Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Computers & Peripherals => Topic started by: Mike Sellers on April 24, 2015, 08:32:47 am

Title: G-4 not booting
Post by: Mike Sellers on April 24, 2015, 08:32:47 am

When I try to boot the G-4 it goes to a window that has a small icon of a hard drive with an x in the corner. Does this mean the hard drive is faulty? I tried to boot with disc 1 of the OS but that did nothing.Want to re-install OS X 10.2.
Mike

Title: Re: G-4 not booting
Post by: francois on April 24, 2015, 11:00:49 am

A HD with an "X" usually means that there's no bootable system folder. Did you try to reboot you G4 with the install CD in the drive and while pressing the "C" key?

Title: Re: G-4 not booting
Post by: Mike Sellers on April 24, 2015, 11:08:24 am

not yest-I`ll try that next-thanks

Title: Re: G-4 not booting
Post by: Mike Sellers on April 24, 2015, 11:26:46 am

I held down the C key upon bootup with disc 1 in the drive and after about a minute or so the computer shuts off. Tried it twice with the same results.

Title: Re: G-4 not booting
Post by: francois on April 24, 2015, 11:58:02 am

Quote from: Mike Sellers on April 24, 2015, 11:26:46 am

I held down the C key upon bootup with disc 1 in the drive and after about a minute or so the computer shuts off. Tried it twice with the same results.

Maybe, try to find someone who has an Apple Service Manual for Power Macs G4, this could help you to find whether it's a software/bootROM or hardware issue.

Sorry for not being more helpful…

Title: Re: G-4 not booting
Post by: mediumcool on April 25, 2015, 10:24:12 pm

Have you tried replacing the motherboard battery? A dud battery can cause start-up problems.

Title: Re: G-4 not booting
Post by: francois on April 27, 2015, 03:29:16 am

You can also try to reset the PRAM or/and remove the HD and test whether your G4 boots on the CD…

Title: Re: G-4 not booting
Post by: mediumcool on April 27, 2015, 03:54:12 am

Quote from: francois on April 27, 2015, 03:29:16 am

You can also try to reset the PRAM or/and remove the HD and test whether your G4 boots on the CD…

Hold down one of the Command key and the P and R keys at start-up, and the computer should restart with the chime sound. Keep holding down that key combination until it restarts a second time. That should fix the Parameter RAM (a small non-volatile chip that stores basic system parameters).

Title: Re: G-4 not booting
Post by: francois on April 27, 2015, 04:38:07 am

Quote from: mediumcool on April 27, 2015, 03:54:12 am

Hold down one of the Command key and the P and R keys at start-up, and the computer should restart with the chime sound. Keep holding down that key combination until it restarts a second time. That should fix the Parameter RAM (a small non-volatile chip that stores basic system parameters).

By the way, removing the battery (and waiting 10 minutes) also clears the PRAM.

Title: Re: G-4 not booting
Post by: francois on April 27, 2015, 04:43:04 am

"A HD with an "X" usually means that there's no bootable system folder."

I misread your description about your screen displaying hard drive with an x in the corner… Can you show us a screenshot of the your screen?

If it's the HD, then removing it should let you boot from the CD.