Technical information

Troubleshooting Symptom/Cure Tables: Startup Problems Before the Finder
External device is bad. Disconnect all external devices (USB and Ethernet). Then
begin reconnecting these devices one at a time
(beginning with the keyboard and then the mouse) and
start up the computer after each device is connected to
see if one of the external devices is causing the
problem. If the problem occurs after you connect a
particular external device, replace the device in
question.
This problem refers to a system that begins a normal startup process with a boot
chime and normal display, but then freezes before the Finder appears.
Possible Cause Possible Fix