iMac G5 20" - Spinning Wheel

For about 5 months, everytime I restart my iMac G5 20" it takes about 3 full minutes before I can click on anything. However, once that 3 minutes is up, everything works fine.

Until this weekend. Now, after each 2 or 3 clicks (on anything), the spinning wheel pops up and I cannot do anything for 30-60 seconds. I'm running OSX 10.4.11.

Things I've tried:
1. Disk Untilities: Tried to verify and repair disks. Result: It says the disk has errors.
2. Boot into Safe Mode: Tried to do this so I could move some stuff to a disc to save. However, when I hold "Shift" untill the apple screen and let go, the computer just shuts off.
3. Resintall OSX via Boot Disc: Tried an archive and install, before it starts the install a msg pops up that says "Error, please try again"

Not sure what else to try, any help would be appreciated.

How much ram do you have...and how full is your hard drive?

- Nick

I maxed it out when I bought it 5 years ago...I think 2 gig.

Hard drive space is 120 or 160g total, and I've used all but 25 gig.

Thanks for the info. Ram & HD seem to be ok.

When was the last time you repaired permissions?

- Nick

repaired premissions? Maybe never, since I'm not sure what that is.

Should I try it now?

utseay98 said:

repaired premissions? Maybe never, since I'm not sure what that is.

Should I try it now?

Click to expand...

Definitely! Open "Disk Utility"...then click on the button that says "Repair Permissions".

Since you haven't done this before...it may take a while.

- Nick

Actually, that is one of the things I tried to do. I can't remember the exact wording it gives me, but it basically tells me there are errors and doesn't continue w/ the repair.

Any other suggestions

http://8help.osu.edu/image.php/218

utseay98 said:

Actually, that is one of the things I tried to do. I can't remember the exact wording it gives me, but it basically tells me there are errors and doesn't continue w/ the repair.

Click to expand...

In an earlier post you said, " premissions? Maybe never, since I'm not sure what that is."...now you say you have done this before...so I guess I'm getting confused.

Also...why did you link that photo...what are you trying to say? I know what the Disk Utility window looks like...and that photo doesn't tell me anything about your specific situation.

In any case...repairing permissions may or may not be the solution...it was just something to try. Sometimes "permissions repair" can be more effective if you run Disk Utility from a Mac OS install CD/DVD...rather than from the computers internal hard drive.

Also...in the photo you linked...you see that there is another button that says "Verify Disk". You could try that as well to see if your hard drive passes the test.

- Nick

I had noted I tried that in my original post, #1 "1. Disk Untilities: Tried to verify and repair disks. Result: It says the disk has errors."

I thought you were talking about something different. But yes, I first verified my disk, but when I tried to repair it it errors out. I didn't mean to include the link, I was just looking at it so I could confirm that's what I had already tried.

So, with that said. Any other suggestions? Any thoughts as to why it will not let me repair the disk nor reload OSX?

utseay98 said:

So, with that said. Any other suggestions? Any thoughts as to why it will not let me repair the disk nor reload OSX?

Click to expand...

The next thing I would try is:

- boot your computer from your OS X install disk
- go up to the menu bar & launch Disk Utility
- repair permissions
- verify the hard drive (and repair it if necessary)

Then reboot the computer from the internal hard drive...then post if there was any improvement.

Thanks,

- Nick

Are you sure the ram usage is ok? Just because you have 2gb of ram doesn't mean you'er ok on ram.

Can you tell us your page ins and outs after a normal days' usage where you experience such freezes.

If your page ins and outs are of a good ratio, then I can safely assume your hard drive's dying.

My 20" Imac G5 iSight a few months back did the same thing. It was the hard drive slowly dying. New hard drive solved it for me.

Last night I rebooted and it would not boot from the new internal drive but was fine from my external. I Reset the PRAM and PMU and all is fine again.

Which model do you have? Is it a Pre iSight model or one with the iSight camera?

I booted from the OS X disk and "Repaired Disk". If found one error, said there were 29 directories instead of 3? Not sure what that means, but it said it fixed, I restarted, and now I'm running at top speeds again!

I almost bought a new iMac on Saturday too. Thanks guys!

utseay98 said:

I booted from the OS X disk and "Repaired Disk". If found one error, said there were 29 directories instead of 3? Not sure what that means, but it said it fixed, I restarted, and now I'm running at top speeds again!

I almost bought a new iMac on Saturday too. Thanks guys!

Click to expand...

There ya go...fixed!

Congrats,

- Nick

Lots of good insight in this thread. Glad you were able to fix your problem!

That's great news! May your G5 live on, those little things are workhorses.