switched to os 9 and can't start up computer.

nevanma · #1 March 11th, 2008, 01:00 PM

I have an iMac G3 Os X 10.2.8 Jaguar. It has a broken cd drive, and I tried going into mac os 9 mode to see if the problem was with the hard drive. After switching to classic, I restarted because the computer froze (pretty sure it was because of the switch). But besides that point, I wasn't even able to start the computer back up when it restarted. All I got was a blank screen with a flashing question mark/ finder logo. I tried going into open firmware and did "reset-nvram", and then "reset-all", and also "set-defaults" hoping it would switch me back to os x, and it just goes back into that blank screen. I'm new to all of this, and I've been researching at the library when I've had days off from work for commands I could possibly enter to reset my computer back to it's original os x. Without having to use the cd drive (because it's broken). But even if the cd drive worked, I don't have the installation cd. So alas, I am in a pickle. Please help me.

Natobasso · #2 March 11th, 2008, 02:50 PM

On restart hold the x key and you'll boot in OS X, or hold the option button to be given an onscreen choice of which system to boot into.

If you want to do a repair on os x you can restart holding command + s (single user mode) and do this sequence of commands:

fsck -f (wait for command to process)
reboot (reboots the machine)

Don't type other combinations as it's easy to mess things up something fierce if you don't know what you're doing.

nevanma · #3 March 17th, 2008, 10:45 AM

this didn't work. i think it's because those commands only work on newer versions of macs.

Natobasso · #4 March 17th, 2008, 10:49 AM

You have OS X so these commands should have worked. What exactly did you try?

**Giaguara** · #5 March 17th, 2008, 02:40 PM

/sbin/fsck -f
is for 10.3 or newer.

Try
/sbin/fsck
as that if I remember right was what it wanted back then, if that fails
man fsck

If you hold alt (option.. depending where you are) you will see all bootable systems. IF you select OS X that should boot you..

Natobasso · #6 March 17th, 2008, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giaguara

/sbin/fsck -f
is for 10.3 or newer.

Try
/sbin/fsck
as that if I remember right was what it wanted back then, if that fails
man fsck

If you hold alt (option.. depending where you are) you will see all bootable systems. IF you select OS X that should boot you..

Actually fsck -fy is Tiger and newer. fsck -f is Panther and before.

ElDiabloConCaca · #7 March 17th, 2008, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Natobasso

You have OS X so these commands should have worked. What exactly did you try?

Nope, those commands are machine-dependent, not operating system-dependent. My G4 Yikes! runs OS X and OS 9 just fine, but does not support holding either 'X' or 'option' at startup.

The AGP-based G4 machines were the first to support selecting a boot volume at boot time via the option key. I believe they were the first to also support the 'X' and '9' keys for OS X and OS 9 respectively, but I may be mistaken, and those keys may have been introduced in later models (Quicksilver? MDD?).

Natobasso · #8 March 17th, 2008, 03:09 PM

Says here any machine that has os x and 9 on it can use the x key, but this article is dated 2003 and your comp came out in 2001:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106696

Your comp:
http://lowendmac.com/pb2/powerbook-g4-400-500-mhz.html
More than likely there's something wrong with your G4 if this doesn't work for you.

Back to the original question...the option key is a viable alternative, in any event.