G4 issues. Help?

TCLProductions · Mar 15, 2008

Hi guys.
First post and as well as first mac so be patient on this one.
Also i tried the search function and google but nothing helping on this.

I got a iBook G4 recently and have no idea really what i'm doing outside what i've read online. These are the symptoms:

Normal start-up: Start-up sound, a folder with a question mark shows up for a second after the folder with the mac face on it and then goes to the white background with the gray apple on it then shortly there after the spinning wheel comes up and it will either freeze there or will go to a blue screen and freeze there.

Safe-boot: Hold down shift when i hear the start up noise continues start up no indication of safe-boot at all. Freezes at white background with gray apple shortly after the spinning wheel shows up.

Single user command: I enter the command line for "fsck -fy" and it will go all the way to ** Checking Catalog File and stop UNLESS i insert a random cd and then it will go to ** Checking Catalog Hierarchy and stop

I've reset the PRAM and PMU multiple times with no success.
Also after several failed attempts the computer will start giving me the "rainbow screen of doom" or whatever its called. I've tried removing the additional RAM to see if it was bad but it acted no different.

I also got this computer from my girlfriend and she lost all the OSX discs.
I have access to the dmg files for all 4 Panther discs though.

Is there anything i can do or anyone know whats wrong?
I don't have access to another mac only this pc.
I do have a 30g ipod i can copy the dmg files to and also a cd-r burner so i can burn the files to discs if that will work but i read you cant really make a bootable osx disc with a pc.

I really have no clue so any help is appreciated.
I really need it back up and running so i can work on music.
Thank you in advance.

TCLProductions · Mar 15, 2008

I don't know what it is but it's booted all the way up and froze one time today and then i'm getting all the way to repairing volume on fsck, and its repaired a volume once.

Any ideas?

dtravis7 · Mar 15, 2008

This is just a stab in the dark, but it sounds like maybe a Hard Drive issue. If not OSX is all messed up. You really do need the OSX CD/DVD that came with the machine or a full install CD of Panther. I wish I could offer more help but without the OSX media you have tried everything I would normally do.

If you can get a hold of an OSX CD that will run on that iBook G4, with the CD in the drive hold C right after the start up sound and when you get to the installer look at the utilities drop down and run Disk Utility.

TCLProductions · Mar 15, 2008

Yea, i may have to go that route its just so weird because it started all the way up and i was able to mess around on it for a minute at the most but then the programs on start up started showing up, like limewire and such, which my gf put on the laptop and i intend to remove if i can get it off.

But I read that if i get a osx disc that i can boot from it and use some type of repair utility? Is this true?

dtravis7 · Mar 15, 2008

TCLProductions said:
Yea, i may have to go that route its just so weird because it started all the way up and i was able to mess around on it for a minute at the most but then the programs on start up started showing up, like limewire and such, which my gf put on the laptop and i intend to remove if i can get it off.

But I read that if i get a osx disc that i can boot from it and use some type of repair utility? Is this true?

I added to my first message. Yes. That is what I suggested.

Just in case, some iBooks have had hardware issues that can also cause the machine to lock like that. Just letting you know in case. Try an OSX CD first though.

TCLProductions · Mar 15, 2008

So just try and pick up a copy off ebay? does it have to be 10.3 panther or can i get tiger? Will i need a cd set with a serial to run the utility?

Thank you again.

Also one question, if it is the HD can i purchase a firewire hd and install the os on it until i get around to get on ifix or whatever and order a replacement and larger hd?

cowasaki · Mar 15, 2008

You can install panther or tiger on it without problem. You can even install leopard on it if it is 867MHz or faster. You should be able to boot it off an external firewire drive (I have done with mine).

There are quite a number of plans on the internet showing how to install a new hard drive in an iBook but it is not the easiest task in the world. Do a search for one of my previous posts when I explained the problems I had installing one (and I am a component level service engineer!)

When I read your post I straight away thought hard drive. It does seem to be the most likely but it could well just be the install of Mac OS that is junked rather than the drive itself.

You could try downloading and burning a G4 compatible linux distribution and installing that. This would show you if the hardware is working!

TCLProductions · Mar 15, 2008

So if i went and bought a firewire hd and leopard would i be set for either issue?

Could you point me in the right direction of the linux info as well, i'd be willing to give that a shot. I can download and burn the linux package via the pc and it will boot the mac i'm hoping correct?

I'm not to intimidated by replacing the hard drive if it comes down to it.
I was electrical technician at the michelin tire plant for over a year and i'm only 19(Left to move to a new city). I catch onto stuff quite quickly. And looking at all of the stuff above i learned in less than 24hours. Because i literally just got the ibook from my g/f less than 24 hours ago. I'm not a component level tech or engineer given though. So more than likely i'll run into a problem but how else does one learn? ;D.

cowasaki · Mar 15, 2008

I have never installed a linux distribution on a Mac I always use a PC for that so I cannot help with that. The hard drive installation is not difficult but there are a number of possible pitfalls. Mine for example was the power button connector breaking off the motherboard. There is a manufacturing fault on 1.33GHz 12" Macbooks making this connection EXTREMELY weak.

Good luck, it is a really good and still useable computer. I have a Quad Xeon Mac Pro and still use the 1.33Ghz ibook

TCLProductions · Mar 15, 2008

Sorry to repeat myself but i didnt get your answer and you said you did it but if i purchased a Firewire HD and Leopard would i be able to boot up using leopard and if the OE HD was bad install on the firewire HD?

cowasaki · Mar 15, 2008

Yes, you should be able to.

TCLProductions · Mar 26, 2008

Okay
I've bought the firewire harddrive and Leopard osx.
I try and boot from the osx DVD and no success.
I've held down option during start up and i'm able to select the disk and then it goes to the start up screen with the grey apple and the little wheel will spin for a little then freeze up. And if i hold down C during start up it does the same thing.
Any help please?
i've got 300 wrapped up in this and i have to get this workin

TonimusMaximus · Mar 26, 2008

I hate to say this, but if it hangs on booting from the CD, you probably have a dead logic... I had an old 366 mHz iBook that did the same thing. No matter what I did to it, it hung up in booting. The only thing that fixed it was a new MoBo.

TCLProductions · Mar 27, 2008

I really hope thats not the case.
But if it is. Could i buy another 14" ibook with a cracked screen or something and just put the **** in from mine. Like could i get one with a faster processor?

TonimusMaximus · Mar 28, 2008

You could. I'd be a little wary since a lot of screens crack from being dropped, but you could definitely give it a shot. Some of the faster motherboards used different cases. The 933mHz, 1 gHz, and 1.2 gHz use the same cases. The 1.33gHz uses a different case and the 1.42gHz yet another. I'm not saying you can't make them fit. I'm using a 12" 1.07gHz iBook MoBo stuffed into a 12" G3 iBook case and it took very little "work".