This article contains frequently asked questions (FAQ) regarding Macintosh startup issues, with answers to those questions.

Before troubleshooting, remove any unnecessary external peripherals such as joysticks, disk drives, and so forth.

Questions answered in this article:

1. When trying to start my computer, I hear a noise like breaking glass.
2. When starting my computer, I hear the normal startup chime and then a series of musical beeps? I have heard a series of both four and eight beeps.
3. What do I do if the Desktop is rebuilt every time I start the computer?
4. Why do I get a flashing question mark (?) every time I start my computer?
5. What do I do if my icons all look generic (documents are blank with a folded down corner and applications are diamonds with a hand), or when I double-click a document it says the application that created it cannot be found?
6. When I start my computer, it starts up to the desktop, but the cursor keeps flashing between the arrow and the watch. What should I do?
7. When my computer is booting up, I notice the mouse pointer is frozen while the Welcome to Macintosh screen is displayed. The computer goes no further. What can I do?
8. Whenever I start my computer, it tells me that I need a newer version of system 7.1. I have system 7.1 on my computer. What is wrong?

Question 1: When trying to start my computer, I hear a noise like breaking glass.

Answer: The breaking glass sound indicates a hardware issue, typically memory related. Follow steps 5 and 6 in the following Answer section to troubleshoot this issue.

Question 2: When starting my computer, I hear the normal startup chime and then a series of musical beeps? I have heard a series of both four and eight beeps.

Answer: This indicates an issue during startup. Try the following:

1. Shut down the computer.

2. Insert your Disk Tools disk or system software CD in the appropriate drive and restart the computer.

3. Recall if it is four or eight beeps you heard.

4. If your heard four beeps and they do not play when starting up from the Disk Tools disk or CD, then the issue is usually software related. Eject the CD or disk, and restart the computer while pressing the Shift key until you see the message: "Welcome to Macintosh, Extensions off." If the computer starts up normally, an extension conflict is likely. Read Knowledge Base article 30929: " Mac OS: Extensions Troubleshooting/Extensions Manager Features ." If the beeps persist, it is likely that your system software is unusable and you should perform a clean installation.

5. If eight error beeps are played, this indicates a possible memory issue. If you have installed additional memory, remove it. If the issue goes away, the memory expansion is likely to be bad and should be replaced.

6. If the issues persist, take your computer to an Apple Authorized Service Provider who can perform additional diagnostic tests to determine the exact cause of the issue.

Answer: Double-click the hard drive icon to enable you to view its contents. If there is a folder called Desktop or Desktop Folder, change its name by clicking the folder name and typing a new name, or deleting the folder(s). This folder is normally created while transferring files using File Sharing.

Question 4 : Why do I get a flashing question mark (?) every time I start my computer?

Answer: The flashing question mark can indicate either a software or hardware issue. You should read Article 13784 " Flashing Question Mark on the Screen: Causes and Cures " which describes the most common causes and solutions.

Question 5 : What do I do if my icons all look generic (documents are blank with a folded down corner and applications are diamonds with a hand), or when I double-click a document it says the application that created it cannot be found?

Answer: This is normally a sign of an unusable Desktop file. The Desktop database contains information about all files on your hard disk, including the icon associated with the file. Over time, it can become unusable and fail to associate the proper icon with the file. Rebuilding the desktop usually fixes the issue.

To rebuild the desktop, restart your computer and hold down the Command (open Apple) and Option keys. Hold them down until you get the message "Are you sure you want to rebuild the desktop file?" Let go, and click OK. If this fails, perform a clean installation of system software and rebuild the desktop again.

Question 6 : When I start my computer, it starts up to the desktop, but the cursor keeps flashing between the arrow and the watch. What should I do?

Answer : This is normally caused by having too many windows open or too many items in an open window. Try the following:

1. Shut down and turn off the computer.

2. Restart the computer. Immediately after hearing the startup chime, press the Option key and continue to hold it until the screen shows the desktop and all the menus are available. This closes all open windows.

Answer : This is normally caused by an extension conflict during startup. Try the following:

1. Power the computer off.

2. Restart the computer and hold down the Shift key until you see the message Welcome to Macintosh, Extensions off.

3. If the computer starts normally with extensions off, the issue is likely tied to an extension. If you recently installed a new extension, try removing it and restart. Knowledge Base article 30929: " Mac OS: Extensions Troubleshooting/Extensions Manager Features ." can help you to troubleshoot an extension issue using the Extensions Manager control panel.

4. If the issue persists after troubleshooting your extensions, you may need to reinstall system software. A clean installation would be recommended so that you get a fresh copy of the system software.

Answer : This message is displayed on Macintosh computers that require a system enabler. If the system enabler has been moved out of the system folder this message will appear. Try the following:

1. Shut down the computer.

2. Put the Disk Tools Disk, or the system software CD that came with your computer and restart. You must use the Disk Tools or CD because it contains the proper enabler.

3. When the computer starts up, use Find File to search your hard disk for the system enabler. If it is found, move it into the system folder. If the enabler is missing, drag a copy of the enabler from the system folder on the Disk Tools Disk or system software CD.

4. Restart the computer. If it still fails, then the system software is likely unusable. A clean installation of system software should resolve the issue.