Basic MAC Troubleshooting

Kernal Panic Error

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A kernel panic during startup can have many possible causes, including:

HardwareDevicesCorrupted file or volumeSoftware

How to Fix Kernal Panic

• Usually you can just restart the machine.

• Reset the PRAM

• Reset PMU

• If these steps don’t work send it down to LRC.

Other Startup Issues or Symbols

• POST Fails - No Chime at startup– Check Volume– Reset PRAM– Reset PMU– Still no chime - Hardware failure

• Blank Gray screen for more than a minute– Reset PRAM, Safe boot– Software failure or hard drive problem

Start up problems Continued…

• At startup you see this…

• Can’t find Start up disk

Startup Continued….

• You may also see this…

• Can't find the root device

• Failed to run fsck (verify disk)

• Can't find the startup disk driver– Hard drive Failure usually

Startup

• If the Mac displays the gray screen with the Apple logo, and shows a spinning gear, but never progresses past it, then the kernel cannot completely load the operating system. In this situation, you should:

– Continue to wait. The system can perform a disk directory check automatically if it was shut down improperly. On a large hard disk, this might take some time

– If the computer displays the spinning gear and then shuts down, or displays the spinning gear for a long time, this may indicate a long or failed directory check.

Login Issues

• Check for an Green Dot on Login screen.

• Check for IP address

• Try to login as yourself

Power Problems

• Check the battery for charge

• Check to see if power adaptor is lighting up amber or green. – Reset PRAM – Reset PMU– Remove the battery and then reinstall

How to Reset PRAM

• Shut down the computer

• Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command, Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4.

• Turn on the computer.

• Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys. You must press this key combination before the gray screen appears.

• Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time.

• Release the keys.

How and When to Reset PMU

• When should the SMC or PMU be reset?

You may need to reset your SMC or PMU only if you encounter issues that directly relate to one of these symptoms:

– Fans on high or system throttled when the system is not warm.

– Battery is not charging when it should be.

– LED on portable Mac's power adapter behaves incorrectly.

– Display/keyboard backlight adjustment does not work properly (for example, erratic behavior or no response) in response to ALS (Ambient Light Sensor).

– SIL (Status Indicator LED) behaving incorrectly on Macs that have a SIL.

– Incorrect response to power button press.

– Incorrect response to portable's lid open/close.

Resetting PMU

• If the computer is on, turn it off.• Disconnect the AC adapter and remove the

computer's battery• Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds and

then release the button.• Reconnect the battery and AC Adapter.• Press the power button to restart the computer

Questions, Comments Concerns.