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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Powerbook G4 Startup Issue

drenigid - Jul 19, 2005 - 7:34 pm

I have a Powerbook G4 1Ghz running 10.4.2. I was browing the internet and the whole system locked up on me. I was forced to shut off the unit using the power button. I tried turning it on, but it will no longer boot up. Here is what happens:

I boot up the unit. I hear the startup sound, then just a blank grey screen. After quite a bit of time has passed, I get a broken folder icon/? mark/smiley face.

I am not familiar with Macs. I do not have the Tiger software in my possession at the moment, but it is a legal copy of it. What are my options?

paulogdenfletcher - Jul 19, 2005 - 10:54 pm

Hello, my names Paul Fletcher. If you wish to get into your system again, startup your computer holding down the "Option" key. This will bring you to a screen where you can select your hard drive. Select your hard drive, & click the arrow pointing right. This will now boot your computer using the hard drive you selected. The "question mark" means that your computer doesn't know what drive to startup in. Once inside your computer. Open up System Preferences & click on "Startup Disk". From that screen you can tell your computer to startup using this hard drive. That might fix your problem. You can also open "Disk Utility". Its located in your Utilities folder, which is in your Applications folder. From their you can select your hard-drive & select the option "Repair Disk Permissions". That will run for awhile. Then try it again, everything should work by now. Although if it doesn't their are still things that we can do to fix the problem.

Thanks,
Paul Fletcher

--> If you didn't understand any part of this let me know. I would be more than happy to go into further detail.

drenigid - Jul 20, 2005 - 4:40 am

Paul,

I did what you told me. I held the option key and it took me to a screen where I see a refresh icon and an arrow pointing right icon. The cursor looks like a watch and remains that way. I do not see an option to select a drive, nor can I activate either of the icons. Where do I go from here?

paulogdenfletcher - Jul 21, 2005 - 3:25 pm

If you have the install disks I would suggest that you insert them. I would then startup the computer holding down the "C" key to boot to the install disks. Once the disks are booted, you can select the Disk Utility option at the top. From their I would select your drive & repair the permissions. & then after that I would select the "repair disk" option. Restart your computer and see if it starts up normally. If it doesn't you could use a software program called Disk Warrior. You can boot to their disk & have it repair your hard drive. I had a problem like what your describing & Disk Warrior was able to repair it. Those are the two things I would try, in that order. If you have any further problems their are other things we can do to fix the problem.

Thanks,
Paul Fletcher