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Question Profile
| DATE | Oct 3, 2006 |
| TICKET | #28580 |
| STATUS | Closed |
| SUBJECT | Powermac G4 Stops Booting at Blue Screen |
| CAT | Computers, Operating Systems, Applications or Connected Devices |
| TYPE | Operating System Features, Bugs and Problems |
| DESC | Apple |
| DESC | 10.4.X (Tiger) |
| PLATFORM | Apple Macintosh (PowerPC G3,G4,G5) |
| MODEL | Apple Powermac G4 |
| PROC | Dual 1.3ghz |
| RAM | 1GB |
| DRIVE | 120GB |
| NAME | Cleetus |
| USERNAME | cleetus33 |
| TECHNICAL | Lots of Experience |
| ISSUE | Some Troubleshooting |
Question Details
TICKET ARCHIVE -> Powermac G4 Stops Booting at Blue Screen
cleetus33 - Oct 3, 2006 - 10:21 am
My Powermac G4 running 10.4 Tiger gets caught when booting on the Blue Screen. I have tried running the Archive/Install part of the Tiger Installation Disc but I am getting an error and will not install. Disk Utility/Repair Disk will not work, either.
Is there a solution besides restoring my drive?
Is there a solution besides restoring my drive?
Batfink - Oct 3, 2006 - 12:37 pm
Hi
This sounds like an issue with the hard disk.
By getting past the grey screen and turning cog, you have successfully passed the primary hardware checks. The failure is then in reading the OS data itself.
I doubt it is a startup item issue or extensions as you said you could not do an archive/install.
Have you got any disk maintenance software you could use to boot the G4 and run diagnostics on the hard drive?
Otherwise, you would need to use another hard disk, be it an external firewire or a new ATA disk you could install in one of the spare bays in the case and install to one of those. Once you get the G4 running on another disk, you can then see if you can access your data on the original drive and copy if off before reformatting it and re-installing.
Get back to me with questions if needs be.
This sounds like an issue with the hard disk.
By getting past the grey screen and turning cog, you have successfully passed the primary hardware checks. The failure is then in reading the OS data itself.
I doubt it is a startup item issue or extensions as you said you could not do an archive/install.
Have you got any disk maintenance software you could use to boot the G4 and run diagnostics on the hard drive?
Otherwise, you would need to use another hard disk, be it an external firewire or a new ATA disk you could install in one of the spare bays in the case and install to one of those. Once you get the G4 running on another disk, you can then see if you can access your data on the original drive and copy if off before reformatting it and re-installing.
Get back to me with questions if needs be.
cleetus33 - Oct 4, 2006 - 10:48 am
Hi
I have booted as a firewire drive with my laptop and can read the hard disk on the G4. What should I try now?
I have booted as a firewire drive with my laptop and can read the hard disk on the G4. What should I try now?
Batfink - Oct 4, 2006 - 11:15 am
Hi
If you can see your data, I suggest backing it all up onto your laptop.
What you can then try is running Disk Utility again from your laptop on the desktop hard drive.
Finally what you want to do is to reformat the disk and then boot off the OS installation disc and re-install.
You will need to be sure you have backed up all your information, including any internet settings and applications you need to copy back after the re-install.
The problem is that there are bad sectors or OS files on the drive, and that is why you can't boot from it, so you need to clean it by reformatting.
Good luck.
If you can see your data, I suggest backing it all up onto your laptop.
What you can then try is running Disk Utility again from your laptop on the desktop hard drive.
Finally what you want to do is to reformat the disk and then boot off the OS installation disc and re-install.
You will need to be sure you have backed up all your information, including any internet settings and applications you need to copy back after the re-install.
The problem is that there are bad sectors or OS files on the drive, and that is why you can't boot from it, so you need to clean it by reformatting.
Good luck.
cleetus33 - Oct 4, 2006 - 11:24 am
Is there a way to back up all of my apps so I don't have to reinstall them again? Also, what is the best way to preserve all of my internet settings?
This is the second clean sweep I have done in 6 months. Can I have a bad disk?
Thanks.
This is the second clean sweep I have done in 6 months. Can I have a bad disk?
Thanks.
cleetus33 - Oct 4, 2006 - 11:39 am
Is there a way to back up all of my apps so I don't have to reinstall them again? Also, what is the best way to preserve all of my internet settings?
This is the second clean sweep I have done in 6 months. Can I have a bad disk?
Thanks.
This is the second clean sweep I have done in 6 months. Can I have a bad disk?
Thanks.
Batfink - Oct 4, 2006 - 12:12 pm
Hi
Of course the worst scenario here is that you will do all this work and this happens again. You may have a faulty hard disk. They are relatively inexpensive these days if you buy one off the web.
However, for now, if you pursue the backup, to be complete, you need to copy all your personal data, wherever you have spread it beyond your User folder.
Also:
1) Your User folder in completeness (subfolders being: Desktop, Documents, Library, Movies, Music, Pictures, Public and Sites)
2) The Library folder at the root level of your Hard drive
3) The Applications folder at the root level of your Hard drive
I hope this makes sense.
Of course the worst scenario here is that you will do all this work and this happens again. You may have a faulty hard disk. They are relatively inexpensive these days if you buy one off the web.
However, for now, if you pursue the backup, to be complete, you need to copy all your personal data, wherever you have spread it beyond your User folder.
Also:
1) Your User folder in completeness (subfolders being: Desktop, Documents, Library, Movies, Music, Pictures, Public and Sites)
2) The Library folder at the root level of your Hard drive
3) The Applications folder at the root level of your Hard drive
I hope this makes sense.
cleetus33 - Oct 5, 2006 - 11:53 am
I will try, thank you.
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