iBook won't start... created a new account and

fernando.alonso

fernando.alonso

Guest
My iBook won't start any longer... getting crazzy!!!
I created a new account 'cause I have a guest (a very nice Brazilian girl, by the way).

Since I installed OSX.3 time ago, never use different accounts...
Set one for her, restarted the computer, it just fail to get so far to the login window... the meter bar get almost to the very end...when it get stucked. Time after time te same symptoms...

I tried:
-starting up in "Single user Mode"
-and 'Safe mode'.but that doesn't seam to be of any help.
-By the way, I did a disc Utility check from the OSX install CD, and no problems found...

any idea..? what to do now..? isn't anything like starting up te computer with just me, the owner in the login window..?

Thanks
 
What did you do when you went to Single User Mode?
At the Localhost # type fsck -y

Make sure at the end that it says Volume appears to be okay without File system was modified. If you get the modified message, type fsck -y again.

Then when all is done, type exit

That should get you to the log in screen.
 
First of all, thanks for the reply!

I did what you suggest, and "the volume appears to be ok' is what I get, after "exit' and then it starts up, but like always before, it get still, and dead when the scroll bars is almost at the end of the loading proccess... it just miss loading the last few bites i guess...

What can I do now..?
Actually was planning to take it with me to work abroad for the coming week...
 
...done with the PRAM too.
No changes... the meter bar does not reach the end to load the OS login window.

and now..? what else can I do..?

Wouldn't it be possible to start the iBook as a single user (the mode in which it was before creating the second account).
 
/sbin/fsck -fy
as it's in 10.3 it needs the f in the command ...
would you happen to have a DiskWarrior bootable CD lying around? You could try that ..
Or using another Mac, connect the iBook to it in target mode (firewire cable. boot up iBook holding down "t" key, untill you see firewire symbol. should be mounted on the other drive > move the user preference files to another location for both users, then retry to boot ..
 
don't really understand what do you mean by:[/sbin/fsck -fy
as it's in 10.3 it needs the f in the command]

Should I start in the "single user mode" and then aply that...

and by the way, this iBook has no firewire... too bad.
 
This is just a guess - but it doesn't hurt to try.

Start up with the OS CD. At the installer screen go to the Installer Menu and select Disk Utility. Do a repair permissions.

Do you have OS 9 installed on it? - If you kept OS 9 when you installed OS X, you should be able to boot in OS 9. There is a trick to that though. If you have the drive partitioned, just hold down the Option key at start up. Then select the OS 9 drive.
If you have OS 9 installed on the same drive, you will need to use the OS 9 CD. You then will be able to get to the hard drive> home>Library>Preferences to trash the use preference files - also check to see if there are indeed two home folders.
 
No OS9 installed, unfortunatelly...

And the DiscUtility from the OSX Cd has been used alredady, the volume seams to be ok, no troubles found... but the same troubles at start up... is this because X.3.5..?

...and now? :eek:
 
Do you have the OS 9 CD? It should start up the computer and allow you to open the hard drive to get to those folders.
 
I do have the OS 9 CD, but it wasn't installed before the big crash.
what should I do..?

Then I decided to lose the content of the HD, and istall OSX again. But I didn't succed doing that either... an error message appear while installing.

Tried to install OSX again, and the same... error message stop the process.

So by now I'm that far that I can't even try to install OSX any longer, though I could repair the disk, a process that was done in a few seconds...

Any suggestion about trying to install OS9 at this very moment..?
 
new simpthom..!

after failed installing OSX for more than 2 times, when no I try to start in such a way as normal, SafeStart, either SingleUserMode the only I get is a folder icon, and a blinking question mark/OS FaceLogo.

This is baaaaaad! isn't it?
Should I trough the iBook out of the window right now... or is this worth while anything else.
Heeeeeeeeeelp, please
 
Will it boot from the OS X CD? To do this is turn it on and see if it accepts your OS X CD. Once it takes the CD (if it takes it) turn the computer off. Then boot back up while holding down the "c" button. It then should boot from the CD. When (if) the CD loads, the installer should come up with a limited Finder menu. Go file and start Disk Utility. Then do a 'Repair Disk' . I say this because I am beginning to think the hard drive might be fried.

If (when) you can do this, let us know what happens. Also, I would strongly suggest is buy a disk utility like Alsoft's DiskWarrior. Good luck.
 
Hmm... The disk has been checked five or six times (and this has been mentioned already!) and STILL people come up with 'check your disk' as a tip? ... Still: I'd say it's a hardware rather than a software issue. Might want to try a hardware check (there should be an original disk for that) but also try bringing the 'Book to a store so they can have a look...

You might also want to try removing any additional RAM in that iBook and boot from the OS 9 CD.

If the 'Book doesn't want to boot _any_ OS any more, it's most definitely a hardware issue. And not a drive issue at that, since the installer CD doesn't even need a harddrive present to boot. Just to install.
 
I remove the aditional RAM, the AirportCard, restarted, used the original hardware check up CD, erased the HD. And reinstalled OS9.
It's working so far... but in OS 9.0

I'll update the OS now, and see if it works well for a while... I started suspition that OSX CD were the problem... and couldn't install from them.

Should I still use Diskwarrior? and try again..?

thanks!
 
I'll try what Cheryl just suggested me.
Let you know after the try... but for sure I didn't need a firmware update before, since it was up-to-date.

But what about the firmware after re-installing OS 9..?
would the firmware get to the old version, meaning that it got back to the state when I bought the iBook..?

Or is that the firmware won't change..? and stick to the latest, no matter what I do..?
 
This is all very helpful but i still have a question, I have the sane problem with my Ibook 4G, My brother (original owner of the ibook) whipped everything on the laptop. He gave me a Fedora Cd to install into it. But i have know idea how!
HELP ME
 
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