Power Mac G4 won't boot

[Black Sheep]

Hello,

first things first, the first person to say "shouldn't have got a mac'' or anything similar will get a virtual clout round the head

I've got a powerbook G4 which was running fine until the other night when a security update failed to install, i canceled the install and shut it down with the intent of trying again another time with a better web connection.

when I came to start the computer up it goes to a white screen with a swirly thing (not the colored beach ball of despair) looks a bit like a wind turbine i guess.

this is sometimes normal for the machine, before going to the blue screen with wind turbine and then popping up with the normal log in stuff as OSX has loaded.

so, the main question is: how do i get it to boot up? is there a similar method to that of windows safe mode where I can go and change stuff / retrieve files etc in which to sort it?

the only method I know of doing this is to hold down C and boot from the install CD and do a re-format, something i'd rather not do.

its running tiger which is what it came with.

thanks.

 

[Carwash]

Sounds like the failed/cancelled update messed up your system.

the only method I know of doing this is to hold down C and boot from the install CD and do a re-format, something i'd rather not do.

This is what I'd recommend, actually. Reinstall, then restore your files from backup.

I suppose it's *possible* that you may be able to locate and fix the problem by following up any unusual boot-time messages; hold Cmd-V when you boot to display these, then boot from CD (or to single-user mode - Cmd-S) to fix things if you can.

 

[goo_mason]

You shouldn't have bought a Ma.... oops !

 

[Black Sheep]

thanks Carwash,

is there a way of accessing it from another mac to get the files off? its been used by my fiancee lately so i've not had chance to back it up and i don't think she's got anything but her dissertation backed up (thankfully she has that!)

i've heard people talk of 'target disk mode' but know little about it.

the install isn't that old

 

[Black Sheep]

just tried cmd + V and its been displaying what its doing on the screen,

its currently stuck on "can't find root user, sleeping and trying again" which would be why its not loading i guess

 

[kyuss]

the only method I know of doing this is to hold down C and boot from the install CD and do a re-format, something i'd rather not do.

It's the only way really. Or at least the best way. You don't have to do a full re-format though. There is an option to do an 'archive and install'. All that does is re-install a new system folder/os. It leaves all your files and applications untouched, you shouldn't have to re-load them from backup. I've done it a couple of times over the years without problem.

 

[Black Sheep]

as its the update that messed it up, am i able to roll back the update to how the computer was before?

 

[Carwash]

is there a way of accessing it from another mac to get the files off? its been used by my fiancee lately so i've not had chance to back it up and i don't think she's got anything but her dissertation backed up (thankfully she has that!)

i've heard people talk of 'target disk mode' but know little about it.

Yes, if you have another Mac and a Firewire cable, that is a good option. Connect the two Macs with the Firewire cable (the working Mac should already be on) and start up your hosed Mac holding down T. The hosed Mac will appear as an external volume to the working Mac.

 

[Black Sheep]

ah, not got a firewire cable so thats out.

 

[kyuss]

as its the update that messed it up, am i able to roll back the update to how the computer was before?

Doing the archive and install will basically install the os as it came from the shop and move your current system folder to a folder called 'previous system'. You'll probably need to run 'software update' under the apple menu to update it to the latest version along with any firmware or plug-in updates that have been done over the years. It will give you a list before it installs any of these so you'll be able to choose not to install the security update that caused the problem in the first place, and you'll then be back to how it was before.

I had exactly the same problem with a security update a few years ago and the above sorted it. I now rarely use the software update to install system critical stuff, (to easy to go wrong) I download it directly from the apple site and run the update from my desktop instead.

Remember none of this should effect your files and applications as long as you choose archive and install.

 

[Black Sheep]

Doing the archive and install will basically install the os as it came from the shop and move your current system folder to a folder called 'previous system'. You'll probably need to run 'software update' under the apple menu to update it to the latest version along with any firmware or plug-in updates that have been done over the years. It will give you a list before it installs any of these so you'll be able to choose not to install the security update that caused the problem in the first place, and you'll then be back to how it was before.

I had exactly the same problem with a security update a few years ago and the above sorted it. I now rarely use the software update to install system critical stuff, (to easy to go wrong) I download it directly from the apple site and run the update from my desktop instead.

Remember none of this should effect your files and applications as long as you choose archive and install.

i don't think i can do it that way as its said before that there isn't enough disk space.

 

[Carwash]

i don't think i can do it that way as its said before that there isn't enough disk space.

Kyuss is right - Archive and Install is also a good option. I'd give it a try anyway - the worst it can do is say no. How much disk space do you think you have free? (<10Gb and you were probably having problems anyway!)

 

[kyuss]

Mmmm, you might have a problem then. You can boot from the CD and use Terminal to delete some stuff that you don't need to free up some space, but I wouldn't recommend this unless you really know what you are doing. It's far to easy to kill it dead forever.

Looks like another Mac and using Target Disk mode to move stuff over to free up space is your only option from here.