New hard drive in PB, but I still have a grey screen

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I just installed a 80gb hard drive into my PowerBook G4 1.25 ghz. My old hard drive had crashed so I ordered one off of ebay. After installing it and putting the pb back together when I start it up the only screen that appears is the notorious Grey screen with a flashing question mark on a folder.

I tried booting it while holding down "c" with the system software cd in. Nothing seems to work.

Can someone point me in the right direction here? Does this sound like the HD needs to be formatted or that it just isn't being recognized?

Thanks.

Sean
PowerBook G4 15" 1.25ghz
 

chscag

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Yes, the hard drive must be formatted in order for it to be recognized by the system. Boot your machine with the original install media and run Disk Utility.

Use Disk Utility to format the new drive as HFS extended journal. (HFS+) After which, you can proceed to install OS X.

BTW, try holding down the "Option" key right after you hear the POST chime and then select the install DVD to boot from. It will take awhile.

Regards.
 
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Thanks for the reply.

I've tried to boot by the disk but it hasn't worked. I held option and a plain blue screen with two arrows came up, one that looks like the refresh arrow, and then a generic forward one. What is this for? I have clicked them both but it doesn't seem to do anything.....

I'm sure it is reading the disc because the eject button still works....

Any ideas?
thanks
 
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Also when I click the arrow that looks like a refresh symbol the disc starts spinning, but then eventually stops and nothing occurs. How can I get disk utility to come up?
 

chscag

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What kind of install DVD are you using? Which version of OS X? Sounds like you're not using an install DVD that can boot the machine.

Regards.
 
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Hi,

The disk I believe is a cd and it says Power Mac G4 Software Restore. It doesn't say anything about OS X. I was running OS X tiger. I bought this computer from a friend and this is what they said came with it.... I would try to run OS X Tiger disc but I don't know where I can buy that....

any ideas?
 

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