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2.16 or 2.33 GHz Core 2 Duo processor

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After reset P-Ram, startup gives Blue screen, spinning wheel, repeats.

Core 2 Duo 2.33 GHz Model A1211:

I replaced my internal hard drive with one from ifixit (the 7200rpm 500GB). I had preloaded the harddrive with an image of the old HD system (Snow Leopard 10.6)and confirmed that it would boot as an external drive. MacBook Pro, 2.33Ghz, Model 1211.

Installed the new drive and it booted up fine. But when I reset the parameter Ram by holding down Cmd-Option-p-r the Mac would repeated reboot, not show the gray screen with Apple, reboot, repeat untill I released the keys.

Now it will not boot, it shows gray screen with Apple and spinning wheel, goes to blue screen with spinning wheel, then goes to blue screen with spinning wheel and repeats forever. I have to hold the power key to turn it off.

Booting with an external drive works fine and the system runs fine.

Do I need to open it back up and replace the Parameter Ram battery, or simply remove it?

Answer this question I have this problem too

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What does it do if you boot 1) with the Shift key held down or 2) booting into single user mode---hold down "command+S"?? (either one you try, just hold keys down immediately on hearing startup chime.)

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chances are you are dealing with a software issue on your OS. if booting to a known good volume works (i.e. your external) then you know the hardware on the computer itself is fine. i would try a fresh install to check it.

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Holding down Shift, will not boot, same repeated blue screen with wheel.

Holding down Command-s, boots into single user mode and presents options to modify key file. I don't know how to modify said files so I entered Exit and boot continued... to black screen, then briefly blue, repeating back to black, repeat. Doesn't boot.

Command-option-f-o, same result as repeated blue screen.

Now have booted from previously removed HD in an external enclosure and (by holding down option during boot and selecting ext drive) will restore it's image to the internal drive.

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OK, a restore of a previous image backup to the new HD worked, it is now booting normally.

Note, command-option-f-o does nothing, the boot process continues normally to the login screen.

I'm running Mac OS X 10.6.2. MacBook Pro model 1211, 2.33GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 3 GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM.

Checking the Apple startup command list shows hold command-option-p-r during startup untill hearing two chimes. I held these keys and the Mac never chimed, it would repeatedly restart with a few seconds of startup before restarting again. Happily, releasing the keys allowed it to complete a normal startup with no apparent damage to the HD.

So bottom line - the cmd-opt-p-r after the first successful boot of the new drive apparently corrupted the drive and required a restore.

Further, I still don't have a known good procedure to reset NVRAM. Is there some detail I'm not getting? Apply the keys after the startup chime, before the chime?

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2 Comments:

look here to reset NVRAM.

Though if things are working OK I wouldn't mess with it.

Good luck,

N.

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OOPS my bad - NVRAM can be reset in open firmware ONLY on PowerPCs!

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You already did a "safe boot"?

Try booting while holding down command-option-f-o (open firmware boot) reset the NVRAM with the commands :

'''

  • reset-nvram
  • press RETURN
  • reset-all
  • press RETURN'''

Machine will restart.

Good Luck,

N.

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Hey Machead, Intel Macs don't have OF.

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