eMac folder with question mark flashing, won't boot

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Hey all,
I just got an old eMac, not sure what make or model it is (which helps *coughs*).
When I used to turn it on, I got a picture of a globe flashing and a grey background, I then fixed this (after looking at a bunch of forums) by resetting the PRAM.
Now when I turn it on I get a grey background (again) and a lavender coloured folder with a ? flashing and two faces (swapping consectivly with each other).
My guess is (after reading a bunch of forums) that I need to reinstall the OS, and it does not help that I do not have a disc.

So my question is, how do you reinstall the OS (or get the folder thing fixed) without a disc or spending excessive amounts of money?

P.S. I am a very novice Mac user, as I have had very little experience with them, as my whole life I've been using PC's (blame that on parents )

Gunny
 
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Your Mac's Specs
MacMini 14.3, 8.1 & 4.1, OS 13.5, 10.14, & 10.11 & 10.6; Macbook Pro 8.2, OS 10.12.
Depending on which eMac model it is, you can operate either Panther (10.3) or Tiger (10.4). Tiger can be purchased from Apple (online), last I read it was US$65.

You could try online auction sites like Amazon and eBay for an OS disk set, but you will need the full (black) retail version unless you can find someone selling the grey system restore disks specifically for your model of eMac.

Meantime, pull down the optical drive door flap and see what the serial number is. From that you can ascertain via Apple's website which model it is.
 
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One problem with that, I pulled down the flap door, went to apple to see which eMac it is, and it is supposed to be the last three digits in the serial number it is, yes? Well I could not see my last three in any of the list. The last three is digits are NC1, heard of this before?
 
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MacMini 14.3, 8.1 & 4.1, OS 13.5, 10.14, & 10.11 & 10.6; Macbook Pro 8.2, OS 10.12.
Like this: YM41659**** Those last four are alphabet letters. I'm not going to tip my eMac over to check, but I have an idea that the Serial# is also on the RAM access hatch.

I could guess at what NC1 means, perhaps the eMac was part of a school computer lab and was networked.
 
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Yea, I have the right place for the series code, but it has QNC1 as the last for digits... but I think I figured it out anyway, just by looking at the stock specs (under the serial code) and comparing them to other eMac model specs. It is the oldest model of eMac.

So would the OS I need be 10.1?? can I use a later one like 10.3 by any chance?

This was part of a business network, and they were chucking it out, so my mum grabbed it, does this help?
 
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MacMini 14.3, 8.1 & 4.1, OS 13.5, 10.14, & 10.11 & 10.6; Macbook Pro 8.2, OS 10.12.
It'll operate Tiger, according to Mactracker, but you'd want maximum RAM (1 Gb). Otherwise Panther. If it were my machine, I'd go no further than OS 10.3.9, simply because of demands on the processor.

The fact that it was once a network machine should make no difference to its operation as a standalone computer. Once you've got it cranked up and operating, we'll know more about its ethernet configuration, and if it has an airport card for wireless capability.
 
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Ok, sounds cool. My friend says he has a disc he could give me with 10.3 on it (if he can find it) as he no longer uses it, but he said it's for a G5, will it still work on my machine?
 

pigoo3

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Ok, sounds cool. My friend says he has a disc he could give me with 10.3 on it (if he can find it) as he no longer uses it, but he said it's for a G5, will it still work on my machine?

Nope won't work. Those "gray" disks are model specific.

- Nick
 
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dang, so I'd have to find a disc that is meant for the eMac (or would it also have to be model specific, ie the origonal eMac disc)??
 

pigoo3

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dang, so I'd have to find a disc that is meant for the eMac (or would it also have to be model specific, ie the origonal eMac disc)??

There were at least 5 different eMac models over a 3-year period (the earliest shipped with OS 10.1.4, and the most recent shipped with OS 10.4)...so even if you were able to find an eMac "gray" disk...it still may not work.

The safest (and most expensive) option is to purchase a "retail" OS install disk...but that's going to cost more.

HTH,

- Nick
 
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Thanks for that guys, you've been great helps :p
Hopefully I will have this eMac up and running in the near future :D
 

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