PPC G4 Mac mini fails to boot from install disc

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If anyone can advise me how to resurrect my mac mini then I would be very grateful, thanks.

In summary, I have a PPC G4 mac mini, 1 Gb RAM and it did have 80Gb HD, it also has bluetooth, airport and superdrive (I think).

It failed to burn a dvd with Toast, it totally died so I powered it off. The next night I tried to view an avi file with VLC and it froze after a few seconds.

Repeated tests trying to view with VLC or anything else resulted in the machine freezing. I rang an Apple store & they suggested re-installation of Mac OS X using the "erase & install" option. I tried this and the installation keeps freezing at certain points.

I have taken the mini apart, replaced the HD with a 160Gb HD, cleaned the RAM stick with an eraser and put it all back together.

When I power it up and depress C to boot from the install DVD (still in the dvd drive from previous installation attempts) all I get is the flashing finder icon & question mark. The original 80Gb HD has been formatted for use as an external drive. The point being that if I put it back in the mac mini there will not be any start up files available on the disc.

Consequently the new 160 Gb HD is devoid of any files & the mini will not display any page such that I can select disc utility to format the drive.

How can I kick the mac mini into life? I want to install Tiger software but the disc is not currently recognised as being in the dvd drive.

All help gratefully considered.
 
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Either you have a crook DVD or a dead/dying optical drive.
 

dtravis7


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You did say it did boot from the install DVD at one point but froze? When you were inside replacing the Hard Drive, it is possible the DVD Drive came loose and is not connected or the drive assembly is not seated properly and not making contact? I have worked a LOT with the G4 Minis inside. Try booting and hold down the left mouse button right after the startup sound. Keep it down and see if the install DVD ejects. If not, the drive might not be getting power.

If that works and it still will not boot holding down C, try to reset the PRAM.

Hold down Command+Option+P+R right after the startup sound and keep all 4 keys down till you hear 2 more startup sounds, then let go. That has worked for one person I helped with a similar issue.
 
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I don't pretend to understand the how's and why's, but could this be something to do with master and slave jumper settings on the replacement internal hd?
 

dtravis7


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I don't pretend to understand the how's and why's, but could this be something to do with master and slave jumper settings on the replacement internal hd?

Another good possibility and something to check on since the G4 Mini still used an IDE drive.
 
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Sounds to me, this is more of a hardware issue... Mostly likely its your jumper on your hard drive preventing it to be read. trying switching it around and see what happens....
 
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still no progress, OS X does not install, dvd stuck will not eject

Thanks to everyone who posted a suggestion, this is the latest ...

I have pressed cmd + option + P & R after the first chime & waited until a 2nd & 3rd chime heard then powered off.

I have checked the jumper settings on the original 80Gb drive & on the Internet for the new 160Gb drive and they are both already set to master, i.e. all pins exposed .. no jumped pins.

I have checked all connections and all seems good. The unit is very clean inside.

I can hear & feel the dvd drive whizz round when I start up the mini but I only get the flashing finder icon & question mark. I cannot get the OS X dvd to run by holding C on start up (after the first chime) and nor can I eject the dvd by holding the left mouse button on start up.

I no longer see the apple screen when starting up .... the screen immediately goes to the finder icon / question mark.

Any more ideas anyone? What about removing the hard drive & restarting without a HD? It might try to boot from the dvd drive then (hoping in ignorance).

All ideas will be gratefully received & considered.
 

dtravis7


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I am half asleep at the moment but let me see if I can word this right.

The Assembly that holds the Hard Drive and DVD Drive, when you take it out to put in the new drive, you notice at the back there is like in the PC world looks like the contacts on a PCI card. On the motherboard is a slot that it plugs into. Are you sure when you put the drive assembly back into the Mini that the edge connectors are plugging into that slot and seating down all the way?

That is the only thing I can think of that would cause the drives not to work and the fact the DVD will not eject makes me think it's not plugged in all the way. It's just a guess but at this point I can not think of anything else. if not maybe something hardware wise died on the board or the optical drive just decided to die in the time you took it out and put in the new Hard Drive!!

You said you can feel the DVD drive moving. Do you hear the Hard Drive spinning up by any chance?
 
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dvd spinning up, OS X dvd not recognised, dvd will not eject

Hi, thanks for the reply, I can most definitely hear & feel the dvd spinning up , I can also hear a few faint bells/chimes (not the start up one though), its very faint ... just while the disc spins.

I tried holding down the left mouse button / holding the C key on start up (two seperate occasions) but the disc just spins up a couple of times and then just stops spinning up. That's maybe when the finder icon / question mark flashes on the monitor. The dvd does not eject ... it did before I swapped out the HD.:'(

I think I might try booting up from "open firmware" , using cmd, opt , O & F and then try typing "eject cd" .... not tried this yet. But I will still need to put the OS X Tiger disc (grey disc 1) back into the drive to start installing OS X.

I might try taking the HD out again & refitting but I checked evrything and all seems to fit ok.

Thanks for your replies .... I'll persevere, I don't like giving up or paying anyone else to do a job that I could do (even though I'm on a learner curve).

Thanks for your time chaps.
 
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trying to eject dvd

I just tried the command option and O + F keys and typed in "eject cd" , the response eventually was to say that the cd could not be ejected from the drive.

I'm sure that the disc is spinning up & that all components are connected properly.

I'm open to suggestions.
 
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sent for service at the nice apple shop

I took the mac mini to the apple shop, they tried many fixes to restore functionality but with no luck.

The mini has been sent away for diagnosis & repair.

I'll post the results of the repair when I have the service engineers get back to me.

It looks like the dvd drive is a bit screwy ... I'll confirm mid week.
 
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G4 1.5 Ghz Logic Board is dead

The Apple shop examined the mini & said that the motherboard is at fault. The repair cost exceeds the price paid for 2nd hand units.

Any one know of a working G4 1.5Ghz Logic / Motherboard for sale????

Thanks for everyone responding to my problem.
 
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searching for replacement logic board

Thanks Harryb2448,

I missed out on that eBay item but I'm keeping my eyes peeled for a bargain.

I have the mac mini all in bits again ready for popping in a replacement board. It's very straight forward stripping down the mac mini, I like seeing how it all fits together.

I'll just be patient now until something comes along.

Thanks for looking out for me. :)
 

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