iBook Dropped; won't turn on

[XnavxeMiyyep]

I was using my iBook in the living room, and when I got up, my dog jumped onto the keyboard and knocked it off the couch while it was open. Now, whenever I turn it on, it loads the screen with the apple logo and the swirling loading icon, then goes right to the kernel panic screen that tells me to restart my computer in four languages. I've tried resetting the PMU and zapping the PRAM. Is there any easy way for me to fix it, or should I take it to the shop I got it from? (which will service it for free, but is a good distance from my house)

EDIT: I can boot into Single-User Mode. It informs me that the root device is mounted read-only. I ran: sudo chmod -R u+rwx /, which took about an hour, but did not seem to change anything. Does anyone know the command that would make it so my drive is no longer Read Only?

 

[Gokhan]

k

check ur ram and hd !

 

[CalfCanuck]

After you check to make sure that your RAM is still seated together, try booting off your system CD to check that everything besides the HD is still working.

Then you might run disk utilities off the CD to see if you can repair the HD.

If you have crashed your HD, here's a link to DIY repairs...

http://www.pbfixit.com/Guide/

 

[FocusAndEarnIt]

I'd take it in, IMO. It's free right? Do that

 

[XnavxeMiyyep]

Unfortunately, I'm not sure where my system CD is. I also don't have the screwdriver required to take apart the iBook. (No, I'm not deliberately trying to cause trouble )

I ran fsck -fy, it said there were no problems. Mounted the hard drive (both of those are what the terminal suggested I do to modify files). Doing that seems to make the drive no longer be read-only in the terminal, when I changed some image names to test. However, whenever I exit, it kernel panics, or if i restart and try to boot normally, it kernel panics. Then, it's read-only again the next time I boot into single user mode. Also, when I boot into user mode, above the part where it tells me the root device is mounted read-only, it says "Singleuser boot -- fsck not done". Not sure if that means anything.

If anyone has any other solutions with the terminal, I'm open for suggestions. Other than that, I'll probably take it to the shop on Monday (they're closed on weekends).

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. I'm sure if I wasn't completely clueless when it came to messing with hardware, I could have done more.

 

[Fireburst]

I think you really need to find that system disc to move any further.

 

[alexprice]

I would try fsck -f

 

[XnavxeMiyyep]

I've tried running all sorts of fsck commands; none really seem to help.

Today, when I turn it on, it gets past the original loading screen, and brings up a fullscreen terminal that says Darwin/BSD (Osiris.local) (console) (Osiris is the name of my iBook). Then a couple lines down it says login:. I enter my username, then I enter my password, but it says my folder /Users/<MY USER NAME> doesn't exist. (which it does) Then the screen turns bright blue for a few seconds, and brings my back to the same login screen again.

Thanks for all the input so far.

 

[Gokhan]

k

either ur osx installation is screwed or ur hd is messed up u need to check that ram though thats the first port of call

 

[XnavxeMiyyep]

It turns out the Hard Drive is damaged. The shop sent it to Apple for repairs. I'll be without it for a week.

 

[Laser47]

Which iBook do you have. I guess the SMS sensor in the new 'books will be a lifesaver.

 

[XnavxeMiyyep]

Which iBook do you have. I guess the SMS sensor in the new 'books will be a lifesaver.

I have a 12" iBook that I got in February or March. I bought it about a month before an updated version came out.

 

[Laser47]

Did you have to pay for the repairs, how much did it cost you?
If you cant find your restore disks you can order them from PB Fixit for 29.99$

 

[XnavxeMiyyep]

Did you have to pay for the repairs, how much did it cost you?
If you cant find your restore disks you can order them from PB Fixit for 29.99$

Thanks, but it's being fixed for free. Luckily, I randomly decided to back up my important files to my desktop earlier that day, because it would cost me $150 to save the data from the hard drive.

 

[Laser47]

Yet another reason to back up everyday guys!

 

[XnavxeMiyyep]

Well, I got it back today, with a strange stroke of luck. None of my data was lost, and, because I set my system to Dvorak, the store thought my keyboard was broken and gave me a replacement for free, which is good because some of the keys had faded off the old one.

 

[Laser47]

because I set my system to Dvorak, the store thought my keyboard was broken and gave me a replacement for free

Awesoome!!!

 

[California]

Good news. Now get an iSkin for your keyboard. I would've tried to buy a bigger hd and upgrade while they had the book apart, but glad you are happy. Nice about the keyboard, too. I take it you have a 1ghz 12" iBook? Happy with it so far? Does it seem slow at all?

 

[XnavxeMiyyep]

Good news. Now get an iSkin for your keyboard. I would've tried to buy a bigger hd and upgrade while they had the book apart, but glad you are happy. Nice about the keyboard, too. I take it you have a 1ghz 12" iBook? Happy with it so far? Does it seem slow at all?

1.2 GHz. It only has a 30 GB hard drive, but I don't really have the money to buy a new one right now. My Powermac has enough space anyway.

The iBook is fast enough in general, except my old Dual 867 Powermac is much better at rendering video while doing other things simultaneously.