If a gray Apple appears with a spinning gear beneath on startup, your Mac is trying to repair the hard drive directory. This usually occurs when the computer wasn’t shut down properly. If this happens often, see “Why does directory damage occur?” below.

If you have an internet connection, make sure it is working properly. It doesn’t seem like this could contribute to slow start up time because Mac OS X does not require an internet connection, but if one is present it needs to be in working condition.

Try deleting the Macintosh HD/Library/Preferences/DirectoryService directory.

Third party disk defrag programs can be used but the generally will require you to boot from a DVD or different drive then the one you want to defrag and this can be a time consuming process.

Check PRAM — reset, or replace battery Especially on some older PowerMac G3s, problematic PRAM (parameter RAM) or a defective PRAM battery can cause delays in startup as the system constantly re-checks for connected devices and other hardware that are normally stored in PRAM.

An AppleScript for eliminating startup snags – The following AppleScript that deletes several files implicated in increased startup time. The script has been successful for a number of users, and is as follows:

* property systemList : {¬
* “com.apple.ATS.System.fcache”, ¬
* “com.apple.ATSServer.FODB_System”, ¬
* “fontTablesAnnex”}
* property localList : {¬
* “501:Classic.fcache”, ¬
* “501:Local.fcache”, ¬
* “User.fcache”, ¬
* “Classic.fodb”, ¬
* “Local.fodb”, ¬
* “User.fodb”, ¬
* “FondResourceCache”}
* tell application “Finder”
* set versionFinder to version as text
* end tell
* if versionFinder starts with “10.3″ then
* set localCaches to ((path to “cusr”) as text) & “Library:Caches:com.apple.ATS:”
* set systemCaches to ((path to “boot”) as text) & “System:Library:Caches:”
* tell application “Finder”
* repeat with name in localList
* try
* delete file (localCaches & name)
* end try
* end repeat
* repeat with name in systemList
* try
* delete file (systemCaches & name)
* end try
* end repeat
* end tell
* end if

In order to run this script, simply open the application Script Editor (located in Applications/AppleScript on a standard installation), create a new file, paste the above script, click “Compile” then click “Run.” You will be asked for your administrator password several times.

You may also have a problem with internal or even external disks connected to your Mac. Disconnect external drives, eject discs, and try again. If the problem persists, it’s a great time to back up your data. Then you can try repairing your hard drive in Disk Utility. It’s even possible that you have a hardware problem at this point.

Why does directory damage occur?

The computer’s operating system is responsible for reading and writing data to your drives. Besides writing the actual data, the OS has to update the indices that keep track of which file is where, like a table of contents for your data. If the computer crashes, loses power, or experiences another problem, it’s possible that a file is written properly, but its index gets corrupted.

There are a few precautions you can take. It’s best to not move your Mac while the drive is spinning. Ideally, you would put a portable computer to sleep before moving it. When you are finished with an external hard drive or USB flash drive, you should always eject the disk by dragging it to the Dock’s Trash icon (which will change to an eject symbol) before disconnecting that external drive. Properly ejecting disks makes sure that their directories are properly updated before you disconnect them. If you are shutting down the computer, the system automatically ejects all disks when shutting down.

Finally, if your computer starts to shut off, crash erratically, or you think you’ve lost data, you should quickly find and solve the cause of those failures. Little problems can grow into big problems.

Did this speed up your start up or time or are you still having problems? Leave a comment below