Slow Startup... Any Reason Why?

[Zwhaler]

Ok, so last night I was just about to turn off my iMac, and I decided that my iPod (Photo) was charged enough so I pulled it from the dock that was connected to my computer. All of a sudden, a message pops up that says that I need to restart the computer. It was in like 5 different languages, too. Ever since then, my startup takes 3-4x the time it used to. Really annoying... any suggestions on what to do? Keep in mind this happened only from removing my iPod from it's dock.

Edit: I just noticed that my clock (top right corner) is missing

Edit 2: Restarted... and I noticed that the setting for my AirPort Signal, and my Clock were turned off (to put the icon in the menu bar) so I turned it back on. Any idea on what my computer is doing?

 

[emptyCup]

Any idea on what my computer is doing?

Not really but iPods are treated like disk drives. They need to be unmounted before being unplugged (unlike other USB devices such as printers). Reset your settings. Make sure you have a Startup Drive selected in System Preferences. Although I have unplugged my iPod occasionally without consequence (besides a message), don't do it again a see what happens. Best wishes.

 

[Zwhaler]

Thanks for the advice, but heres the thing. When I click on iTunes, it will not open. It just says it is not responding and I have to force quit it every time. Help?

 

[AppleMatt]

It does sound like either a corrupted or failing hard-drive. Start the computer in verbose mode and see if there are any telling messages (most likely, the last few messages before the computer pauses during boot).

1. Turn on.
2. After chime, hold 'Command + V'.

AppleMatt

 

[MattyP]

Fsck

Usually when you get that message in five different languages telling you to restart it means there was a Kernel Panic, and a device or card connected to your computer may have corrupted drivers or something of that nature. Two things to try are:

1. "Zap" the Pram
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=2238

2. Run FSCK
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214

Good luck!

 

[Zwhaler]

Thanks guys, I will try those solutions shortly. So all this is caused by removing my iPod without ejecting? But that can't be... since iTunes wouldn't respond..

One more thing. I tried restarting the computer this morning, but I left for school before it completed the restart. When I came home and tried to turn it on, it woke up, and all it was displaying was my desktop background, and a strange shadow looking thing at the top of the screen (it appeared to be the shadow under the menu bar, yet the menu bar itself wasn't there)

 

[Zwhaler]

Ooookk... I tried startup in verbose mode... I didn't really underdstand anything it said... other than somthing timing out and trying again later.

I tried the PRAM, and so far nothing has changed. Another thing - if I try to open iTunes, it will give me the beachball, tell me it isn't responding, and when I try to force quit, it says it has been closes on the force quite application list, but when I look at the dock the triangle it still under iTunes. When I try force quitting again, it says it is back running, and from there it is an endless cycle.

I tried verbose mode again, and the only thing I noticed is that it said something about "diskarb" not being ready.

 

[Zwhaler]

Just got off the phone with some Apple dude... he told me to try deleting a certain installer thingy called iTunes.pkg... and I did, and reinstalled iTunes (also redownloaded from Apple.com) and it still does the exact same thing. And the startup is still slow!

 

[MBHockey]

Create a new MacOS X user account, reboot, and log into the new account. Is it similarly slow?

If so, please post your System.log which can be gotten from Console.app (in /Applications/Utilities) and we can see what the system-wide problem is.

 

[Zwhaler]

Create a new MacOS X user account, reboot, and log into the new account. Is it similarly slow?

If so, please post your System.log which can be gotten from Console.app (in /Applications/Utilities) and we can see what the system-wide problem is.

Tried that.


Good news! I fixed the problem! And you won't believe what fixed it... just plugging in and removing my iPod shuffle from the dock! Don't ask me how it did the trick... but it did! Thanks to those who tried to help.