I just got a grey screen with a white rectangle in the middle that said I needed to restart my computer. What is this?
This is what is known as a kernel panic, and they occur from time to time when something negative happens. They are the Mac equivalent of the blank blue screen encountered in Windows, only much more rare. Kernel panics occur when you unplug things from your computer (like an iPod) before you ejecting it, or when the system encounters something it doesn’t comprehend at all. If this occurs, there are three easy steps to restoring your computer: 1) Turn off your computer by holding down the power button for a few seconds. 2) Wait 30 seconds 3) Turn your computer back on. Luckily, you don’t have to do any serious cleaning or checking of your disk, etc. Although it is always a good idea to repair permissions (see the first aid page) after a kernel panic. Miscellaneous (but VERY IMPORTANT) procedures: Repairing permissions was mentioned earlier in this FAQ, and it is very helpful when one’s computer is running slowly or after a kernel panic. Follow these steps to repair the permissions: 1) O
