G4 ibook wont read install discs!

[robbiemullen]

My girlfriends 12" G4 ibook is acting up.it will read cds (music,data) and dvds (movies) but it wont pick up the Os x discs if insert them.it just makes some noise for a bit as if it is trying to read them and then spits them out!. i am trying to re-install iPhoto because it wont run anymore.they are the install discs that came with the machine

 

[louishen]

Give it a good clean?

If not - phone apple - they may replace the disks for you

 

[robbiemullen]

its something else..i tryed the install discs that came with my macbook pro but it would not read them either.

 

[Stretch]

Did you try cleaning the cd drive?

 

[MacHeadCase]

If you used the restore disks that came with you MacBook Pro, it's only normal the iBook won't accept them. These are hardware specific disks and the iBook is PowerPC while your MBP is Intel-based.

I agree with the others that you need to clean the iBook's restore disk, it might be some dirt that is preventing the iBook from reading it. It obviously is not the hardware that's at fault here since it can read other media just fine.

 

[robbiemullen]

If you used the restore disks that came with you MacBook Pro, it's only normal the iBook won't accept them. These are hardware specific disks and the iBook is PowerPC while your MBP is Intel-based.

I know,but it should still be able to read whats on them.its like when i put the install discs from ibook G4 into my powermac G5, i can read whats on them but not use them (obviously!)...

 

[MacHeadCase]

Read them? Acknowledged. Seems like the optical drive has problems with the OS disks since it can read other types of CDs or DVDs.

Can you create a new user with admin privileges and see if the restore disk is usable there?

 

[robbiemullen]

i created another account with admin privileges...still nothing comes up.when i press eject in the new account it wont eject the disc.

 

[MacHeadCase]

I am looking for a plist file somewhere that would have something to do with the optical drive but can't find anything. Besides, the drive reacting this way in another brand new user account means the corruption is system-wide.

One thing you could do is re-install the OS via Target Disk mode, your Mac being the master and her iBook being the slave. There shouldn't be any problems as long as you use her restore disks and not yours.

It has to be a software problem, can't see it as being a hardware problem but I could be wrong.

 

[louishen]

You could also burn a fresh copy of her disks from your mac and see if the new copy works

 

[robbiemullen]

all i am looking to do is fix the error with iPhoto 06. when i go to open iPhoto it says: "The Photo library was created with an unreleased version of iPhoto. Please quit and upgrade this photo library by opening it in iPhoto 2 or iPhoto 4",but now i am concerned with its ability to read its own install discs.

 

[robbiemullen]

You could also burn a fresh copy of her disks from your mac and see if the new copy works

thats not a bad idea..all i would have to do is burn one of them and see if it works.

 

[MacHeadCase]

Those disks have copy-protection on them.

I am thinking that you could use your Mac to install iPhoto in target mode just like I suggested earlier. You use your Mac's optical drive to install on her Mac whatever it is you want to install. As long as you use her restore disks, there will not be a problem, as stated earlier.

 

[robbiemullen]

any other suggestions regarding iPhoto?

 

[louishen]

Those disks have copy-protection on them.

I am thinking that you could use your Mac to install iPhoto in target mode just like I suggested earlier. You use your Mac's optical drive to install on her Mac whatever it is you want to install. As long as you use her restore disks, there will not be a problem, as stated earlier.

Try the above method first

 

[robbiemullen]

only probelm being i dont have a firewire cable to do it.might able to get one off a friend though

 

[dtravis7]

It's really strange that the optical drive will read all your Music, Data and even movie DVD's and not read the OSX Installer DVD for that iBook. Are you sure there are no fingerprints and smudges on it?

The Intel DVD will read fine but you of course can not install it on a G4 machine.

I have backed up my Tiger DVD before in case the original gets damaged and the back up worked perfectly.

 

[robbiemullen]

The Intel DVD will read fine but you of course can not install it on a G4 machine.
.

No..the ibook wont even acknowledge an install disc.I know i cant install the os x from my intel mbp on to the g4,but it wont acknowledge that their is a disc in its drive.it just makes funny noises and then i have to eject it out. I am thinking of resetting the PRAM on it..

 

[dtravis7]

Try the PRAM reset. Who knows, It might just work.

 

[robbiemullen]

ok i reset the PRAM,now this is weird...it read disc 2 of its own install discs.took it out and put it back in and it wont read it anymore...put in disc 1 and now it wont come out when i try to eject it...madness!!