Startup problem - grey screen & flashing white square.

terryW · 12-18-2005, 11:42 AM

After pressing the start-up button my newish 20" G5 has produced a grey screen with a small flashing square & blue earth globe in the middle. Then after 5 minute showed a small folder with finder face alternating with ? mark. The mouse is lit but keys do not respond to touch. This has happened once recently before.

Just now however, in a fit of angst, I went to get a glass of calming Wild Turkey & when I got back to the G5 it was showing my chosen desktop picture & seems to be working alright.

I've had my iMac G4 for 2 years now & have never seen a screen like the one just described so I am wondering what has happened & should I take any remedial action if there is any?

giskard22 · 12-18-2005, 12:02 PM

The earth icon tells you that the computer is attempting to NetBoot (start up from a special network server instead of the local hard disk). I'm guessing the startup disk setting somehow got messed up. Go into System Prefs/Startup Disk and make sure your hard drive is selected.

12-18-2005, 11:42 AM	#1
terryW Prospect Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 6	Startup problem - grey screen & flashing white square. After pressing the start-up button my newish 20" G5 has produced a grey screen with a small flashing square & blue earth globe in the middle. Then after 5 minute showed a small folder with finder face alternating with ? mark. The mouse is lit but keys do not respond to touch. This has happened once recently before. Just now however, in a fit of angst, I went to get a glass of calming Wild Turkey & when I got back to the G5 it was showing my chosen desktop picture & seems to be working alright. I've had my iMac G4 for 2 years now & have never seen a screen like the one just described so I am wondering what has happened & should I take any remedial action if there is any?

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12-18-2005, 12:02 PM	#2
giskard22 Moderator Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 4,272	The earth icon tells you that the computer is attempting to NetBoot (start up from a special network server instead of the local hard disk). I'm guessing the startup disk setting somehow got messed up. Go into System Prefs/Startup Disk and make sure your hard drive is selected.