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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Osx On G4 Toggling Uncontrollably At Startup
LBH912 - Jul 1, 2005 - 3:26 pm
When I turn on my G4 laptop, the operating system completes up until my desktop loads. Then, the top bar with date and time continues blinking, as the desktop toggles between different desktop styles. No disks or files load onto the desktop- nothing. In addition, the dock doesn't load. The only way to stop this constant blinking is to turn it off again.
I had attempted to logout a certain user, and when the black screen popped up to re-login a user, I typed the correct user name an password. THe computer then froze. I had to manually hit the power button off... when I turned it back on, the aforementioned problem ensued.
I hope you can help. I'm finished my master's thesis due next week, now I fear I've lost everything!
I had attempted to logout a certain user, and when the black screen popped up to re-login a user, I typed the correct user name an password. THe computer then froze. I had to manually hit the power button off... when I turned it back on, the aforementioned problem ensued.
I hope you can help. I'm finished my master's thesis due next week, now I fear I've lost everything!
Cheryl - Jul 1, 2005 - 11:07 pm
Lbh,
My name is Cheryl and I will be assisting you. First locate the OS X CD/DVD and start up the powerbook with it. (you need to have the power adapter plugged in to do this).
When the powerbook starts up with the CD, do not click on the installer screen. Instead, go to the Installer menu and select Disk Utility.
When that opens, click on the second icon at the top left, then click on Repair Disk at the bottom right.
Watch the activity screen. If it does any repairs, you will need to hit the Repair Disk button again after the first pass is done. The object is to make sure all the problems are found and repaired. You may need to hit that button a third or fourth time.
When that is done, click on Repair Permissions.
Now quit Disk Utility and restart the computer.
Is it behaving properly?
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Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !
Cheryl
My name is Cheryl and I will be assisting you. First locate the OS X CD/DVD and start up the powerbook with it. (you need to have the power adapter plugged in to do this).
When the powerbook starts up with the CD, do not click on the installer screen. Instead, go to the Installer menu and select Disk Utility.
When that opens, click on the second icon at the top left, then click on Repair Disk at the bottom right.
Watch the activity screen. If it does any repairs, you will need to hit the Repair Disk button again after the first pass is done. The object is to make sure all the problems are found and repaired. You may need to hit that button a third or fourth time.
When that is done, click on Repair Permissions.
Now quit Disk Utility and restart the computer.
Is it behaving properly?
--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !
Cheryl
LBH912 - Jul 1, 2005 - 11:28 pm
Cheryl,
Thanks for your help! I had to re-start the computer in "firewire" mode, and a friend fixed my harddrive via another computer. Apparently the user registry had gotten moved, but after some trouble shooting we were able to move the user name and registry back to its intended place.
Thanks again,
LBH
Thanks for your help! I had to re-start the computer in "firewire" mode, and a friend fixed my harddrive via another computer. Apparently the user registry had gotten moved, but after some trouble shooting we were able to move the user name and registry back to its intended place.
Thanks again,
LBH
Cheryl - Jul 2, 2005 - 7:27 am
LBH,
I am glad that you have a friend that could help.
I need to ask - how did you install 10.4? Upgrade, Archive or clean? If you did an upgrade that might have caused the problem as upgrade install sometimes does not work well on some machines with some users.
--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !
Cheryl
I am glad that you have a friend that could help.
I need to ask - how did you install 10.4? Upgrade, Archive or clean? If you did an upgrade that might have caused the problem as upgrade install sometimes does not work well on some machines with some users.
--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !
Cheryl
LBH912 - Jul 5, 2005 - 1:25 pm
Yes, it was an upgrade... I'm thinking about doing a clean install, though to prevent further problems.
Cheryl - Jul 5, 2005 - 1:41 pm
Lbh,
It is the upgrade install that caused the problem. An Archive and preserve will correct the problem. This will not touch the applications you installed, nor your home folder.
Start up from your Mac OS X Install DVD. If you have different versions of Mac OS X Installer discs (for example, if your computer came with version 10.3 and you later purchased and installed version 10.4), start from the disc that most closely matches the installed Mac OS X version. Usually, that's the latest (newer) version.
Select your language. The Welcome to the Mac OS X Installer window appears.
Click Continue. The Important Information window appears.
After reading or printing the information, click Continue. The Software License Agreement window appears.
After reading or printing the information, click Continue.
An agreement sheet appears. If you agree with the license agreement, click Agree. The Select a Destination window appears.
Click the volume that you wish to install to.
Click Options. The installation options sheet appears.
Select Archive and Install.
Select the volume which already has Mac OS X installed.
You should also select Preserve Users and Network Settings, to preserve network and Home directory settings.
Make sure you go to Custom and select the printer driver you need.
Click OK.
Click Continue to begin the installation.
When done, repair permissions with Disk Utility - in Applications>Utilities.
Also, you will need to do a fresh install of Stuffit Expander and Anti Virus if you use them.
You should be working smoothly after the archive install.
--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !
Cheryl
It is the upgrade install that caused the problem. An Archive and preserve will correct the problem. This will not touch the applications you installed, nor your home folder.
Start up from your Mac OS X Install DVD. If you have different versions of Mac OS X Installer discs (for example, if your computer came with version 10.3 and you later purchased and installed version 10.4), start from the disc that most closely matches the installed Mac OS X version. Usually, that's the latest (newer) version.
Select your language. The Welcome to the Mac OS X Installer window appears.
Click Continue. The Important Information window appears.
After reading or printing the information, click Continue. The Software License Agreement window appears.
After reading or printing the information, click Continue.
An agreement sheet appears. If you agree with the license agreement, click Agree. The Select a Destination window appears.
Click the volume that you wish to install to.
Click Options. The installation options sheet appears.
Select Archive and Install.
Select the volume which already has Mac OS X installed.
You should also select Preserve Users and Network Settings, to preserve network and Home directory settings.
Make sure you go to Custom and select the printer driver you need.
Click OK.
Click Continue to begin the installation.
When done, repair permissions with Disk Utility - in Applications>Utilities.
Also, you will need to do a fresh install of Stuffit Expander and Anti Virus if you use them.
You should be working smoothly after the archive install.
--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !
Cheryl
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