weird OSX install problem

I have 2 G4/400's, and one of them will not allow me to install OS10.2. If I try to use the install disks, it freezes right at the beginning of launching the cd. No matter what I try (extensions off, replacing ram...), it freezes. I even went so far as to pull the harddrive, put it in the other G4, install the OS on it, and then put it back in the original G4. Turn on the computer...same freeze. The only remaining culprit would appear to be the motherboard. Anyone have any ideas of where to start?

First off try repairing your Disk Permissions. I am not sure what OS you are using so I am not positive where that would be fore you

I think you best bet is to try this :

Try putting the cd into the tray. Reboot the computer and hold down C as you are booting so that you can boot straight from the disc

"Try putting the cd into the tray. Reboot the computer and hold down C as you are booting so that you can boot straight from the disc"

I started this way, with no luck. The disc starts to install (I get the big grey apple), then it freezes. Even when I removed the hd, put it in another computer, installed the OS onto it, put it back in the first computer, it shows the grey apple, then freezes upon startup .

Could this be a firmware or motherboard issue?

Thanks

You can find out if it needs a firmware update at the Apple site. The models are listed showing if they need a firmware update to run OS X.

Have you tried zapping the PRAM?

Hold
Command + option + p + r
at startup until chimes.

Sometimes it requires holding until the third chime. (I guess third times a charm, er I mean chime))

"Have you tried zapping the PRAM?"

I updated the firmware to 4.2.8 ( I am pretty sure that was the version) which is suppossedly the latest for the G4. In any event, it is the version I have on the "working" box, and OSX works fine on it. The installer also mentioned that upgrading the firmware will zap the pram, so I am assuming that happened. Still no dice.

Maybe Christmas will bring a nice surprise, and it will stop being a pain and just work!

Thanks!

reboot the computer

Hold the Apple button and S

this will boot into the single user mode
when everything is loaded onto the screen type this in

/sbin/fsky -y

just like it is there and it will try to repair the discs. this should help a bunch

trpnmonkey41 said:

reboot the computer

Hold the Apple button and S

this will boot into the single user mode
when everything is loaded onto the screen type this in

/sbin/fsky -y

just like it is there and it will try to repair the discs. this should help a bunch

Click to expand...

I've never tried
/sbin/fsky -y

The command I use is
fsck -y
to repair the disk.

woops i was thinking ahead of myself when i put fsky.

/sbin/fsck -y

is what it should be

"reboot the computer

Hold the Apple button and S

this will boot into the single user mode"

I can give this a try, but the problem is that the computer will not boot.
If I put the drive into my other computer, it will boot. Doesn't that suggest that the disk is OK and the problem is elsewhere?

its not going to boot into OS X its going to boot into a UNIX frame. The disk itself seems fine but this does a sort of deep cleaning of the hard drive and the system folders etc. MacWorld magazine recommends that you do this once a week and whenever there is some serious slowdowns or application issues

Thanks, but none of these suggestions worked because the computer would not boot at all.

Turned out to be a bad set of ram. When removed, all installed correctly.

Thanks!