What can I do if my Mac will not start?

Answer by  Pioneer (22)

Try plugging it in of course. If the computer completely refuses to respond, a few things could have happened. The power supply might be fried, or you might have gotten a rare Mac virus. More then likely the problem is with the hardware, so take it down to Mac to see what they say. Go from there.

Answer by  XTC46 (394)

What to do depends on why it wont start. If it doesnt power on at all (no lights no sounds) then make sure it is plugged in, and also try a differnt power cord or power outlet.

Answer by  NoblesseOblige (444)

It depends on where it freezes at. If your Mac boots to a flashing question mark, try to boot from the Operating system disc by holding V with the disc in the drive when you start up, and repair disk/reinstall the operating system. If it doesn't get this far, your power supply may be mad and in need of replacement.

Answer by  dannyg28 (3070)

I have a Mac and have not had that problem, but I do have MAc extended care and if I had that particular problem I can call Mac technical support and they will walk me through it.

Answer by  Taylor (863)

If your mac isn't even turning on, you could have a serious problem related to the power supply, I would recommend you search for replacement Mac power supplies. If it turns on but won't go into Mac OS, reinstall Mac OS. Otherwise it could be a more serious problem and you should take it to geek squad.

Answer by  cjsmuz (162)

You will need to insert your Mac start up disk in your CD slot. Power up your Mac and hold down the "c" key and your Mac will boot from the start up disk. Alternatively, hold down the Command-Option-Shift-Delete keys (all at once) to get to the CD Rom slot.

Answer by  Jo46 (394)

Check all of your connections. If they are all fine and it still won't turn on, call the manufacturer if your unit is still under warranty. If it is no longer under the manufacturer's warranty, get on another computer that does work and try tech support forums. I find them EXTREMELY helpful. Hopefully it's software and not hardware!

Answer by  tmoney (176)

It depends on the model, but here are the basic things to try. Check to see if it is plugged in. Hold down the power button for several seconds. Insert a straightened paper clip into the tiny hole next to the power button.

Answer by  xGSPOTx (22)

Do a Google and/or Yahoo search (or something similar) about your exact problem. What is it doing? Does the power light come on or not? These are important things to know. Try visiting a mac forum. You generally don't need to join to browse and you can usually find some answers there.

Answer by  bassplayer (257)

If your mac will not start then you can probably start it in safe mode. If you are using a Macbook then remove the battery and reinstall it if you have that option. If it still won't start then take it to the Apple store where they can diagnose problems

Answer by  MPX (171)

If your computer doesn't want to start, I would recommend you reinstall the OS. Your Mac came with a recovery disk, insert it and it will reinstall the OS.