Still having trouble with my g3

So previously I discussed how all I was getting at startup was the blinking folder and ? Screen still same problem. The only thing other than that I can view is the firmware screen. I tried zapping the pram and resetting the defalts through firmware screen. The highest software installled was 8.6 and its close to impossible to find restore disccs or os. I want toput 10.3 on the computer but I cant even get on it o update the firm where. I forgot to mention iits a 333mhz tray loading imac. Can someone please help me. I need this computer up and running since it the only one I have at the moment. Thank you

The blinking folder and question mark means that there is no bootable volume on the computer. This usually means the hard drive has crashed, though it could also be a hard drive that has been erased or rendered unbootable somehow. In a worst-case scenario, it could be a more critical failure of the motherboard.

You need to try booting from an install disc to run Disk Utility and see what the status of the hard drive is. Also, you really should run the Apple Hardware Test. That's normally found on the original install discs. I take it you can't find those nor otherwise have any discs that you can boot the system with? If that's the case then what you can try, if you can get to another Mac to burn this, is download Mac OS 7.5.3 from Apple… if that will work on your system. Apple is providing it as a free download. Read the instructions given in this site thoroughly:
Classic Mac OS Downloads and Updates

Barring that, your only other choice is to figure out where you are going to be able to buy a copy of the Mac OS that will boot your system. Be aware that even if you do, you are still likely looking at hardware repairs.

And in the future, please don't start new threads seeking help for this same problem. I have no idea how much of what I just told you that you were already told. Just reply to the old one next time.

Thank you for the input. I do know of a laptop I can use and I did buy another hard drive that needs to be partitioned. Can I do that after installing 7 or do I haave to partition it first ?

Mac3attack said:

Thank you for the input. I do know of a laptop I can use and I did buy another hard drive that needs to be partitioned. Can I do that after installing 7 or do I haave to partition it first ?

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You should be able to partition after installing it, but I personally have no significant experience with the old Mac OS. I don't even know for certain your model can run Mac OS 7. According to EveryMac.com, yours would have come with 8.1 or later. Still… it's your best shot at the moment.
What version of the MacOS is pre-installed on the iMac G3 models? Does the iMac G3 run the MacOS? Can it run MacOS X or just MacOS 9? @ EveryMac.com

Im going to give it a shot in a little while. the computer was working up untill 2weeks ago when I pushed the reset button next to the usb... Stupid me touching things I dont know what tthey do

Ok so I tried to install os7 and still no good. Further research aalso shows that 7 will not work on my system. On another note, I read that my system does not have a dvd or rw rom. Does this limit the kind of cd I can use to burn my programs on?

You need to pick up a retail disk of OS 9. Then, you need to update the firmware to install OS X 10.3.

A flashing question mark is usually a dead hard drive. It can sometimes be related to the OS being corrupted in some way, but if it was working a few weeks ago, the suddenly stopped, odds are it's dead.

thank you. i mean i have no clue where im going to find a retail cd, but i know what i need to start looking for

If you have to you can put 8.1 on the machine. You need full retail or orange Imac disc.

Mac3attack said:

thank you. i mean i have no clue where im going to find a retail cd, but i know what i need to start looking for

Click to expand...

Perhaps this might be what you're looking for Macattack?

Mac OS 8.1 at Amazon.com

in order to buy it, you'll have to create an acc't with Amazon.

So this weekend I recieved os 9. I was able to boot up my computer. I partitioned the 120gb hard drive to about 8000 mb. Just under 8gb so its ready for mac os10. The problem Im having now is when I go to startup options and select start up from petitioned drive with my new os on it, I hit the restart button and it brings me back to the flashing ? Icon . I have to hold down c to start the computer and the disc must be in

Mac3attack said:

So this weekend I recieved os 9. I was able to boot up my computer. I partitioned the 120gb hard drive to about 8000 mb. Just under 8gb so its ready for mac os10. The problem Im having now is when I go to startup options and select start up from petitioned drive with my new os on it, I hit the restart button and it brings me back to the flashing ? Icon . I have to hold down c to start the computer and the disc must be in

Click to expand...

You have partitioned the drive, but you have not installed an OS to it. You still need to boot from an install disc to install the OS.

I did install the os, then I went to startup and chose the new partition to start from. After that I hit the restart button. is it possible my partition is too large? Also my partition is not named. It is labled untitled. Could that be a problem

Hold down the option key on restart and see if you can select the partition. 10 gig is about right for os9. You need to do an Universal Install...I think the firmware is messed up. You need update 1.2 as Os 9 requires this update.

Hey..You need to clear some of your messages as you have reached your limit..I need to send you something.

Mac SK said:

Hey..You need to clear some of your messages as you have reached your limit..I need to send you something.

Click to expand...

I didnt realize there was a limit in messages untill now, my appologies

The problem I am still having... I installed os 9 on my g3, its on an 8000 mb partitioned 120gb hard drive. When I go to settings, control panel, start up menu, I select the os folder in my partition labeled mac drive, and click the restart button. The computer wont start up using the os folder, I have to hold down the c key in order to boot back up. Any suggestions why this is so? Its a brand new hard drive

When you boot from the CD there should be 3 icons on the desktop. 1 Is the CD, 2 is the 8G. Part. and 3 the untitled. If there not there you did something wrong. On restart hold down the option key..a window will open to pick a boot device..your 8 G. part. should be in the list. Choose the HD part, thats has the OS on it. Are you sure you did a universal install. Under custom installation to the right of check box OS9..you click and change Recommended to Custom a window opens at the top Selection you click and change to Universal Install and then click Ok.

I did everything step by step. Last night I took the machine apart and put the old 6 gb hard drive back in. I tried the os8 cd one more time and the computer told me I needed more up to date software in order to run the cd. I then put in the os 9 cd and followed the instructions again. Custom install, ect. Almost all the way through a window popped up saying an error occured. I tried this 6 or 7 times before just hitting the ignore button. After the download was complete, a window popped up that said please restart in order to begin using the os. I clicked restart, and half way through rebooting the computer freezes... Every time. Ive triied several times so for

Did you reformat the 6g HD...theres an error on it and the OS didnt take. You can try holding down the Shift key during startup..that turns off extensions. Most likely theres something wrong with the drive. Its not taking the OS8 because the firmware is up to date If it was 3.3.3f 1999 its ready for OSX. Any time an install stops half way its the HD has problems. Try to reformat the drive first..your almost there. Or You could of did a Clean Install if the 6G HD already had an OS on it.That replaces the old system folder with a new one.