Macbook Pro OS X Yosemite wont boot after update? Please help.

[Carter]

've recently installed the latest Yosemite update and after restarting my computer it wouldn't boot again. The bar only fills up about a quarter of the way after log in and then my computer shuts down. I have tried disk repair and I have also tried reinstalling Yosemite but I get an error message every time I try. I can use guest mode but that is all. There was absolutely no problems with my Mac before the update. Please help?

 

[honestone]

Hi Carter,

First of all, what exact Mac model do you have? You said Macbook Pro, but which exact model/year?

Secondly, what software did you try to use for Disk Repair, and how did you try that? Whether it was Apple's Disk Utility program, or something more robust like Disk Warrior or Tech Tool Pro, that process will need to be done with such a program launched externally to your "ailing" Mac.

Third, not sure how your account got "hosed", as I had no issues at all upgrading both of my Macs from Mavericks (OS 10.9.5) to Yosemite. How exactly did you first "get to" Yosemite? Did you upgrade like I did, or did you do a complete clean installation?

 

[Carter]

Thanks for replying.

I am pretty sure my Macbook Pro is Early 2011 although I cannot look right now since I am unable to get on OS X. Also, it is the 13 inch model.

I got to disk utility through recovery mode because it is the only thing I could think of to do since I cannot load OS X.

I will just tell you exactly what happened as it happened. First of all I already had Yosemite from day 1 by downloading it through the app store. When I downloaded Yosemite my computer was running OS X Mavericks. I have had no problems until yesterday. First, I was checking the app store for updates and noticed there was an update for OSX Yosemite. It was the 10.10.1 update. I downloaded the update then it told me to restart my computer after the update which I did. My computer shut down after or maybe during the installation which unfortunately I am unsure of since I wasn't at my computer at the second. All I know is that I pushed yes for my computer to restart after I downloaded the update. It then proceeded to automatically restart and a couple minutes later I checked my computer and it was off. I turned it back on and signed in to my main profile as always. After that I got the loading bar which only fills about a quarter of the way and then my computer shuts off. I am sure it wasn't something I did because everything was absolutely perfect until I downloaded the update. I've used every OS X since Lion and never had anything like this happen before.

 

[honestone]

Both earlier today, and about an hour ago, I upgraded to OS 10.10.1 on both of my Macs, and things went well. What happened in both cases is that after selecting restart, the installation proceeded (said it would take 7 minutes, but took less). At the end, the machine re-booted by itself, and then a screen appeared, asking (via an unchecked box) about sending information to Apple regarding some "things" (can't honestly remember what it said, as I left the box unchecked). I clicked Continue, and the desktop appeared, like normal.

After that initial installation, both machines were somewhat slow in re-starting up, but as I said, it went well. Now, they start up like normal.

For your issue, I'm wondering when you turned your machine off. If you did it during that re-load process (after the 7 minute installation completed), that could cause issues.

When you used Disk Utility, did you 1) Verify and Repair Permissions, and 2) verify and Repair the disk? If you did, and are still having issues, and without having access to a more robust disk repair program like Disk Warrior or Tech Tool Pro, another possible "solution" is to re-install OS 10.10 "over" what you have now. Not sure how that will go, and also what will happen (if anything) to the applications you have. Maybe some other folks have another solution.

It's unfortunate that you do not have a backup. On these forums, I am seeing that so, so often! Yet, it is rather painless to do. In fact, one can use the "free" mode of SuperDuper! to make a bootable backup (preferably to an external device). I always make such a backup (actually two copies) for both of my machines as part of my maintenance/backup processing every Saturday. I know this does not help you now, but once you get your issue resolved, I strongly suggest you start doing that. If you had done that, you could boot your machine from that bootable backup, and do a restore from it to your internal drive.

Additionally, one should do disk maintenance some what frequently, so that the machine runs fine. Again, this does not take much time. One excellent tool I use (and it's free!) is Onyx. I have been using for such a long time, that I depend on it (along with Tech Tool Pro and SuperDuper!). It has had a number of excellent reviews.

 

[Carter]

Both earlier today, and about an hour ago, I upgraded to OS 10.10.1 on both of my Macs, and things went well. What happened in both cases is that after selecting restart, the installation proceeded (said it would take 7 minutes, but took less). At the end, the machine re-booted by itself, and then a screen appeared, asking (via an unchecked box) about sending information to Apple regarding some "things" (can't honestly remember what it said, as I left the box unchecked). I clicked Continue, and the desktop appeared, like normal.

After that initial installation, both machines were somewhat slow in re-starting up, but as I said, it went well. Now, they start up like normal.

For your issue, I'm wondering when you turned your machine off. If you did it during that re-load process (after the 7 minute installation completed), that could cause issues.

