I keep having to restart no matter what I do

J3r. · Sep 6, 2008, 02:20 AM

I have a 20-inch iMac and it keeps telling me I need to restart. What I have tried is holding down C while I try to boot the install cd and also when I try to go to single user mode I get the message to the ilk "System OS not set" so that must be the problem. Also, it doesn't let me type anything in single user mode. And that may be because I have a wireless keyboard. Please tell me the steps to trouble shoot so I don't have to keep coming back to here and set my backup computer over and over again.

Thanks,

J3R.

scienide09 · Sep 6, 2008, 10:24 AM

When the computer tells you to shut down, is it because you're having kernel panics? Do you see this image?

It would help us to know your system specs and OS version, along with anything you've done to the hardware (eg. RAM upgrade) or any specialized software installed in/on the system.

J3r. · Sep 6, 2008, 04:46 PM

Yes, it's a Kernel Panic like the picture you showed. It's an Intel Core Duo 20-inch iMac with Superdrive. Upgraded to 4GB. The owner sold it to me on eBay used with everything including the original box. What happened right before these Kernel Panics is that I had left it on and the program I was running was called "Spring Cleaning." I think I was doing something that said "erase free space"....something like that. Hmm ... maybe I have too much memory used up? Thing is, though I can't start it up to erase anything. Also, the owner had Tiger on it, but he upgraded to Leopard. I don't think he sent the Leopard install disk, though. I hope I can recover Leopard on it.

Thanks,

J3r.

J3r. · Sep 7, 2008, 08:56 PM

I have waited awhile...... nobody knows what my next step should be?

_J3r._

richthomas · Sep 7, 2008, 09:03 PM

you said you upgraded the RAM? it could be faulty. run a hardware test by starting up install disc 1 while holding "D".

n1blink182fan2 · Sep 7, 2008, 11:01 PM

dude, same problem. whenever i try to install my leopard on my g4 it just keeps putting me back to that screen. i called apple, and there wasn't anything they could do over the phone, you basically have to take it in they said. then worst part was, is you have to pay the 50 dollars for them to do something, and even after paying that there is no guarentee that they will fix it. does anyone know of something to do before i take it in?

Sep 6, 2008, 02:20 AM	#1
J3r. macrumors newbie Join Date: Sep 2008	I keep having to restart no matter what I do I have a 20-inch iMac and it keeps telling me I need to restart. What I have tried is holding down C while I try to boot the install cd and also when I try to go to single user mode I get the message to the ilk "System OS not set" so that must be the problem. Also, it doesn't let me type anything in single user mode. And that may be because I have a wireless keyboard. Please tell me the steps to trouble shoot so I don't have to keep coming back to here and set my backup computer over and over again. Thanks, J3R.

Sep 6, 2008, 10:24 AM	#2
scienide09 macrumors 65816 Join Date: May 2007 Location: Canada	When the computer tells you to shut down, is it because you're having kernel panics? Do you see this image? It would help us to know your system specs and OS version, along with anything you've done to the hardware (eg. RAM upgrade) or any specialized software installed in/on the system. __________________ I'm a librarian. Macbook Pro 15" 2.33 \| MacBook Aluminum 2.0 \| iPhone 8GB (original) \| Black iPod 8GB \| Backup: RAID-1 640GB NAS.

Sep 7, 2008, 08:56 PM	#4
J3r. Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Sep 2008	What is my next step, anyone? I have waited awhile...... nobody knows what my next step should be? _J3r._

Sep 7, 2008, 09:03 PM	#5
richthomas macrumors 601 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: /Aussieland/home	you said you upgraded the RAM? it could be faulty. run a hardware test by starting up install disc 1 while holding "D". __________________ ♫Gee Officer Krupke, krup you!♫ 15" MacBook Pro Core Duo 2 GHz, 2 GB, 250 GB 7200.4; 23" Cinema Display; Snow Leopard Core i5 2.66 GHz, 4GB, 1.5 TB, 4870 1GB Nokia E63

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Sep 6, 2008, 04:46 PM	#3
J3r. Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Sep 2008	Yes, it's a Kernel Panic like the picture you showed. It's an Intel Core Duo 20-inch iMac with Superdrive. Upgraded to 4GB. The owner sold it to me on eBay used with everything including the original box. What happened right before these Kernel Panics is that I had left it on and the program I was running was called "Spring Cleaning." I think I was doing something that said "erase free space"....something like that. Hmm ... maybe I have too much memory used up? Thing is, though I can't start it up to erase anything. Also, the owner had Tiger on it, but he upgraded to Leopard. I don't think he sent the Leopard install disk, though. I hope I can recover Leopard on it. Thanks, J3r.

Sep 7, 2008, 11:01 PM	#6
n1blink182fan2 macrumors newbie Join Date: Sep 2008	dude, same problem. whenever i try to install my leopard on my g4 it just keeps putting me back to that screen. i called apple, and there wasn't anything they could do over the phone, you basically have to take it in they said. then worst part was, is you have to pay the 50 dollars for them to do something, and even after paying that there is no guarentee that they will fix it. does anyone know of something to do before i take it in?