iMac G3, Boot Problems

[ScottW]

This issue is has been kicking me for a long time and I'm about ready to toss this system out the window.

I have a Rev A iMac (tray loading) G3 system that worked perfectly fine, until I went to replace the 6GB internal drive with a 60GB, and increase the RAM to 256MB, memory approved for upgrading on the iMac G3. My goal was to install Panther on it, install KidPix and a few other things, and give it to my daughter to use until she gets a little older.

After adding the HD and the Memory, the system will boot up just fine with a CD, either OS 9 or Panther boot fine. You can even format the HD, run DiskWarrior, Disk First Aid, and install either OS to the drive, but it just gives a flashing system folder with a question mark at boot time with no bootable CD in the drive.

I have re-installed a million times, it does the same thing regardless of OS 9 or 10.3. I even swapped out the 60GB with a 10GB drive and the same thing. I have it partitioned so that first partition is about 7GB, making it less than 8 as required by 10.3 on this particular system.

I have tried zapping the PRAM, many, many times... updated the drivers on the HD, the only thing I haven't done is remove the memory. Which I suppose I should do.

Does anyone know of any issues off hand that it probably is? I should have probably check the memory before I post this, but just tossing it out and see if anyone has experience in this.

Scott

[eric2006]

Have you checked the jumper settings on the hard drive? I've had similar issues caused by them. I would assume that you would have to set it to "Master", or "Single Master" - though "Cable Select" might be worth a try as well.