iBook won't boot

alexandra

Registered
Hi

My iBook has the usual flashing question mark and won't start up, but on trying norton and disk warrior, it can't see the internal HD either.

On the older versions we used to be able to seach for missing disks, but I can't see how to do it on the newer OSX versions and this iBook won't book from OS9.

Is my iBook doomed, or is there a way to view missing disks and i just haven't found it yet?

Thanks Alex
 
Try this and see if it corrects the problem. And by the way - stop using Norton Utilities on your OS X drive. It creates more problems than it repairs. Disk Warrior or TechTool Pro is your best bet.

1. Shut down the computer if it is on.
2. Press the power button to start the computer.
3. Immediately press and hold the Command (Apple) key and the "s" key for single-user mode.
4. At the command-line prompt, type: /sbin/fsck -fy
5. Press Return.

The fsck utility will go through five "phases" then return information about the disk's utilization and fragmentation. Once the check is finished, if no issue is found, you should see "** The volume (name of volume) appears to be OK."

Note: If fsck alters, repairs, or fixes anything, it will display the message:

***** FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED *****

Important: If this message appears, repeat the fsck command until it no longer appears. It's OK if you need to do several "passes" of fsck, because first-pass repairs may uncover additional issues.

When fsck reports that, "** The volume (name of volume) appears to be OK.",
6. type: reboot
7. Press Return.
 
The question mark is indicating, it can't find a boot-up disk or image. Do you have the install CD.
 
Thanks Cheryl, but it won't even get that far.

Apple - S, on start up, just gives me the same flashing question mark ... it's doomed!

Alex.
 
It's not that the iBook is doomed, it's just that your hard drive is dead. FSCK could have helped if the drive's data or structure needed to be repaired, but it sounds like your drive itself has gone bad. You simply need to have the hard drive replaced. Hopefully that will fix your problem.
How old of an iBook is this? If it's a clamshell iBook, it will be a big to-do just to replace the hard drive. I don't think it's as bad on the white iBooks, but still isn't a cake walk. Private message me with the specs if you just want to get rid of the iBook, I might be interested if the price is right!
 
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