OSX partition won't boot

[Vaettur]

Hello.

I have a problem concerning my Macbook Pro 17" (early 2009) running Yosemite.

The story:
It was running well until yesterday.
I wanted to reboot my system, however, during start-up, the progress bar under the Apple logo goes half-way (very slowly), after it turns into the Prohibitory Sign.

I have a Windows 7 bootcamp partition as well, which starts up just fine.
Within Bootcamp, i can acces the OSX partition as well, so i don't think there is a HDD problem really (however, correct me if i'm wrong)

I have researched the internet for hours and hours but couldn't find a working solution as of yet.

What i have tried so far at startup:
- PRAM reset (multiple times) > Does not make a difference.
- Command + R (Recovery Mode) > Does not start. Just Apple logo > Prohibitory Sign again.
- Option (Startup manager) > Only my OSX(obviously not working) and my Bootcamp(Working) partition is showing
- N (Netboot) > Shows a picture of a Globe blinking for a few times and disappears. After, same as before (Apple logo > Prohibitory sign)
- Shift (Safeboot) > Doesn't work, Safeboot does not start
- Command + V (Verbose mode) > Shows the usual white text, but gets stuck on "Still waiting for Root Device"
- Command + S (Single User Mode) > Same as Verbose Mode

It is worthy to note that i do not have access to an Installation DVD as i have purchased this MBP second-hand and a disc was not provided.
Also, i did not install anything while using OSX yesterday (when it was still running).

Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

[MacUser2525]

Hello.

I have a problem concerning my Macbook Pro 17" (early 2009) running Yosemite.

The story:
It was running well until yesterday.
I wanted to reboot my system, however, during start-up, the progress bar under the Apple logo goes half-way (very slowly), after it turns into the Prohibitory Sign.

I have a Windows 7 bootcamp partition as well, which starts up just fine.
Within Bootcamp, i can acces the OSX partition as well, so i don't think there is a HDD problem really (however, correct me if i'm wrong)

I have researched the internet for hours and hours but couldn't find a working solution as of yet.

What i have tried so far at startup:
- PRAM reset (multiple times) > Does not make a difference.
- Command + R (Recovery Mode) > Does not start. Just Apple logo > Prohibitory Sign again.
- Option (Startup manager) > Only my OSX(obviously not working) and my Bootcamp(Working) partition is showing
- N (Netboot) > Shows a picture of a Globe blinking for a few times and disappears. After, same as before (Apple logo > Prohibitory sign)
- Shift (Safeboot) > Doesn't work, Safeboot does not start
- Command + V (Verbose mode) > Shows the usual white text, but gets stuck on "Still waiting for Root Device"
- Command + S (Single User Mode) > Same as Verbose Mode

It is worthy to note that i do not have access to an Installation DVD as i have purchased this MBP second-hand and a disc was not provided.
Also, i did not install anything while using OSX yesterday (when it was still running).

Any ideas?

Thanks.

You need to get access to an installer disk/usb stick to boot with your machine as it sits now is toast. With no recovery or single user mode available you have no way to repair any problem. Hopefully you have backup of your data as if/when you get installer disk Disk Utility does not work for repairing/verifying the drive in the machine it is fresh install in your future.

 

[CoastalOR]

Do you have an SSD with TRIM enabled by a 3rd party app (modified a kext)?

 

[DeltaMac]

Do you have an SSD with TRIM enabled by a 3rd party app (modified a kext)?

Trim was my first thought, too.

OP - Sounds like your Windows (Bootcamp) install might have screwed with the OS X boot partition. That's not unknown.
If you have an SSD, and enabled trim for Yosemite, then that may contribute, too.
The fact that you can still boot to Windows, may be a good sign that the drive is still OK, and you just have a software issue with OS X.

The Netboot doesn't work if you don't have access to a netboot system. Your 2009 MBPro is too old to connect to Apple's Internet Recovery service.

The quickest fix to try is to boot to a Yosemite installer, and reinstall Yosemite.
If you don't already have one, you can download Yosemite from another Mac, then create a bootable USB flash drive for the Yosemite installer. You can search how to do that, or simply use the good DiskMakerX app, which makes that task easy, without needing to use the terminal.
(A bootable installer lets you reinstall OS X if you have need in the future, without needing to wait for the long download of the system files. It will be much the same as having DVD media, but more reliable, with a faster install... )