iMac won't boot Post 10.4.9 update!!!!!!

[Bubbasteve]

The title says it all really, I updated my mom's G5 iMac to .9 and it won't get past the blue screen...

When initially booting the machine the fans turned on full blast which didn't seem right.

If anybody can help me out with this I would greatly appreciate it -- it's sort of an emergency since there are improtant fles that need to be taken from the computer

 

[72930]

Have you tried waiting a REALLY long time? That should do the trick...

 

[jsalzer]

Safe Boot

There were a couple of threads along these lines when 10.4.9 first came out. In my case, my computer would hang during loading of spotlight (only that corner of my menu bar would appear, and then nothing else.)

The solution for me was to boot in "safe mode" - which I believe was holding the shift key while booting. I did that, repaired permissions a couple of times, rebooted in regular mode, and all was well.

Give that a whirl and see where it takes you.

 

[Bubbasteve]

This isn't good -- I took your sggestion and held down the shift key while booting up and it doesn't get to the blue screen now all it does is shut the system off alltogether

any other advice? Or is there more steps to Safe mode booting (I've never heard/ done it before)

 

[Bubbasteve]

Have you tried waiting a REALLY long time? That should do the trick...

I have and the rotating black dial ball thing freezes and doesn't want to cooperate

I'm going out to dinner now so hopefully by the time I get back it will be loaded into OSX

(it's currently frozen on the blue screen)

 

[jsalzer]

Don't hit me

OK - I'm going to ask this, but don't hit me if this seems too obvious.

Do you happen to have a bootable clone of your former system on an external hard drive or, alternately, a bootable DVD (either your original install disk or something like DiskWarrior)?

If so, boot from this alternate system and then do some repairs to the damaged system.

HTH.

 

[Bubbasteve]

OK - I'm going to ask this, but don't hit me if this seems too obvious.

Do you happen to have a bootable clone of your former system on an external hard drive or, alternately, a bootable DVD (either your original install disk or something like DiskWarrior)?

If so, boot from this alternate system and then do some repairs to the damaged system.

HTH.

Unfortunately I do not have a bootable clone -- this is turning into a bigger problem than I would have liked

 

[jsalzer]

Target Disk Mode

Unfortunately I do not have a bootable clone -- this is turning into a bigger problem than I would have liked

A friend with a Mac that you can connect to via FireWire? You can connect your system to theirs, then boot yours in "Target Disk Mode" by holding down the "T" during startup. This basically tells your computer to appear on theirs as a regular external hard drive. Then you can use their Disk Utility on your system.

You're really sure you don't have your original Tiger DVD?

Someone else jump in here if I'm missing another option.

 

[Bubbasteve]

A friend with a Mac that you can connect to via FireWire? You can connect your system to theirs, then boot yours in "Target Disk Mode" by holding down the "T" during startup. This basically tells your computer to appear on theirs as a regular external hard drive. Then you can use their Disk Utility on your system.

You're really sure you don't have your original Tiger DVD?

Someone else jump in here if I'm missing another option.

I'm currently running on a G4 iMac now -- I never thought of connecting the two via firewire for Target Disk Mode....now just to find a firewire cable

Tell me more about "Safe Mode" -- are you sure all I have to do is hold Shift down?

I also tried resetting my computers SMC (I believe that's what it's called) -- My steps were:

1.) Unplug power cord and other connections
2.) Wait 10 seconds
3.) Hold down power button and plug in power cord
4.) Release Power button and then press it again to start it up

Tried doing that and nothing happened -- maybe I'm doing something wrong?

 

[jsalzer]

Shift it is.

Tell me more about "Safe Mode" -- are you sure all I have to do is hold Shift down?

I just double checked. It is the shift key, but Apple does specify not to press it down until after the startup chime (right after).

Safe Mode does a few things. It forces a directory check on the system, disables all extensions besides those necessary for OSX to operate, disables all of your login items, and disables all but the system-needed fonts. That way, if any of these things are causing the problem, you can start up and check it out. (For example, I removed all of my login items and added them back one at a time to see if one of them was the culprit.)

I also tried resetting my computers SMC (I believe that's what it's called) -- Tried doing that and nothing happened -- maybe I'm doing something wrong?

