Powerbook G4 OS X not booting up

abbyk · #1 May 23rd, 2009, 10:41 PM

Hello Mac Geniuses,

Here is the situation. I have a 12 in Powerbook G4 with OS X. About a week ago I downloaded a security update and once it was downloaded it asked to either restart or shut down the computer. I clicked restart. It shut down and then turned back on but only got to the Apple symbol with the small grey spinning wheel beneath and wouldn't finish booting up past that.

I tried turning it on while holding down the option button and it went to the hard disk screen and clicked the right arrow but it still didn't get past that screen.

Next I tried using Disk Utility. I put the Install disc in and booted up with the C key. I verified the hard drive and it had an error. I repaired it and then tried booting up again. Still didn't work.

I don't think it is the hard drive as I can still access it when it is connected to another Mac and turned on holding down T to use it as an external harddrive. I have another external hard drive that I can back-up everything on, but I don't know what to back-up (some of the system and library files won't let me access them) and I am scared to re-install OS X if I don't have to...

Help????

Thanks!

#1 Rhapsody · #2 May 24th, 2009, 08:22 AM

How long did you wait on the spinning wheel? Sometimes after updates you have to wait a while before it does anything (same thing happens to by iBook G3). If you wait about an hour and nothing happens then you should reinstall. If you do reinstall it will not mess with your installed applications or your other files.

Hope this helps

abbyk · #3 May 24th, 2009, 08:54 AM

I've waited about 15-20 minutes. I'll try an hour and let you know.

Everything I've read (the manual, the reinstall CD) has said that it will basically wipe your hard drive if you reinstall.

#1 Rhapsody · #4 May 24th, 2009, 09:10 AM

All you have to do is boot up with the install cd, select your hard drive, and hit update. It will reinstall and you should have a working system.

Doctor X · #5 May 24th, 2009, 09:43 AM

The term may be "Archive and Install" in the options when you want to install. That is the one that creates a new System for you while leaving your data. I have read that this is not the "best" option and people should "Erase and Install" later--Gurus may correct me on that. Be that as it may, "A & I" will let you get to your data . . . save it, et cetera.

THEN, consider in the future downloading the ComboUpdates. Yeah . . . I know . . . Software Update popped up on your screen and said, "Hey, Here it is!" Usually, I have not had a problem but an earlier SU caused problems which were fixed by the CU.

THEN take about $100 and get an EX-HD and a program like SuperDuper which you can then regularly clone your regular drive. So . . . instead of having to do all you did, you can just boot up on it, continue your work surfing porn or whatever foul things you do with your computer while it erases and clones to you drive.

--J.D.