When you used Disk Utility, did you 1) Verify and Repair Permissions, and 2) verify and Repair the disk? If you did, and are still having issues, and without having access to a more robust disk repair program like Disk Warrior or Tech Tool Pro, another possible "solution" is to re-install OS 10.10 "over" what you have now. Not sure how that will go, and also what will happen (if anything) to the applications you have. Maybe some other folks have another solution.

It's unfortunate that you do not have a backup. On these forums, I am seeing that so, so often! Yet, it is rather painless to do. In fact, one can use the "free" mode of SuperDuper! to make a bootable backup (preferably to an external device). I always make such a backup (actually two copies) for both of my machines as part of my maintenance/backup processing every Saturday. I know this does not help you now, but once you get your issue resolved, I strongly suggest you start doing that. If you had done that, you could boot your machine from that bootable backup, and do a restore from it to your internal drive.

Additionally, one should do disk maintenance some what frequently, so that the machine runs fine. Again, this does not take much time. One excellent tool I use (and it's free!) is Onyx. I have been using for such a long time, that I depend on it (along with Tech Tool Pro and SuperDuper!). It has had a number of excellent reviews.

I use Onyx on my computer and have ran a disc repair program many times. The big mistake I made was not having a backup. ;-( If I delete OS X and reinstall won't it be like starting over on a new computer? I thought of that but I am worried I will lose everything. Like I said I can't reinstall it under recovery mode so I would have to delete everything from my computer in recovery mode and then install OS X right? It says something when I boot in Verbose mode about something happening and that my computer will shut down in so many seconds. If I find out exactly what it said and then tell you will that help you to help me? Anyways, I appreciate you taking the time to help me whether it works out or not. Thank you.

 

[honestone]

I don't think you can just delete the OS (leaving everything else as is), and then try and re-install Yosemite. That won't work.

If there are important "data" files on the drive, then wiping it clean, doing a clean installation of Yosemite, and installing your applications one by one (hopefully you have them saved somewhere else) will wipe out those "data" files.

Given that this has never happened to me, and that I keep my machines "clean and mean", doing something further without stronger "tools" is something beyond me.

What disc repair program have you used before? Do you still have it? Not sure, though, that having will help, since you cannot get to it on your "problematic" drive (from a software perspective).

If either you have another Mac with a Firewire 800 port (from what I can tell, your machine has a Firewire 800 port), or know of someone that does (and hopefully there are more robust disk repair programs there), you could boot your Mac in "Target Disk" mode. Here is how that would work:

1. Connect the two Macs with a Firewire 800 cable.

2. Start up the "good" Mac.

3. After it completes its' start up process, for your machine, hold down the T key when you boot it up.

4. Your machine's internal drive will then show up on the good Mac's desktop as an "external" device.

You can then use whatever Disk Repair tools you have on the good Mac to analyze and "possibly" repair the drive/software, etc. And, I suspect Disk Warrior would be the best program to use at this point, with Tech Tool Pro being a close second.

Sorry that I cannot offer an easier, more "doable" solution. You should post what it says via Verbose mode. Maybe someone else with more experience with such a problem can offer a solution.

 

[Carter]

I don't think you can just delete the OS (leaving everything else as is), and then try and re-install Yosemite. That won't work.

If there are important "data" files on the drive, then wiping it clean, doing a clean installation of Yosemite, and installing your applications one by one (hopefully you have them saved somewhere else) will wipe out those "data" files.

Given that this has never happened to me, and that I keep my machines "clean and mean", doing something further without stronger "tools" is something beyond me.

What disc repair program have you used before? Do you still have it? Not sure, though, that having will help, since you cannot get to it on your "problematic" drive (from a software perspective).

If either you have another Mac with a Firewire 800 port (from what I can tell, your machine has a Firewire 800 port), or know of someone that does (and hopefully there are more robust disk repair programs there), you could boot your Mac in "Target Disk" mode. Here is how that would work:

1. Connect the two Macs with a Firewire 800 cable.

2. Start up the "good" Mac.

3. After it completes its' start up process, for your machine, hold down the T key when you boot it up.

4. Your machine's internal drive will then show up on the good Mac's desktop as an "external" device.

You can then use whatever Disk Repair tools you have on the good Mac to analyze and "possibly" repair the drive/software, etc. And, I suspect Disk Warrior would be the best program to use at this point, with Tech Tool Pro being a close second.

Sorry that I cannot offer an easier, more "doable" solution. You should post what it says via Verbose mode. Maybe someone else with more experience with such a problem can offer a solution.

I don't think there is much I can do about this problem except start over again. Thankfully, I don't have too much important "data" to be lost on my Mac. Also, I will be sure to do everything you said next time around. Thank you for your help and for all the tips you provided me with.