G5 will not fully restart...

[bluemonkey]

I have a dual G5 2.0Ghz 2gb RAM running Tiger.

I have had the problem in the past of restarting the machine only for it to boot up and show the desktop image and the spotlight icon in the top right, but it doesn't get any further. When it happened before, I zapped PRAM and ran FSCK, with complete success. Today, while I was working, the screen went dark gray and a warning told me that I needed to restart. I hold down the power key until it shuts down, and I restart, with the same result as before: the desktop image is there and the spotlight image, but it won't go any further. I zapped PRAM and ran FSCK, but to no avail. Can anyone help?

 

[eva01]

have you booted from install CD and used disk repair?

Or have you used the AppleCare CD and run it?

 

[bluemonkey]

No, I haven't booted from the install CD. Do you think that will help?

 

[eva01]

if the HD has something wrong with it that is fixable. Yes repairing the HD from the CD will work.

 

[bluemonkey]

OK, I restarted using the Install CD, and repaired permissions and disk twice, No dice. I then zapped PRAM and did FSCK again, still no dice.

What should I do next? Pray?

 

[yellow]

You had a kernel panic.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106227

Here's some steps in isolating issues:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25392

 

[GyroFX]

i've had similar problems running in 10.3.X. I'm not sure if my problem is the same as yours...but sometimes my computer would just freeze and the screen turns grey, with messages saying there's an error, blah blah. I thought i had a bad power box, but then i started tinkering with stuff inside the computer. I started removing ram...and I actually found one bad Ram chip that caused the freeze up. Check your ram to see that it's not corrupt...removing a piece and restart...see what happens.

Another instance was when my computer got too hot and it would give me the same message. I alleviated the problem by removing all my PCI metal brackets in the back of the computer, thus allowing ample air flow. That seemed to solve my problems as well.

BTW, i'm running on QUICKSILVER dual 1Ghz

 

[bluemonkey]

In case anyone cares, my problem ended up being spotlight-related. I had to call in our Mac guy to repair it. All he ended up having to do was boot up in safe mode (which apparantly resets spotlight), and viola! When he restarted, it was fine.