Tiger iMac g5 start up problems

easterhay

easterhay

little green rosetta
Hello all. Long time no see.

I'm running 10.4.11 on a 17" iMac g5. A couple of days ago it froze and on restart I got an orange screen (never seen that before) and then nothing. A couple more restarts got slightly further, at least as far as my wallpaper loading, then blue screen.

I've gone in on the boot disk and checked everything and got a green light.

I've also gone in on safe mode and run Onyx - everything fine.

There seems, therefore, to be a problem with a start up item, but only being able to go in on safe mode, how do I know which one? Obviously I can't disable them in safe mode because they're not enabled.

[EDIT - I've set up a new admin account while in safe mode, but still get no further than the blue screen on restart]


All help welcome. Thanks,

Nick
 
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Would it be possible for you to download 10.4.11 Combo Updater package using another machine and then a disc, disk or memory stick etc to import to that Mac?
Perhaps it could be installed in safe mode and that could repair the faulty startup item/s... as it would need a bigger download though, do you have some machine with enough bandwidth for that download though?
 
Hi Giaguara.

I'll give it a try. Fortunately my trusty iBook is working (touch wood) so downloading won't be a problem. Getting it onto Big Mac might be though, but I'll give it a spin and let you know.

As a further update, I zapped the PRAM to the tune of three bongs - no change.

Working from home is a wonderful thing until this sort of stuff happens.
 
Apologies for the delay in getting back on this, but I'm a-traveling.

that didn't make any difference, I'm afraid. I still get stuck at the blue screen, before I even get to a log in dialogue.

Anyone got any more suggestions, please? Seems like my only option for now is a backup and clean install.
 
Apologies for bumping my own thread, but I'm going spare and wanted to double check to see if anyone had any further suggestions before I go through the drama of a reinstall.

Thanks.
 
This sounds similar to my issue (my iBook G4 suddenly stopped booting past the blue splash screen after a reboot). I am thinking the boot loader (or Mac equiv) has been corrupted. I just don't know how to repair it.

M/C
 
well i tried a clean install but installer found problems with the disc and after a restart, the HD appears not to work at all. this just gets better and better.

don't know what to suggest to you MC - i am clearly not the best person to help. good luck
 
Hope someone's still checking this...

Managed to save everything vital using Target Disc Mode via iBook
Tried a clean install, went to restart, no joy
Disk Utility, erased volume, then install, everything great
Restart
Got to blue screen which then faded to a grey-blue screen, stayed there for a while and then went to sleep

Any ideas?
 
If you have problems booting, and the clean reinstall (clean means that you erased the hard drive first, not just a reinstall of OS X), and the clean reinstall does not change anything - then a new hard drive is likely in your future. If your iMac G5 does not have a camera in the front bezel, then the hard drive is very easy to replace. If you do have a built-in camera, then the hard drive is not simple to do.
 
Oh joy. Well, thanks for the confirmation, DeltaMac. At least I managed to save the vitals. And yes, it was an "erase and restore".

This is not the first time I've had to change the HD, and the one I bought last time had nowhere to plug in the temp monitor, so I'm wondering if this isn't an overheating issue this time.

So my next question would be: what's the best way to ventilate an iMac? It gets bloody hot here in the summer, and very dusty too at times
 
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