I don't think the SMC or the PRAM are your problems, though it never hurts to try. I think you'll be fine once we can get Disk Utility to do a little cleanup. Sounds like that firewire chord is your next best step.

 

[Bubbasteve]

I don't think the SMC or the PRAM are your problems, though it never hurts to try. I think you'll be fine once we can get Disk Utility to do a little cleanup. Sounds like that firewire chord is your next best step.

I'll have to go and buy a firewire cable from Tiger Direct tomorrow...unless will a normal Cat5 cable work?

I tried Safe Mode again and after the grey screen the unit just turned off....again

 

[Bubbasteve]

and why did my username change to "Naturally Bubbasteve" -- SO MANY QUESTIONS

 

[jsalzer]

April 1

and why did my username change to "Naturally Bubbasteve" -- SO MANY QUESTIONS

Lots of fun stuff happens on April 1 - the anniversary of Apple and the day for the mods to be pranksters.



On the positive side - hopefully it'll bring more people to the forums and somebody can help you out better than me. It's awfully quiet in this thread.

 

[cbrain]

I'll have to go and buy a firewire cable from Tiger Direct tomorrow...unless will a normal Cat5 cable work?

I tried Safe Mode again and after the grey screen the unit just turned off....again

No, a cat5 will not work, it has to be firewire.

 

[Bubbasteve]

With heavy looking I found my moms install discs for her G5 -- I put them in but should I be holding a button down along with it or something?

 

[jsalzer]

With heavy looking I found my moms install discs for her G5 -- I put them in but should I be holding a button down along with it or something?

If you put in the main DVD that contains OSX, you can then boot the computer and hold down the "C" key. This tells the iMac to boot from the CD/DVD drive.

OSX will boot up, but it will take some time (it has to read a few gig from the dvd.)

You should then be able to pull up Disk Utility, where you can perform repairs on your main hard drive.

The nightmare's almost over. Be patient.

 

[Bubbasteve]

I ran disc utility and selected repair disc and it reads "Error: the underlying task reported a failure on exit

1HFS volume could not be repaired of because of an error

Thanks for remaining patient with me jsalzer

 

[Eraserhead]

I ran disc utility and selected repair disc and it reads "Error: the underlying task reported a failure on exit

1HFS volume could not be repaired of because of an error

Thanks for remaining patient with me jsalzer

It sounds like the disk has died.

 

[Bubbasteve]

Well that's not the news I was hoping for

I was hoping I could somehow repair the disc back to 10.4.0 and then update it to 10.4.9 again -- hoping it would work on a second try

 

[jsalzer]

Alternate

Well that's not the news I was hoping for

I was hoping I could somehow repair the disc back to 10.4.0 and then update it to 10.4.9 again -- hoping it would work on a second try

Before you go that far - try one more thing. Stay booted on the DVD. Repair Permissions. Then repair disk. Then repair permissions. Then repair disk. Go back and forth like this a few times. Sometimes the two need to tango a bit first.

Eraserhead - you probably know more than I do, but if the disk was really dead, wouldn't he be getting the flashing "where's the disk" symbol?

 

[Bubbasteve]

i can't seem to click the Repair Disc Permissions button -- it's greyed out

 

[jsalzer]

Another "don't hit me" question

i can't seem to click the Repair Disc Permissions button -- it's greyed out

OK - I'm going to ask another dumb question, but without being there, I can't see. Are you sure you have the damaged volume selected on the left-hand side of Disk Utility and not the DVD volume?

 

[Eraserhead]

Eraserhead - you probably know more than I do

Well I dunno. I'm just guessing based on the fact that the repair failed.

but if the disk was really dead, wouldn't he be getting the flashing "where's the disk" symbol?

True. It might be almost Dead and unable to boot the OS off it or something.

 

[Bubbasteve]

Well I dunno. I'm just guessing based on the fact that the repair failed.



True. It might be almost Dead and unable to boot the OS off it or something.

It seems like I'm just going to have to clean install it -- the files weren't too important I guess (Time Machine can't come soon enough)

 

[Bubbasteve]

Terrific -- now my iMac HD is greyed out and unmountable in disc utility

Since that's the case I can't clean install because the assistant can't recognize any internal drive