Well okay, it was probably me actually but Target mode made me do it!! I have scoured the internet and I can't find any mention of this issue anywhere so I'm hoping the brilliant minds on MacForums can help me figure out what I've done to my poor little eMac.
Backstory: I bought a pre-loved 800MHz eMac running 10.3.9 which came with an unknown password and auto log-in. All was fine until I decided it was time for a fresh system install and went to copy my files over to another Mac using the seemingly benign "target mode" technique. I followed the instructions to the letter, hooked the two Macs together with a functioning firewire cable, restarted the target eMac, pressed the "T" button on the keyboard and then.... nothing but a blank grey screen looking back at me. 5 minutes later, still holding the "T" button, still no bouncing firewire icon or mounted hard drive on the 2nd Mac, I released the "T" button and then I sort of, um... yanked the firewire cable out of my 2nd Mac before powering down either one! (how stupid, I know) Immediately thereafter my once happy little eMac began flashing the ? blue folder of death at me and has been doing so ever since. I'm pretty sure I've annihilated this little critter but just in case there may yet be hope I thought I'd pass along my dliemma see what you guys think.
Details that may be useful: installer disk loads but can't find a "destination volume" to reinstall the new system to. I don't have the proper version Apple Hardware Test for this eMac so I haven't been able to check the disk with that, but I did run Disk Utility (from the 10.3.5 installer disk) and it can't seem to find the hard drive either (shows the installer CD itself, but nothing else).
My symptoms are:
- Normal chime and fan on start-up. Oh, and the occasional Jurassic type thumping noise from within (is this bad?)
- Dark grey screen for: 1 minute
- Followed by flashing ? blue folder of death for: ever
Things I've tried:
- unplugging keyboard and mouse during start-up
- zapping the PRAM
- using Disk Utility from Installer Disk (can't find the hard drive)
- trying to start in "Safe" mode (grey screen with flashing ? of death)
- unplugging the power cable for a while
- heaving the thing from the nearest rooftop (well, not yet anyway)
Any brilliant thoughts/ideas/prayers you might have would be much appreciated!
Thank you!
Lesley
Backstory: I bought a pre-loved 800MHz eMac running 10.3.9 which came with an unknown password and auto log-in. All was fine until I decided it was time for a fresh system install and went to copy my files over to another Mac using the seemingly benign "target mode" technique. I followed the instructions to the letter, hooked the two Macs together with a functioning firewire cable, restarted the target eMac, pressed the "T" button on the keyboard and then.... nothing but a blank grey screen looking back at me. 5 minutes later, still holding the "T" button, still no bouncing firewire icon or mounted hard drive on the 2nd Mac, I released the "T" button and then I sort of, um... yanked the firewire cable out of my 2nd Mac before powering down either one! (how stupid, I know) Immediately thereafter my once happy little eMac began flashing the ? blue folder of death at me and has been doing so ever since. I'm pretty sure I've annihilated this little critter but just in case there may yet be hope I thought I'd pass along my dliemma see what you guys think.
Details that may be useful: installer disk loads but can't find a "destination volume" to reinstall the new system to. I don't have the proper version Apple Hardware Test for this eMac so I haven't been able to check the disk with that, but I did run Disk Utility (from the 10.3.5 installer disk) and it can't seem to find the hard drive either (shows the installer CD itself, but nothing else).
My symptoms are:
- Normal chime and fan on start-up. Oh, and the occasional Jurassic type thumping noise from within (is this bad?)
- Dark grey screen for: 1 minute
- Followed by flashing ? blue folder of death for: ever
Things I've tried:
- unplugging keyboard and mouse during start-up
- zapping the PRAM
- using Disk Utility from Installer Disk (can't find the hard drive)
- trying to start in "Safe" mode (grey screen with flashing ? of death)
- unplugging the power cable for a while
- heaving the thing from the nearest rooftop (well, not yet anyway)
Any brilliant thoughts/ideas/prayers you might have would be much appreciated!
Thank you!
Lesley