Help! Can't get Cube to boot.

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Jeff

Jeff


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I'm going to go get a Firewire cable and try it out(I have 4 Macs, and I don't even have a FireWire cable :(). We'll see what happens...
 
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That smiling Mac is OS 9, so I think there's a screwed-up 9 in it.

There are stories on the web about loading OS X into iMacs without first updating the firmware, and hardware damage was the result.

Even if that's a bit far-fetched, how much RAM is it supposed to have? It might not be able to boot X because it might have less than 256 megs of RAM.
 
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I have no idea whether this might apply to a Cube, but FWIW, from Macintouch, regarding an iMac, firmware and a damaged chipset:
It should be possible to recover an iMac that has mistaken had Mac OS X installed without first performing the firmware upgrade. The actual problem is related to an incompatibility in the display chipset having to do with the refresh frequency that is introduced when Mac OS X is installed prior to the firmware update. It is very important that the recovery be attempted as soon as possible, as continued use of the system may irrevocably damage the chipset. I have seen some machines work for a short period of time without the firmware, but eventually the display will start to degrade (appearing not unlike a failing CRT), and the final stage is when the machine will absolutely refuse to boot.
Click to expand...
 
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So I tried booting into Target Disk mode, with the T key held down, and it just goes back to the flashing face and question mark. This is after I went all around town looking for a 6-pin-6-pin FireWire cable, and spending $40 on the POS. I'm starting to lose hope...
 
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MacHeadCase

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You did insert the full install OS disk in the optical drive of the working Mac, yes?

And that cable is not a POS it can come in very handy, you never know.
 
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I guess... I was just mad that I went all over town looking for it. Who would have guessed that Wal*Mart wouldn't have them?
 
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MacHeadCase

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K. The only reason I can think this is not working is that either you are trying to use an install disk that comes from another Mac (this has been posted at least 20 bijillion times in the forum, using an install disk from another Mac does not work at all and you need a full install disk) or you didn't follow the procedure correctly from the Apple How To.

And you really should persevere in this project 'cause the Cube is one of the sexiest Macs ever...
 
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If the cube has a corrupted OS 9 on it and not enough RAM to run X, how could it start through target mode or any other way?
 
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MacHeadCase said:
K. The only reason I can think this is not working is that either you are trying to use an install disk that comes from another Mac (this has been posted at least 20 bijillion times in the forum, using an install disk from another Mac does not work at all and you need a full install disk)
Click to expand...

Definitely using the generic DVD, not the one from my MacBook or something.
Or you didn't follow the procedure correctly from the Apple How To.
Click to expand...

Also definitely followed the directions.

So I pulled the hard drive and popped it into my G4 Powermac, and I could see that it actually had OS X on it, but I didn't try too boot from it. Do you think it would be possible to install OS X on the PowerMac, and then put it back in the Cube? I thought about it, but I don't know if the installation is optomized for the system.

Sound like it might work to anyone?
 
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MacHeadCase

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Heck you have nothing to loose by entirely wiping that hard drive and reinstalling, right? I'd say go for it. The worse that happens is that the install doesn't go all the way but you would be farther then you were before trying this nifty trick.

Use the Target Disk mode thingy on this again if it doesn't work directly from the G4 Power Mac.

Good luck and let us know how it goes. :girl:
 
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Jeff


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OH MY GOD!!! Thank you so much MacHeadCase!! With your advice, I finally got it to work!!! Too bad I can only send you one positive rep :(

Actually I can't send you any rep at all. I didn't notice that they discontinued it... Do you accept PayPal? haha
 
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MacHeadCase

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ROTFL

Yeah rep system is out. PayPal and me, unfortunately are not on speaking terms but good thoughts are ok.
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You got one heck of a sexy computer to add to your Mac family, now! Take good care of it! Congrats, man! Glad it got sorted out.
 

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