Reset PRAM, now unable to boot OS X

[teitoku]

I was (and still am) having trouble getting my monitor to display anything before the full OS finally boots and gets to a login screen, and it was suggested on another forum that I reset my PRAM. Well, I used the command-option-p-r key combo and now I can't boot OS X. If I let the machine boot on its own OR hold 'X', I get that small floppy disk icon with the blinking question mark. If I hold Option, the only option available is the OS 9.2 install that I use for Classic. So I'm posting this from crusty old OS 9.2 and hoping I can get Back To The Future (OS X 10.4.8 )


Help!

 

[CanadaRAM]

You have a damaged or incomplete OSX on your drive (it was not 'caused' by the PRAM reset, that just removed the default that it should try booting OSX.)

The simplest is to boot from the OSX disks, go into Disk Utility and Repair Disk, then do an Archive and Install from your OSX system disks. If it is not totally damaged, this will preserve your User data.

 

[teitoku]

You have a damaged or incomplete OSX on your drive (it was not 'caused' by the PRAM reset, that just removed the default that it should try booting OSX.)

It doesn't seem that way to me. It booted fine right up until the PRAM reset. I can force it to try OS X with the X key and that gives the same mystery floppy 'error'.

The simplest is to boot from the OSX disks, go into Disk Utility and Repair Disk, then do an Archive and Install from your OSX system disks. If it is not totally damaged, this will preserve your User data.

What if I don't have any OSX disk other than what's installed on the powermac itself?

 

[CanadaRAM]

And if I don't have any OS X discs?

Then either
Continue to use OS9,
or locate the OSX disks that came with the machine,
or purchase OSX.

 

[teitoku]

DAMN I'm glad I didn't suggest that my mother buy a powerbook; she'd have wound up murdering me