PBG4 15" 1.67Ghz Gray Screen Apple Logo NO Spinning Gear

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Feb 18, 2009
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Your Mac's Specs
Powerbook G4 15" 167Ghz 80GB HD
This machine is running tiger.

I've tried everything! Except the startup disk (because I dont have them. i got the computer from a friend and dont know what to do :/ Apple said i'd have to buy the install disks and i dont have money for it.) none of my other friends have macs so idk what to do.

I admit the computer was acting sluggish so i deleted the music and pictures and a few unused programs but then the sytem froze on me while browsing safari and the only way to get it unstuck was to force it to shut down by powering off. (Note: i shut it down at least four hours from when it froze because i thought it'd work out its issues and come back.) now when i turn it back on, it just stays at the gray apple screen and the spinning gear doesnt come up. i do hear like a veeeery low/quiet whir from the HD before it shuts itself up and doesnt do anything else.

I tried booting in safe mode - no go it just goes straight to the apple logo
Tried single user mode, went to apple screen :/
Ctrl+option+p+r - waits for the 4 chimes but still, apple logo no gear
Command+v for verbose - NOTHING - straight to the apple logo
Ctrl+option+o+f - i get into the open firmware and do the reset-nvram, reset-all command and it reboots. but stays at the apple logo.
When i hold option key on rebooting, it goes onto a screen with a curved arrow (guess reboot option) my HD (which shows up but is already pressed in. idk what that means i thought i'd have to press it in to select it. there's also a little X symbol at the bottom right of the HD. it looks like the OSX symbol) and the right arrow (i guess is to move on to the next thing. but when i select the HD and click on the right arrow, it goes to the apple screen and stays there.
i can boot into target disk mode but it doesnt make sense since i dont have another mac handy :/

i find it odd that it wont let me boot into safe mode or verbose. i can boot into open firmware and boot using the option command for the HD and thats about it. Another thing to add is th commands seem to work. at least the keys. I can get the capslock light to work but not the numlock light when i press it - what does that mean?

even at this moment it is just sitting on the apple logo. and still. no spinning gear. I'm at a loss.
 
C

chas_m

Guest
Sounds like a dead hard drive.

Why not ask your friend if he still has the discs that came with the machine? And if he does, smack him around a bit for holding out on you. :)

Kidding aside, good luck. Normally I'd suggest you just buy a copy of Snow Leopard (and a new hard drive) to fix this but SL won't run on your machine, and retail copies of Tiger or Leopard are quite pricey.
 
Joined
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Your Mac's Specs
Back to my old 2.2GHz C2D MB after selling my MBP and wondering what my next Mac will be :)
It sounds like your HD has died, and without the install discs, you are not even going to able to get to disk utility, to verify and/or repair if possible.
You need either the original install discs, or a retail version of Panther 10.3.7+, Tiger 10.4.x, or Leopard 10.5.x.
You can not use a friend's grey coloured discs, as they are machine specific.
Your best bet is to call Apple's online number, with your serial number at hand, and see if they can send you a set of replacement discs. If they have them, that should cost you somewhere in the region of $20-$40.
Otherwise, you'll be looking at the $150 range for retail version install discs.
Mac OS X - July 2010
OS X 10.5.6 Leopard Retail - - Shopping.com
 

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