Can't Start My Computer Now!!!!

[?Hater]

I tried to restart into OS 9 by selecting it in my startup disk system utility, when the computer restarts (Mac OS 10.2.6), all I get is a flashing question mark ? I tried restarting and holding down the option key, and there is no icon for any drive. Also, I'm working in New York this summer and left my system CD's at home, so I can't reboot with them. Please help if you can. Thanks

[zarathustra]

Uhm, yeah.

Zoltar says, your machine is a ...., oh well, I guess I can't guess. :p Please supply some info before anyone can even begin to help you.

[?Hater]

Not that it really matters too much, but the computer is a G4 iMac 800MHz Superdrive 15" running 10.2.6. 5 minutes ago, coincidentally, my sister in california called me up, and has the same EXACT problem on her iBook (G3, Combo drive), talk about brothers and sisters thinking alike. So...I'm not thinking this is really computer specific, more like a funky glitch. I let the computer sit there for 20 minutes, came back, and nothing but a flashing ? mark...right now I'm using a crappy PC, this is not good...lol. I have tried restarting by pressing the X key, same ? mark. I restarted with the option key held down, got a circle arrow on the bottom left and a forward arrow on the right (startup utility), and where there would normally be a drive to select above, there's nothing but blank space. All I did to get this mess started was restart into OS 9. Is this a new apple trick to stop people restarting into classic? Thanks for the help.

[Gus]

The same thing happened to me last week on my way from Kansas City to Nashville. I mean, the SAME EXACT THING. I've seen lots of people have the same problems on Apple's discussion boards. I had to reinstall OS X in order to get anything to work. The info was still on the drive, because I connected to my wife's iBook via FireWire and got my info, but the system was hosed. Good Luck man.

Regards,
Gus

[neilt]

try zapping the pram

hold down apple-option shift P R while rebooting.

let it chime 3 times then let go of those keys.


if this doesn't work, try to boot from your os x install cd. to open your drive hold down the mouse key when you reboot the machine.
then boot the imac while holding the c key to boot from the CD.

DON'T REINSTALL THE OS!!!!

i don't remember exactly which menu it is in, but launch disk utility (think it is under the file menu.)

check the disk and also repair permisions.

try that and see what happens.

neil

[Nermal]

It's really weird for this to happen to several people at roughly the same time. I frequently switch between 9 and X and don't have any problems, but this constant swapping eliminates my contendance for any of these "post your uptimes" threads :D

[?Hater]

Reset the PRAM, to no avail. My sister restarted her ibook with the CD (which I unforutnately don't have), says that Disk Utility is grey in the menu, so she has no chance to use it. I guess she'll be reinstalling system software. Meanwhile, I continue to stare at my flashing folder. Yuck.

[Sedulous]

Have you tried to re-boot holding down the "X" key? That should boot up to OS X I think.

[neilt]

o start up into Safe Mode (to Safe Boot), do this:

1. Be sure the computer is shut down.
2. Press the power button.
3. Immediately after you hear the startup tone, press and hold the Shift key.
Note: The Shift key should be held as soon as possible after the startup tone but not before.
4. Release the Shift key when you see the gray Apple and progress indicator (looks like a spinning gear).

During the startup, you will see "Safe Boot" on the Mac OS X startup screen (Figure 1). To leave Safe Mode, restart the computer normally, without holding any keys during startup.

[neilt]

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58042

[Mblazened]

dude, you need to get a startup cd. Nothing listed here will start your computer.

Your hard disk has crashed. Unless it is making ticking sounds, you stand a good chance of getting your data back.

don't leave home without your cds

[iJon]

Originally posted by neilt
o start up into Safe Mode (to Safe Boot), do this:

1. Be sure the computer is shut down.
2. Press the power button.
3. Immediately after you hear the startup tone, press and hold the Shift key.
Note: The Shift key should be held as soon as possible after the startup tone but not before.
4. Release the Shift key when you see the gray Apple and progress indicator (looks like a spinning gear).

During the startup, you will see "Safe Boot" on the Mac OS X startup screen (Figure 1). To leave Safe Mode, restart the computer normally, without holding any keys during startup.
he cant do that, his computer is set to boot into 9, and holding shift wont get you back into 10, all it will do is turn off his extenstions for 9, but he isnt even getting that far. I would try holding down the "x" key starting up, that should force it to boot in X. give it a shot.

iJon

[FredAkbar]

Originally posted by neilt
Note: The Shift key should be held as soon as possible after the startup tone but not before.


Just out of curiosity, why do you have to wait until after the startup tone before you press the shift key? Will it specifically do something else if you press it too early, or will it just not recognize that Shift is being "held down" unless you press it after the chime?

--Fred

[?Hater]

Here's the prob everyone...No system is recognized, period. No X, no 9, no nothin. Whoever said I need my CD's is right. It'll install a new system over the old, and create a new previous system file. Problem is, I'm on the road without my CD. Thus, I'm in deep water...at least I have my trusty Wintel box here...lol (cringe). The hold down the X key didn't work, as I said b4. I wonder if anyone knows why this is happening? It'd be a nice thing to fix. Thanks again.

[neilt]

Originally posted by iJon
he cant do that, his computer is set to boot into 9, and holding shift wont get you back into 10, all it will do is turn off his extenstions for 9, but he isnt even getting that far. I would try holding down the "x" key starting up, that should force it to boot in X. give it a shot.

iJon

i was just going through stuff on the TIL... he said originally that he already tried holding down the x... I have never tried the shift key trick in 10. Didn't even realize it did anything. Figured it might be worth a try since it doesn't seem like anything else has worked yet....
he really needs the startup cd....i think that is probably the only thing that is going to fix it.

although, if he has access to any other mac with a firewire port, he could:
1. boot the imac while holding the t key (to put it into target disk mode)
2. plug the imac into the the other mac via firewire.
3. run disk utility from the 2nd mac onto his imac.

this will get around the not having cd nonsense


neil

[neilt]

Originally posted by FredAkbar
Just out of curiosity, why do you have to wait until after the startup tone before you press the shift key? Will it specifically do something else if you press it too early, or will it just not recognize that Shift is being "held down" unless you press it after the chime?

--Fred
don't really know on this one...never tried it. just found it tonight at the TIL (tech info library)

neilt

[Gus]

If you are getting the flashing questionmark, and no HDs are showing, then you have no system folder that the machine can find. Holding down any keys will not help anything. Unfortunately, the others are right. You are going to have to get the CDs and boot from them. If you have or have access to DiskWarrior, Drive X, or (gasp) Norton, you can try to fix it, but I'm afraid it might be a lost cause. Even when I got home and ran Disk Utility, etc., it found problems, but was unable to fix them. I honestly hope you have better luck than I did.

Regards,
Gus

[Coca-Cola]

I think what is happening is... your computer is confused about which start up disk to use. I had this problem. I started the computer up in OS 9. Ran os 9 and selected a control panel and selected os x as the start up disk. It isn't as horrible as it looks or feels. I do think you will need to boot up from a os 9 disk though.

[?Hater]

Nah, I wish I could say it was a simple thing, like my computer is just confused which disk to choose. This is an actual, serious problem, where my computer now recognizes NO system folder whatsoever. Even disk utility doesn't see it (took it to soho apple). I ended up reinstalling system software, now I have a folder called "Previous Systems." All my apps, and user prefs are still fine, I just have a new system folder. It's a problem apparently only with 10.2.5 and higher. Anyhow, I just won't restart into classic I guess anymore...lol. Thanks.