access the drives) until.... I restarted and Boom! It's a black screen.

So, any solution? Why has this done this? Seeing as I can get access to the files (possibly only via a reinstall) I could get all files off and format the drives?

I've done a pram and smc reset

I also selected to encrypt the boot disc on install - pretty sure I didn't select this when I last install el cap a year or two ago - maybe there is a conflict with the other drives?

 

[handheldgames]

Is your video card supported by ElCap? Try pulling all unnecessary / drives / components to help identify the issue.

I've also seen black screens on bootup, where caps lock works but I have no video. Try power cycling or hot plugging your display.

 

[steveOooo]

Is your video card supported by ElCap? Try pulling all unnecessary / drives / components to help identify the issue.

I've also seen black screens on bootup, where caps lock works but I have no video. Try power cycling or hot plugging your display.

Caps lock light is not on when screen is black, if that indicates anything.

Just backing up the 3 internal drives today so will format them and hope that fixes it.

Tried the display, nothing.

 

[DearthnVader]

Do you get any video when you hold the Opt key?

If not, and a Pram and SMC reset don't work, it's not a problem with your drives. Either your video card isn't working, or some other hardware has failed.

Boot Chime?

 

[h9826790]

Is your video card supported by ElCap? Try pulling all unnecessary / drives / components to help identify the issue.

I've also seen black screens on bootup, where caps lock works but I have no video. Try power cycling or hot plugging your display.

If his signature is up to date, then R9 380 should be a good card for El Capitan.

Do you get any video when you hold the Opt key?

If not, and a Pram and SMC reset don't work, it's not a problem with your drives. Either your video card isn't working, or some other hardware has failed.

Boot Chime?

If his signature is correct, he won’t get boot screen, and boot manager won’t work either (not even in “blind mode”).

However, a PRAM reset can help to tell if the hardware is working. Since he can hear the chime, so, the hardware is fine (at least bootable).

I also selected to encrypt the boot disc on install - pretty sure I didn't select this when I last install el cap a year or two ago - maybe there is a conflict with the other drives?

You are 99% correct. You CANNOT use FileVault without a Mac EFI GPU (it’s your GPU, not the drives).

 

[DearthnVader]

If his signature is up to date, then R9 380 should be a good card for El Capitan.



If his signature is correct, he won’t get boot screen, and boot manager won’t work either (not even in “blind mode”).

However, a PRAM reset can help to tell if the hardware is working. Since he can , so, the hardware is fine (at least bootable).



You are 99% correct. You CANNOT use FileVault without a Mac EFI GPU (it’s your GPU, not the drives).

Filevault is likely the trouble here, it's a pure EFI environment, and it will only work if you have a proper EFI graphics card.

The disk with FileVault will have to be removed or formatted, you need a boot drive that doesn't have FileVault , or it will just keep trying to load to a black screen because it can't get a boot screen from an non EFI graphics card.

It would be possible to run FileVault if the system is booted via Clover Legacy, as Clover supports Filevault and I've used it that way before.

Otherwise, remove or format the VF drive.

 

[steveOooo]

Filevault is likely the trouble here, it's a pure EFI environment, and it will only work if you have a proper EFI graphics card.

The disk with FileVault will have to be removed or formatted, you need a boot drive that doesn't have FileVault , or it will just keep trying to load to a black screen because it can't get a boot screen from an non EFI graphics card.

It would be possible to run FileVault if the system is booted via Clover Legacy, as Clover supports Filevault and I've used it that way before.

Otherwise, remove or format the VF drive.

Ah yes was gonna post here - you have confirmed my suspicion that it was file vault - my last install attempt I didn't install FileVault and after spending the whole day double backing up 5tb, I hit restart and everything was ok!

Thanks all for your help