HELP!!!! I need my Mac Fixed - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

The Clk Man · #1 10-08-2009, 02:14 PM

I am serious guys. I have a g4 and when I start it up I get the blinking ? and then the smiling mac, and thats it. I have tried resetting the pram and tried to start up form the norton emergency disk. any help would be appreciated.

Medmech · #2 10-08-2009, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Clk Man

I am serious guys. I have a g4 and when I start it up I get the blinking ? and then the smiling mac, and thats it. I have tried resetting the pram and tried to start up form the norton emergency disk. any help would be appreciated.

Try booting from the OS X disc.

The Clk Man · #3 10-08-2009, 02:37 PM

Thanks I tried that, the blinking question mark goes to a smiling face but that's all it does nothing else?

davidmash · #4 10-08-2009, 02:53 PM

Get a PC. I don't have that problem.

:lipsrse al

:

davidmash · #5 10-08-2009, 02:55 PM

Damn, almost for got.

Say it with me boys and girls .....

It's all ________ fault!!!

BobK · #6 10-08-2009, 03:01 PM

hate to tell ya guy, but the folks here in the MAC group say your hard drive is toast.

Medmech · #7 10-08-2009, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobK

hate to tell ya guy, but the folks here in the MAC group say your hard drive is toast.

Yip

Mike D · #8 10-08-2009, 03:13 PM

Hold it over your head and shake it until the aluminum silicate completely recoats the screen. I told you if you turned those knobs too fast this would happen!

(That was one of my favorite Dilbert comic strips!)

The Clk Man · #9 10-08-2009, 03:16 PM

Is there any chance of saving the old files?

The Clk Man · #10 10-08-2009, 03:25 PM

When it happened I was switching from Mac OS10 to OS9 and I do that several times a day everyday could that have caused this Thanks

Mike D · #11 10-08-2009, 03:26 PM

Depends on on much you want to spend.

If the drive motor and controller is good then it's a good possibility (bad sectors on the platter creating the non-boot condition).

If either the motor or the controller is toast then it gets quite a bit more expensive. You send it to a place which has a "clean" room, they pull apart the old drive, re-install a motor and controller and burn the info to either a new drive or DVD.

I used to use a place in New Hampshire for my clients' EXTREMELY important documents (lawyers, accountants, etc.) for data recovery. It wasn't cheap back then (mid '90's), about $125 an hour, minimum 2 hours with NO guarantee. You paid shipping and insurance both ways. There are probably more places around. Do a "data recovery services" search on the web.

MTI · #12 10-08-2009, 03:33 PM

Get a cheap new drive for the G4 to get it back up, install the OS. Setup the old drive as a slave or get the cables and adapters to convert it to an external and see if the G4 recognizes it, or if Disk Utilities "First Aid" can assist.

Jorn · #13 10-08-2009, 03:38 PM

This is a trick that sometimes works, it worked for me with 2 drives out of 5.

Take the drive out, put it in a zip-lock bag and put it in the freezer for 24 hours, reinstall it and if you are lucky it will give you enough time to back up your most important stuff. This is not a joke.