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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Computer Not Registering Os

kristimay - Jul 17, 2005 - 1:12 am

Hi.

I have an iBook G4 running on Tiger. I just turned it off because the battery was getting low. I charged it, now went to turn it back on and it won't do anything! It turns on, loads the apple part, then says 'Starting Mac OS X'...then it does nothing else - just a blue screen! I bought this computer 2 months ago from someone and have had no problems. But I don't have any disks! Any help would be much appreciated, I'm in BIG trouble...

skapp - Jul 17, 2005 - 1:43 am

Without the distribution disks which included the OS X installation disks, hardware diagnostic CD, etc. there is very little you can do. Take it to an Apple service center for repair, then see about getting the disks you should have gotten when you bought the computer.

kristimay - Jul 17, 2005 - 12:17 pm

Thanks Steven. I have discs to Jaguar, because my boyfriend has an iBook as well. If I put the restore discs in, will it erase everything on my computer?! I have all of my work stuff on there, and I'm freaked right out that I'm going to lose it all!

skapp - Jul 17, 2005 - 12:34 pm

Your boyfriend's disks will work only if they are for a similar iBook model as yours. You have an iBook G4 which cannot run Jaguar. The earliest version of OS X that your iBook will run is 10.3 depending upon when it was made. Early 2004 models need 10.3.3 and late 2004 models require 10.3.5.

I'm afraid you're still stuck since you will need some version of Panther to work with your computer. However, that said you can at least get your work off the computer. You will need a Firewire cable to connect your iBook to your boyfriend's iBook. Both computers should be shut down. Now boot your iBook into Target Disk Mode. Then startup your boyfriend's iBook. If your hard drive is readable it should appear on the Desktop of your boyfriend's computer. You can no access your hard drive and copy your work to your boyfriend's computer or to a backup disk.

kristimay - Jul 17, 2005 - 12:37 pm

So I shouldn't just put these reboot discs in? It is exactly the same computer. He and my friend who moved overseas bought them within a month of one another in early 2004. Mine was upgraded to Tiger about 3 months ago by my friend, who then sold this computer to me.

If I put these reboot discs in (which will work, they just aren't Tiger), will I lose everything on my hard drive? Is hooking it up to his computer the only way to save it? Or should I go to an Apple repair centre and purchase the Tiger discs?

skapp - Jul 17, 2005 - 2:18 pm

Kristi,

If you have an iBook G4 and your boyfriend's iBook is running Jaguar then he doesn't have the same computer. Jaguar will not work on your iBook if it truly is an iBook G4.

You cannot reinstall OS X from the Software Restore disks without first erasing the hard drive.

kristimay - Jul 17, 2005 - 2:35 pm

Not Jaguar, it's Panther, sorry.

So there is no way to save my hard drive?

skapp - Jul 17, 2005 - 2:47 pm

If you have Panther, then possibly you can. Do the following:

Boot from your OS X Installer. Be sure to use the installer for the version of OS X you have installed. After the installer loads select Disk Utility from the Installer menu (or Utilities menu if using Tiger.) After DU loads select your OS X volume from the list on the left, click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer. Now shutdown the computer for a couple of minutes and then restart normally.

If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior (3.0.3 for Tiger) and/or TechTool Pro (4.0.4 for Tiger) to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.

You might also try booting the computer into safe mode. If you can get it to startup properly in safe mode, then you can do some cleanup that may restore normal operation.