grey screen at startup

[hellfried]

lately i have been getting a few lockups at the grey screen during bootup. i verified disk using disk utility and this is what i got -

2009-04-04 23:05:26 +0800: Disk Utility started.

2009-04-04 23:05:31 +0800: Verifying volume “Macintosh HD”
Starting verification tool: 2009-04-04 23:05:31 +0800
2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800:
2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800: Performing live verification.
2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800: Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800: Checking Extents Overflow file.
2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800: Checking Catalog file.
2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800: Checking multi-linked files.
2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800: Checking Catalog hierarchy.
2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800: Checking Extended Attributes file.
2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800: Checking volume bitmap.
2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800: Checking volume information.
2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800: Invalid volume file count
2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800: 2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800: 2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800: (It should be 672620 instead of 672621)
2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800: Invalid volume directory count
2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800: 2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800: 2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800: (It should be 164725 instead of 164724)
2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800: 2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800: The volume Macintosh HD needs to be repaired.

2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800: Error: Filesystem verify or repair failed.2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800:
2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800: Disk Utility stopped verifying “Macintosh HD” because the following error was encountered:

Filesystem verify or repair failed.
2009-04-04 23:07:52 +0800:

any clues as to what is going on?

i also ran tech tool deluxe and it says that the volume structure has failed its test. should i start panicking?

i am running leopard (fully updated) on a 20" imac with a 2.4 GHz processor and 2 Gig of RAM.

 

[iLog.Genius]

If you can't repair the volume, you're probably looking at an Archive and Install. From there, you'll have to wait to see if the HDD itself is acting up but usually it's just some invalid data that a reinstall can fix.

 

[hellfried]

archive and install or time machine?

If you can't repair the volume, you're probably looking at an Archive and Install. From there, you'll have to wait to see if the HDD itself is acting up but usually it's just some invalid data that a reinstall can fix.

if i do an archive and install will i have to reinstall all my programs? i have my hd backed up on another usb drive via time machine but if i reinstall from that i am worried that the problem will arise again. advice please?

 

[txhockey9404]

if i do an archive and install will i have to reinstall all my programs? i have my hd backed up on another usb drive via time machine but if i reinstall from that i am worried that the problem will arise again. advice please?

When you finish your reinstall, go through the Migration Assistant and move your Time Machine backup back onto your machine. It will be identical to your old system. If you still have problems, or it decides not to install, you most likely have a dying drive.

 

[PurrBall]

I wouldn't do an Archive and Install in this case, I would back up and wipe the drive. That will definitely fix the problem if it's not a dud drive.

 

[iLog.Genius]

If you perform an archive and install, it should preserve your applications so you wouldn't need to reinstall them. If anything goes wrong, you still have your Time Machine backup. As of right now, we don't know if it's your HDD or something software related. You have two options here:

1. Archive and Install and then restore from Time Machine Backup (see if problem occurs then if it does, it could still be HDD or something associated with your account)

2. Just perform an Archive and Install and don't restore from TM and see if the problem is still there.

Also, you might want to try a new user, if problems occur there, then it's system-wide and it's likely something in Macintosh HD\Library and an archive and install should fix it.

 

[hellfried]

When you finish your reinstall, go through the Migration Assistant and move your Time Machine backup back onto your machine. It will be identical to your old system. If you still have problems, or it decides not to install, you most likely have a dying drive.

when u say "reinstall" i take you mean a fresh install and not a "archive & install"?

 

[hellfried]

Also, you might want to try a new user, if problems occur there, then it's system-wide and it's likely something in Macintosh HD\Library and an archive and install should fix it.

ok i logged in as a guest and got exactly the same thing with disk verification:

2009-04-05 09:42:02 +0800: Verifying volume “Macintosh HD”
Starting verification tool: 2009-04-05 09:42:02 +0800
2009-04-05 09:42:22 +0800:
2009-04-05 09:42:22 +0800: Performing live verification.
2009-04-05 09:42:22 +0800: Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
2009-04-05 09:42:22 +0800: Checking Extents Overflow file.
2009-04-05 09:44:35 +0800: Checking Catalog file.
2009-04-05 09:44:36 +0800: Checking multi-linked files.
2009-04-05 09:44:36 +0800: Checking Catalog hierarchy.
2009-04-05 09:44:36 +0800: Checking Extended Attributes file.
2009-04-05 09:44:36 +0800: Checking volume bitmap.
2009-04-05 09:44:36 +0800: Checking volume information.
2009-04-05 09:44:36 +0800: Invalid volume file count
2009-04-05 09:44:36 +0800: 2009-04-05 09:44:36 +0800: 2009-04-05 09:44:36 +0800: (It should be 673996 instead of 673997)
2009-04-05 09:44:36 +0800: Invalid volume directory count
2009-04-05 09:44:36 +0800: 2009-04-05 09:44:36 +0800: 2009-04-05 09:44:36 +0800: (It should be 164794 instead of 164793)
2009-04-05 09:44:36 +0800: 2009-04-05 09:44:36 +0800: The volume Macintosh HD needs to be repaired.

2009-04-05 09:44:36 +0800: Error: Filesystem verify or repair failed.2009-04-05 09:44:36 +0800:
2009-04-05 09:44:36 +0800: Disk Utility stopped verifying “Macintosh HD” because the following error was encountered:

Filesystem verify or repair failed.
2009-04-05 09:44:36 +0800:

looks like its archive and install for me!

 

[hellfried]

password not working

i did an archive and install. now i cannot get into the desktop with my login password! it gives me the correct prompt for the password but when i key it in it refuses. help!

note- it never ask me once to reset my password during the whole installation process.

 

[hellfried]

ok i pressed the panic button a bit too quick. found the solution on the apple website support. now to test my 'new' system without using time machine first.

update :
yes! success! this is what verify disk says -

**********
2009-04-05 11:21:43 +0800: Disk Utility started.

2009-04-05 11:21:50 +0800: Verifying volume “Macintosh HD”
Starting verification tool: 2009-04-05 11:21:50 +0800
2009-04-05 11:25:35 +0800:
2009-04-05 11:25:36 +0800: Performing live verification.
2009-04-05 11:25:36 +0800: Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
2009-04-05 11:25:36 +0800: Checking Extents Overflow file.
2009-04-05 11:25:36 +0800: Checking Catalog file.
2009-04-05 11:25:36 +0800: Checking multi-linked files.
2009-04-05 11:25:36 +0800: Checking Catalog hierarchy.
2009-04-05 11:25:37 +0800: Checking Extended Attributes file.
2009-04-05 11:25:37 +0800: Checking volume bitmap.
2009-04-05 11:25:37 +0800: Checking volume information.
2009-04-05 11:25:37 +0800: The volume Macintosh HD appears to be OK.
Verifying tool completed: 2009-04-05 11:25:37 +0800
2009-04-05 11:25:37 +0800:
2009-04-05 11:25:37 +0800:

even techtool deluxe has given me a clean bill of health!

now lets see if this solves my grey screen issue.

 

[iLog.Genius]

That's good to hear. Ended up being something probably in your HD's library folder as originally suspected. The archive and install should also solve the grey screen problem - something preventing you from booting up (a boot up file) was probably fixed.

Congrats!

 

[hellfried]

That's good to hear. Ended up being something probably in your HD's library folder as originally suspected. The archive and install should also solve the grey screen problem - something preventing you from booting up (a boot up file) was probably fixed.

Congrats!

thanks dude!