iMac wont turn on

is there anything I can do? I did a regular software update, and then restarted the computer. It takes me to the opening white screen with the apple-but then nothing happens. I've tried multiple times to manually restart and have even un-plugged the computer. Is there anything I can do?

also, the computer was a gift from a friend and i don't have the install disc.

also, I've tried booting it up in safe mode and single user mode and neither seems to work. i've pretty much tried following everything they tell me to do on the apple website, but the computer doesnt seem to respond to anything.

: (

and also,
if I did come across an install disc, I'm not sure how I would put it in the computer as I can't get the disc drawer to open.

You have the install discs right

Hold the mouse button down on start-up, that should make the disk drawer in the mac open , I assume its an old tray loading imac.

Once the disk is in you can launch from the CD with another restart and holding down the C key - once in you can do a disk repair by chosing disk utility from top menu when the installer screen appears

You have access to another computer I assume, do you have a usb stick as well?

if yes download the combo updater here

http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macosxcombinedupdate1039.html

And try running it from a usb stick on the imacs hard drive - that should safely update your installation and make the imac bootable again

okay, so I do not have the install discs. is there anywhere that I could download/buy them OR is there another option besides buying the disks?
I DO have the install disc for my macbook. I know that it isnt perfect, but I tried this and, while holding down "C" the following message came up:

panic(cpu 0 caller 0x002E0bF4): Ubable to find driver for this platform: "Powermac6,1"

then a lot of letters and numbers and then

No debugger configured - dumping debug infromation
MSR=00001030

Darwin Kernel Version 8.6.2: Thu Apr 13 18:51:54 PDT 2006; root:xnu-792.9.59.obj~1/RELEASE_PPC
panic: We are hanging here...



anyone have any idea on what this means or what I should do? Will getting the install discs fix my problem? how much do they cost?

thanks a lot for the help,
Charlie

The install disks that came with your MacBook will never work on your iMac for two reasons :

- they are for an Intel-based Mac and are incompatible with PowerPC chip that is in your iMac
- and the disks are model and hardware specific

Not to mention that using them on a second Mac is a violation of Apple's EULA.

There is no download other than updates for Panther (10.3.x) and you will need to buy them. Try eBay. Get a full retail install copy. Disks are black, not grey. And if you opt for Tiger (10.4) , make sure they come in a special CD version. You haven't specified your iMac model but if it has Panther on it, I gather there might be a possibility it might not handle DVDs. Make sure that it does or not : if it does, you can buy the regular full install version on DVD.

AS MHC advises rightly go and buy a full retail version of the software you wish to have, suggest Tiger OS X.4. Make sure they are the full retail install BLACK colored discs and not a grey model specific System Restore, as you have found these will not work and have probably caused some system corruption.

When you have the new OS, then go through the reboot holding 'C', format the drive and do a clean install.