Problems booting DiskWarrior on G5

[ian27]

Hey guys,

I recently bought a new G5 PowerMac but have been having problems with it running a little slow recently and so decided to run DiskWarrior to make sure that there are no problems. However, I had problems running DiskWarrior then I realised that I had to update DW to 3.0.3 to use it with Tiger. So I have now created an update CD but it still won't let me boot from the disk, it just crashes each time I try... I then thought about installing OS Tiger on my external drive. I could then run DW to fix my internal drife if I used the external drive as my startup disk. Unfortunately, the copy of Tiger that came with the computer cannot be installed on the external drive.

So what can I do? Any suggestions?

Thank you in advance.

Ian

[ian27]

Anybody? Please help!

[DeltaMac]

Originally Posted by ian27

I then thought about installing OS Tiger on my external drive. I could then run DW to fix my internal drife if I used the external drive as my startup disk. Unfortunately, the copy of Tiger that came with the computer cannot be installed on the external drive.

So what can I do?

You can install to your external drive. Just boot to the installer DVD, and at the screen where you choose the drive to install to - choose the external drive. You may have to erase that drive, and change the format to HFS extended, if you have not done that. Then you will be able to use that as a booting drive, after installing OS X. You will be able to use that DiskWarrior to repair your internal HD.

You can also: Contact Alsoft, and purchase an upgraded boot disk from them. The downloadable update creates a new boot disk, but uses the same version operating system as the old disk. That explains why it will not help you. Alsoft can send you a new CD with an updated OS that can boot your newer G5.

[ian27]

Thank you for the response...

I have tried installing tiger on the external driv but when I took the installation CD it says that it can only be installed on the internal drive and grays out the external possibilities. With regards to getting an update CD, I actually went on the website and downloaded the update from there, this allows you to create your own update CD using a blank CDR. I have done this and it works fine at correcting the external drive as I can install the software on the internal start-up disc, however when I tried to boot from the disc itself I still have the same problem and the system crashes. Very frustrating.

Any further suggestions would be gratefully received.

Ian

[DeltaMac]

I feel like I'm talking in circles today.
I explained why your Diskwarrior CD won't boot. You have to purchase the updated disk (Alsoft will send you one). The download only updates your diskwarrior utility, and creates a new CD with the exact same version of the operating system, so will continue to not boot your Mac. The one that Alsoft will send you can boot your system.

If you already have a bootable system on the external disk (or the disk is not yet formatted as a MacOS extended format), then you have to choose an option - by clicking the 'Options' button at the disk selection screen. The available options will be either 'Archive and install', or 'erase and install'. One of those options will allow you to select the external drive.