- Joined
- Jan 27, 2010
- Messages
- 2
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 1
- Location
- Adams, MA
- Your Mac's Specs
- eMac 700. iBook 800
I have a 12" iBook G4 800 and it only boots properly from an external hard drive. A few weeks ago, it seemed like the hard drive failed. As I started it up, the folder/question mark icon popped up. So I booted it up from a back up external hard drive from my eMac. It booted up perfectly, the ibook ran just fine. The internal hard drive didn't show up on the system profiler.
So I replaced the drive. When I tried to install the system software, it failed. I did a disc first aid and it failed. I started in target mode and zeroed the drive from the eMac. I was then able to install the system software. Then it gets interesting..
When I started the ibook, it started fine, as I was running through the welcome stuff, it froze. Restarted and I got a black and white screen and it said I needed to restart. Then it wouldn't boot. The missing system folder icon popped back up at restart.
Back to the external drive, the iBook is back to normal. Okay, faulty hard drive. The second drive did extactly the same thing. Now, I'm thinking maybe its the data cable for the hard drive to the logic board.
Got one from eBay, replaced it.
Booted the book and boom, all it good. I uploaded the data from my old Mac and all seemed well. Until a restarted. The book didn't do things properly, it froze and then it won't boot. I plugged in the external drive again and its working fine.
Any ideas?? Sorry its long winded. I'm at my wits end. Carrying around an external hard drive kinda defeats the 'laptop' portable concept. Thanks for your help.
So I replaced the drive. When I tried to install the system software, it failed. I did a disc first aid and it failed. I started in target mode and zeroed the drive from the eMac. I was then able to install the system software. Then it gets interesting..
When I started the ibook, it started fine, as I was running through the welcome stuff, it froze. Restarted and I got a black and white screen and it said I needed to restart. Then it wouldn't boot. The missing system folder icon popped back up at restart.
Back to the external drive, the iBook is back to normal. Okay, faulty hard drive. The second drive did extactly the same thing. Now, I'm thinking maybe its the data cable for the hard drive to the logic board.
Got one from eBay, replaced it.
Booted the book and boom, all it good. I uploaded the data from my old Mac and all seemed well. Until a restarted. The book didn't do things properly, it froze and then it won't boot. I plugged in the external drive again and its working fine.
Any ideas?? Sorry its long winded. I'm at my wits end. Carrying around an external hard drive kinda defeats the 'laptop' portable concept. Thanks for your help.
