Please Help me i think my mac has a virus?

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so it was working fine, i downloaded and installed some codecs to play video files because my powerbook g4 with 1 gig ram 10.3.9 was playing mp4 video really really choppy
so, my mac was running fine other than that, and i thought maybe i should reset and that would make the video work, well,
st
When i restarted, only the dock shows up, and i cant see anything else, neither the cd in the drive, nor the mounted HDD, nor even the time, apple menu, or my airport status.the power icon in the upper right hand corner start to load, then vanishes?

I'm really freaking out, every time i try to run one of the apps from the dock it bounces for a second and crashes,

Please someone help me to fix this, i'm a complete mac newbie, and i just paid over 200$ dollars for this machine, and if it doesnt work my gfs gonna kill me lol.
but seriously i am kinda panicking, and if someone could help me with this, it would mean everything to me
Thanks
-Zak
 
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Hello,

Macs cannot get viruses, only malware. Can you uninstall the codecs and see what happens?
 
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Where did you get this video codec from
 
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Macs cannot get viruses, only malware.

Well, only because there aren't any viruses for Macs. See the link above.
 
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so it was working fine, i downloaded and installed some codecs to play video files because my powerbook g4 with 1 gig ram 10.3.9 was playing mp4 video really really choppy
so, my mac was running fine other than that, and i thought maybe i should reset and that would make the video work, well,
st
When i restarted, only the dock shows up, and i cant see anything else, neither the cd in the drive, nor the mounted HDD, nor even the time, apple menu, or my airport status.the power icon in the upper right hand corner start to load, then vanishes?

I'm really freaking out, every time i try to run one of the apps from the dock it bounces for a second and crashes,

Please someone help me to fix this, i'm a complete mac newbie, and i just paid over 200$ dollars for this machine, and if it doesnt work my gfs gonna kill me lol.
but seriously i am kinda panicking, and if someone could help me with this, it would mean everything to me

Highly unlikely it's malware. More likely you have a hardware issue. First thing to do is run the Apple Hardware Test. If you have the gray OEM install disc, you can run it from that:
Apple Hardware Test Images

If you do not have those discs, you can now download the AHT from Apple:
Apple Hardware Test Images

If the hardware test checks out, you will want to test your hard drive.
Resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance with Disk Utility and fsck
 
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Can you uninstall the codecs and see what happens?

I can't acess finder at all, I can't run any programs, or acess any folders, the CD in the computer needs to be ejected somehow, if i need to fix it with a boot disk.
I dont know the first thing about fixing this problem, also, one thing i noticed is that when it starts up it does, checking disk, then it does network services, and then it goes straight to the desktop skipping the rest of the boot process that it usually process thru,
when i boot into safe mode It looks like all the boot steps process but i still have the same problems,

please help.
 
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I can't acess finder at all, I can't run any programs, or acess any folders, the CD in the computer needs to be ejected somehow, if i need to fix it with a boot disk.

Are you saying your CD is stuck in the drive? Or you just don't know how to eject it? Or is the drive not working? And what is in the drive?
Ejecting a disc from the PowerBook G4 disc drive
 
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Are you saying your CD is stuck in the drive? Or you just don't know how to eject it? Or is the drive not working? And what is in the drive?
Ejecting a disc from the PowerBook G4 disc drive

When I boot up mac osx:
the only thing that comes up,
is the dock.
there is no CD Icon to drag to the trash,
No hard drive, or folders at all on the desktop
when i try and run any programs they bounce for a second, then unexpectedly quit.
also at the top of the screen where the apple menu usually shows, up
and where the power, and airport status start to show up and disappear.


i think i have some of the worst malware ever.
is there another way to eject my disk without being able to drag it to the trash
 

dtravis7


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I doubt it's Malware even causing your issue as I have tried the 2 or so Malware on a Mac here and neither did anything like the issue you are having.

Although, the little Malware that is out there for OSX mostly comes with a certain Codec download.

On the DVD/CD, Boot up holding down the LEFT mouse button. KEEP it down right after you hear the startup sound and the CD should eject.
 
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i think i have some of the worst malware ever.
is there another way to eject my disk without being able to drag it to the trash

No, you do NOT have malware. And I posted a link to instructions for how to eject the disk. If you want to work through this, you need to pay closer attention to the information we are providing here, or you may as well give up. It's extremely tedious for us to repeat ourselves.
 
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thanks for your reply , i was able to eject the disk with the link you provided me!
thanks!
now the problem im having is burning the apple hardware test dmg to a disc,
im running windows, and downloaded magic iso, which a site recommended me to use to burn dmg files, but its not recognizing it. whats the best program to use to burn a bootable disc from the aht dmg?
 
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If you want to work through this, you need to pay closer attention to the information we are providing here, or you may as well give up. It's extremely tedious for us to repeat ourselves.

I apologize for getting frustrated, i realize you guys are going thru effort to help me, and im sorry for asking questions without following your instructions,
I am very grateful for the effort your expending to help me.
I will slow down and let you help me :D
 
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thanks for your reply , i was able to eject the disk with the link you provided me!
thanks!
now the problem im having is burning the apple hardware test dmg to a disc,
im running windows, and downloaded magic iso, which a site recommended me to use to burn dmg files, but its not recognizing it. whats the best program to use to burn a bootable disc from the aht dmg?

Unfortunately, I can't find a definitive method of making a bootable DVD from a DMG using Windows. So for now, you'll have to skip the hardware test. Instead, move to testing the hard drive from your Mac OS install disc, assuming you have one. If you do not have one, then you need to buy OS X, and be sure to get a version that is compatible with your PowerBook.
 
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lifeisabeach said:
you need to buy OS X, and be sure to get a version that is compatible with your PowerBook.

I purchased this laptop via eBay, and it didnt include any install disks, osx retails at over 99.00, is this my only option?
 
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I purchased this laptop via eBay, and it didnt include any install disks, osx retails at over 99.00, is this my only option?

Yes. Even if all your hardware checks out, you are likely facing reinstallation of the OS. As it stands, you have no method available to you to test the hardware. How long have you had this? Depending on the terms of the auction, you may have to go back to the seller if it was expected to be in working condition. Simply adding a codec would not cause the problems you are having, so unless you did any manipulating yourself of the system files on the computer to render it inoperable, then it almost certainly is a hardware problem.
 
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Actually there may be one other option: you can contact Apple and see if they can send you a new copy of the original install discs for your specific model of Mac. If so, I believe the fee is nominal and you will have the Apple Hardware Test available on those.

You could also take it to an Apple Store to see if they will run diagnostics on it at no charge.
 
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can anyone dl the mac ahd .dmg and convert it to iso and supply me a link?
I think that would help me alot.
 
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can anyone dl the mac ahd .dmg and convert it to iso and supply me a link?
I think that would help me alot.

That is very much against forum rules.
 

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