MAJOR G3 MINITOWER PROBLEMS, I need your help!

[LimeiBook86]

I have a very bad problem with my Power Macintosh G3 Mini Tower. I was using OS X when I decided I needed to boot to OS 9 just to see if my sound worked in 9 because it wasn't in X. So I went to reboot and OS 9 starts up and gives me an error "Sorry, A System error has...blah blah" So I retart several times. Then I try to reboot to OS X. I CAN'T! I have tried holding down X I have tried holding down OPTION. I can't go back to OS X 10.1.5! :( I don't know why! SO now I open up the computer, I unplug an IDE cable that leads to noplace, and I put my SCSI cable back in (it had been pulled out the wire is sorta short) So then I start up, it comes up with a System Bus error. Now I get mad, it tells me to restart so I do, now it just gives me a white blank window. So now I startup via the Mac OS 9 CD (The CD has 9.0 I am running 9.2 does it matter) Well it is starting up through the CD, I can tell because the backround says CD on it. Well now a blank error box pops up too! Ok now I can care less about OS 9 I want my files! So how can I get back to Mac OS X, I would HATE! To lose all my files! I tried starting up from teh OS 9 Disc and teh OS X disc and I have used disk first aid and disk utility, and nothing. I am really in a bad potion here, my iBook has nothing but what it came with because I am getting ready to install Jaguar if I get it for X-Mas so I need to use my G3. I am really in a pickle, should I go to the Apple Store? Whould they even help me? I meen the warenty is long since passed since this refirbished machine only had a 30 Day one. Please help ANY advice would be great...

[Wes]

To save your files you could do this, you'll have to get a firewire cable to try.

http://homepage.mac.com/bradhopkins/tutorials/mac/firewire-disk/firewire-disk.html

[Nipsy]

sometimes booting into Open Firmware helps...

[Wes]

Originally posted by Nipsy
sometimes booting into Open Firmware helps...

I've never heard of this in my 10 years of owning macs, what is it?

[King Cobra]

First of all, if you want to reset the open firmware, on boot up (OS X or OS 9 doesn't matter)

(1) Boot up holding down Apple -- Option -- O -- F
(2) Type in reset-all when the text appears on screen.

If that doesn't work, turn off the computer, grab a Firewire cable, and get to work on Firewire Target Disk Mode. From here, you can transfer all the data you can't get to to another computer.

FireWire Target Disk Mode Documentation (http://kbase.info.apple.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/kbase.woa/wa/query?searchMode=Assisted&type=id&val=KC.58583)

[LimeiBook86]

well i ended up puting in a secondary HD, installing X for the heck of it, then when it was installed I switched the startup dko my old one and it works. But I opened it up and tightened the screws (not too hard) on the firewire PCI card (because it wasnt readin my firewire drive) now the Mac wont even TURN ON! :( I am very worried, what can I do!? I meen I know I didnt shock any thing it just wont start... :(

[MacBandit]

Did you do a reformat of your drive with the 10.2 disk before installing 10.2?

If you did you have to choose the option to allow OS9 booting when doing the reformat.

[Choppaface]

Originally posted by King Cobra
First of all, if you want to reset the open firmware, on boot up (OS X or OS 9 doesn't matter)

(1) Boot up holding down Apple -- Option -- O -- F
(2) Type in reset-all when the text appears on screen.

If that doesn't work, turn off the computer, grab a Firewire cable, and get to work on Firewire Target Disk Mode. From here, you can transfer all the data you can't get to to another computer.

FireWire Target Disk Mode Documentation (http://kbase.info.apple.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/kbase.woa/wa/query?searchMode=Assisted&type=id&val=KC.58583)

is there similar documentation on open firmware?